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School of Neuroscience

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience

Building brains

Understanding how the human central nervous system (CNS) is built is one of the key remaining tasks in neurobiology. We investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of the nervous system. Our research focuses on brain regionalisation, tissue and cell morphogenesis, neurogenesis, neuronal fate specification and migration.

Our key questions:

What are the cellular and molecular mechanisms shaping the CNS?
How, and when, is cellular diversity defined and how is it tweaked by evolution?
What are the evolutionary dynamics controlling changes during CNS development?
How early in development are species-specific attributes defined? Are these developments irreversible?

Building brains is a key research theme of the MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, which brings together world-leading researchers across King's College London.

Click people profiles to discover their research:

Professor Esther Bell

Professor in Bioscience Education
Professor Benedikt Berninger

Professor of Developmental Neurobiology
Professor Jon Clarke

Professor of Anatomy
Dr Alessio Delogu

Reader in Developmental Neurobiology
Professor Phillip Gordon-Weeks

Emeritus Professor of Developmental Neurobiology
Professor Anthony Graham

Professor of Developmental Biology
Dr Fursham Hamid

Lecturer in Bioinformatics
Professor Corinne Houart

Professor of Developmental Neurobiology
Dr Dimitar Kostadinov

Wellcome Trust CDA Research Fellow
Dr Ivo Lieberam

Senior Lecturer
Dr Katie Long

Research Fellow
Professor Oscar Marín

Professor of Neuroscience
Dr Setsuko Sahara

Lecturer
Dr Andrea Serio

Reader in Neural Tissue Engineering
Dr Rita Sousa-Nunes

Lecturer in Developmental Neurobiology
Professor Deepak Srivastava

Dean of Research Infrastructure
Professor Guy Tear

Professor of Molecular Neurobiology
Professor Sandrine Thuret

Professor of Neuroscience
Professor Jernej Ule

Van Geest Professor of Neurodegeneration Research
Dr Darren Williams

Reader in Developmental Neurobiology
Professor Richard Wingate

Professor of Developmental Neurobiology

Early life and development

News and events

fast-spiking parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) interneurons

16 July 2025

"Molecular switch” in the brain may explain why toddlers are uncoordinated

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College…

IoPPN Awards Promo

11 July 2025

Celebrating our staff at the IoPPN Awards 2025

The first Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) Awards took place on 09 July…

George Goodwin 2024

7 July 2025

George Goodwin receives Versus Arthritis Career Development Award

The award will enable him to study the role of silent nociceptors in arthritis pain over 5 years

Four people seated at the front of a full seminar room. Screen behind says

2 July 2025

Beyond Borders – Centre for Education Development & Research Conference

At its latest conference on 9 June 2025 at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience…