Tuan Leng Tay

How do the different types of glial cells, such as astrocytes and microglia, support the healthy development of the brain? They are important in the maintenance and (immune) protection of our nervous system. In disease and injury, glial cells alter themselves in response to a disrupted steady state, potentially to restore health to their neuronal environment. We believe that glia are critical drivers of repair in the brain across the lifespan and want to find out how they do their job. Through understanding the heterogeneity, fundamental biological mechanisms and functions of glial cells at single-cell resolution, we hope to provide insights that alleviate neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, including autism, schizophrenia, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. In our lab, we apply a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary approaches, including the use of different biological models (e.g., cell cultures, tissues, organisms), high-resolution microscopy, next-generation sequencing, multi-omic technologies, and machine learning. We collaborate with scientists from across the world to enrich our array of research tools, exchange ideas, develop new scientific questions, and to achieve our goals.