Breunig Lab
Neural Stem Cell Differentiation, Brain Repair, and Tumorigenesis
Neural stem cells generate the majority of the cells in the brain. The Breunig Laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms that mediate the normal differentiation of these cells to create the appropriate mature cell types in the brain, including neurons and glia (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes). Importantly, this information can be used to create therapies to direct differentiation and to promote brain repair. Conversely, we also use this knowledge to understand development of brain tumors when cells are mutated. For example, the exact origin of brain tumors is currently under debate, with most evidence pointing to either a neural stem cell origin or an oligodendrocyte progenitor origin.
The Breunig Laboratory is affiliated with the Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Neurosurgery.
The Breunig Laboratory is investigating the molecular mechanisms that govern the generation of the central nervous system from neural stem cells.
Meet Our Team
Learn more about the scientists, faculty members, investigators and other healthcare professionals of the Breunig Laboratory, whose dedicated efforts lead to groundbreaking discoveries.
Kim GB, Rincon Fernandez Pacheco D, Saxon D, Yang A, Sabet S, Dutra-Clarke M, Levy R, Watkins A, Park H, Abbasi Akhtar A, Linesch PW, Kobritz N, Chandra SS, Grausam K, Ayala-Sarmiento A, Molina J, Sedivakova K, Hoang K, Tsyporin J, Gareau DS, Filbin MG, Bannykh S, Santiskulvong C, Wang Y, Tang J, Suva ML, Chen B, Danielpour M, Breunig JJ.
Cell. 2019 Sep 19;179(1):251-267.e24. d PMID: 31539496
Xu L, Chen Y, Dutra-Clarke M, Mayakonda A, Hazawa M, Savinoff SE, Doan N, Said JW, Yong WH, Watkins A, Yang H, Ding LW, Jiang YY, Tyner JW, Ching J, Kovalik JP, Madan V, Chan SL, Müschen M, Breunig JJ, Lin DC, Koeffler HP.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Apr 11;114(15):3981-3986. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1609758114. Epub 2017 Mar 29. Erratum in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 May 23;114(21):E4317. PMID: 28356518
Breunig JJ, Levy R, Antonuk CD, Molina J, Dutra-Clarke M, Park H, Akhtar AA, Kim GB, Hu X, Bannykh SI, Verhaak RG, Danielpour M.
Cell Rep. 2015 Jul 14;12(2):258-71. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.06.012. Epub 2015 Jul 2. Erratum in: Cell Rep. 2015 Jul 21;12(3):535. Cell Rep. 2016 Jan 12;14(2):401. Cell Rep. 2016 Dec 20;17 (12 ):3407. PMID: 26146073
Contact the Breunig Lab
127 S. San Vicente Blvd.
Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion, Eighth Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90048