Stem cell-based technologies have revolutionized our approaches and understanding of neurobiology within the past 10 years. Recent advancements demonstrated that human pluripotent cells can be successfully differentiated into many specific and functional neural cell types in vitro. Such human culture systems offer unique platforms for i) basic research to obtain fundamental knowledge on the differentiation and function of human neural cells, ii) high-throughput drug screening assays, iii) toxicity testing using physiologically relevant cells. Additionally, clinical applications of stem cell-based therapies on neurodegenerative diseases has been on the rise with many ongoing human clinical trials.

This course aims to introduce stem cell biology and the way in which it has developed and advanced our ability to study human neural cells in health and disease, through lectures and critical readings of current research literature.