Fikri Birey, PhD
Assistant Professor Department of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics
The Birey lab uses stem-cell-derived human brain organoids and assembloids to study the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying human brain development, function, and disease. Our work focuses on building human cellular models of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease, with particular interest in how genetic risk, neuromodulatory inputs, and disease-relevant cellular stressors shape cortical function and vulnerability. We combine human pluripotent stem cell models, single-cell and functional genomics, imaging, electrophysiology, and therapeutic perturbations to identify mechanisms of disease and explore potential intervention strategies.