Using human stem cells to discover how genes & environment interact to build (or impair) our brains

The Wells Lab specializes in a technique known as a cell village: Cells from many different people are cultured together in a dish, exposed to environmental stimuli, and then analyzed to measure and explain differential responses across individuals.

Our unique approach could illuminate the dynamic mechanisms underlying brain conditions like autism, identify genetic risk factors for viral infections, and improve the efficiency of drug discovery pipelines.

Tech

We create novel tools to build, manipulate, and analyze cell villages and accelerate breakthroughs

Nature

We investigate why certain gene mutations alter brain cell responses to developmental cues

Nurture

We study how environmental stressors like pollutants and viruses harm the brain

Medicine

We want to make treatments safer by identifying genetic risk markers for adverse drug reactions

Our work is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Simons Foundation, and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Our discoveries would not be possible without their support, and the generosity of the thousands worldwide who donate their cells for biomedical research.