Assistant Professor Alberto Cruz-Martín has received a two-year grant as part of a collaborative effort with Biogen to study the role of specific neuroimmune genes in the wiring of the prefrontal cortex, a brain region implicated in schizophrenia. Studies in humans and mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders have established the involvement of immune molecules in neuronal development and brain pathology. Elucidating the function of individual genes in the brain is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of mental illness and to reveal potential therapeutic targets for pharmacological intervention.