Short CV

Nael Nadif Kasri received his PhD in Mdecial sciences from University of Leuven in 2004. Afterward, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at [Cold spring Harbopr Laboraties, NY, USA, where he focused on the role of Rho-GTPase siganlling in synapse function. Since 2011, he has been working as an independent reserach group leader at Radboud University Medcial Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. His research focuses on understanding the neurobiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. In particular, his team employs cutting-edge approaches, including patient-derived iPSC neural models and multi-electrode array technology, to uncover disrupted genetic and epigenetic networks in NDDs.

Title of the talk

Multimodal mapping of neuronal network activity and transcriptomic identifies convergent and divergent neuronal trajectories in neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

In this talk, Nael Nadif Kasri will present a comprehensive characterization of functional convergence across diverse neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The presentation will introduce the challenge of understanding how heterogeneous genetic mutations reshape neuronal function and contribute to clinical variability, providing context through the study of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived excitatory neurons.

The speaker will discuss the use of multi-electrode arrays (MEA) to profile network activity across 45 cell lines carrying mutations in 16 NDD-associated genes, alongside integrated RNA-sequencing (MEA-seq) to link transcriptomic changes to functional phenotypes. Finally, the talk will highlight how network dynamics capture syndrome-relevant signatures and reveal distinct developmental trajectories of functional convergence.

Key results implicate mitochondrial, synaptic, and immune-related pathways as universal modulators of activity, showing that convergent phenotypes can arise from either shared or distinct molecular routes. The presentation will conclude by demonstrating the translational potential of these findings through computational drug-repurposing and highlighting the role of coordinated astrocytic responses in NDD pathology.