Sabrina C Desbordes

Young Investigator

Stem Cells in Neural Development

Institute of Developmental Genetics, German Research Center for Environmental Health
[email protected]
+49 89 3187 4110
Germany

About Sabrina C Desbordes

For many years, the extracellular matrix was thought to serve as an inert scaffold of tissues. It is now clear that it has an active and complex role in regulating cell behaviors such as differentiation, migration, shape, function, proliferation and survival. In the brain, the major components of the extracellular matrix are proteoglycans. Very little is known about their role during neuronal development, homeostasis and disease. We use molecular, genetic and imaging tools in neurons derived from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells as well as in vivo model systems to investigate the role of heparan sulphate proteoglycans during brain development and disease.

Please also see: http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/idg/research/neuropsychiatric-diseases/stem-cells-in-neural-development/research/index.html

Fellowships, Awards and Honours

2011        Travel Award from the New York Academy of Science, New York, NY, USA
2008-11   Postdoctoral Fellowship from the ‘Juan de la Cierva’ Program, Madrid, Spain
2006-7     Travel Scholarships from Keystone Symposia, Silverthorne, CO, USA
2001         Travel Award from the British Society of Developmental Biology, UK
2000-03    Studentships from the Cambridge European Trust and Isaac Newton Trust, UK

Research Interests/Areas of Expertise

Extracellular matrix role during brain development and disease
Glypican specificity in neuronal sub-populations
Mouse and human pluripotent stem cell differentiation to neurons
Dopaminergic neurons of the VTA and insulin regulation
Cell behavior and investigation of the surrounding environment (niche)

Publications
Desbordes SC and Studer L Corresponding author (2013) Adapting human pluripotent stem cells to high-throughput and high-content screening Nature Protocols , 8(1), Adapting human pluripotent stem cells to high-throughput and high-content screening, 111-30 PDF (1.18 MB)
Schultz, S.S., Desbordes, S.C., Du, Z., Kosiyatrakul, S., Lipchina, I., Studer, L. (2010) Single-molecule analysis reveals changes in the DNA replication program for the POU5F1 locus upon human embryonic stem cell differentiation Molecular Cell Biology, 30(18), Single-molecule analysis reveals changes in the DNA replication program for the POU5F1 locus upon human embryonic stem cell differentiation, 4521-34 PDF (4.28 MB)
Bussmann LH1, Schubert A, Vu Manh TP, De Andres L, Desbordes SC, Parra M, Zimmermann T, Rapino F, Rodriguez-Ubreva J, Ballestar E, Graf T. (2009) A robust and highly efficient immune cell reprogramming system Cell Stem Cell, 5(5), A robust and highly efficient immune cell reprogramming system, 554-66 PDF (1.49 MB)
Placantonakis DG, Tomishima MJ, Lafaille F, Desbordes SC, Jia F, Socci ND, Viale A, Lee H, Harrison N, Studer L, Tabar VS. (2009) Enriched motor neuron populations derived from bacterial artificial chromosome-transgenic human embryonic stem cells Clin Neurosurg. , 56 , Enriched motor neuron populations derived from bacterial artificial chromosome-transgenic human embryonic stem cells, 125-32 PDF (2.17 MB)
Placantonakis, D.G., Tomishima, M.J., Lafaille, F., Desbordes, S.C., Jia, F., Socci, N.D., Viale, A., Lee, H., Harrison, N., Tabar, V. and Studer, L. (2009) BAC transgenesis in human embryonic stem cells as a novel tool to define the human neural lineage Stem Cells, 27(3), BAC transgenesis in human embryonic stem cells as a novel tool to define the human neural lineage, 521-32 PDF (1.94 MB)
Desbordes, S.C. and Sanson, B. (2003) The glypican Dally-like is required for Hedgehog signalling in the embryonic epidermis of Drosophila Development , 130(25), The glypican Dally-like is required for Hedgehog signalling in the embryonic epidermis of Drosophila, 6245-55. PDF (385 KB)