DIAS event: Understanding Brain Cells: How They Shape Health and Disease by Oscar Marín

The brain relies on a diverse group of cells called GABAergic interneurons to maintain balance and regulate communication between neurons. These specialized cells play a crucial role in brain function, and when they don’t work properly, they have been linked to epilepsy and cognitive deficits in many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.

​​​​​​​Despite their importance, we are only beginning to understand how these cells develop, connect, and adapt. In this talk, I will share insights from our research on how interneurons form, how their numbers are controlled, and how they integrate into brain circuits to support healthy function.

About Oscar Marín
Oscar Marín is a Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders and the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology at King’s College London. He graduated in Biology and obtained a PhD in Neuroscience from Universidad Complutense in Madrid (Spain), followed by postdoctoral training at UCSF (USA). He was a group leader at the Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante (Spain) before joining King’s in 2014. In 2005, he was selected as one of the founding members of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council, where he served until 2010. He is a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Oscar is known for his discoveries concerning the development of the cerebral cortex, with special reference to the development of inhibitory interneurons. His discoveries have provided a novel conceptual paradigm that illuminates current research on the origin of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. He serves on several editorial and advisory boards and has received multiple prizes, including the Rey Jaime I Award for Basic Research (2011), Prix Roger de Spoelberch (2014), the Cajal Medal from the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences (2017), the ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award (2023), and the FENS-EJN Award (2024).

Venue
The DIAS Auditorium, SDU Campus Odense

This event is open for all. No registration needed.