Jayne Aiken

The Aiken Lab is interested in understanding foundational mechanisms directing human synapse formation, plasticity, and degeneration. Using multidisciplinary approaches spanning human iPSC-derived 2D and 3D neuronal platforms, immortalized cell lines, reconstituted single molecule assays, and yeast genetics, the Aiken lab interrogates the molecular, cellular, and tissue-level regulation of neuronal connectivity in both health and disease. By determining how the biophysical properties of cytoskeletal proteins inform synaptic patterning across scales, we aim to uncover basic biological principles guiding neuron function as well as disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic approaches for neurological disorders.