Vita Stepanova

Supervisor – Philipp Khaitovich.

Entry year – 2014

Vita graduated from Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics. Diploma: “Genomic analysis of transcription factor regulons in Enterobacteria”.

Supervisors: Dmitry A. Rodionov, Mikhail S. Gelfand

Research project – “Integrative analysis of molecular organization of functionally distinct neocortical regions”.

Why is it cool?

Distinct areas of mammalian cerebral cortex (neocortex) are known to be involved in specific cognitive functions. However, the entire neocortex anatomically displays the same evolutionary conserved laminar architecture, which shows only slight differences in histological organization between functionally distinct regions. Similar phenomenon is observed at the level of gene expression: only slight differences in transcriptome organization are seen across neocortical regions. Furthermore, functionary boundaries between neocortical regions, although real, are dynamic: a region can take over an unusual function, for instance, as a result of injury of the original functional area. This project is planned to elucidate molecular basis underlying distinct functionality of specific brain regions by integrative bioinformatic analysis.