Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized by different symptoms such as depressed mood, lack of interest in activities, sleep disturbance and suicidal tendencies. MDD affects more than 350 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of disability in adults under the age of fifty, making it a major global health burden. However, despite decades of research, the biological basis of depression remains elusive, hampering the development of much needed novel therapies.

My research aims at establishing a human pluripotent stem cell-based disease model of MDD with the goal of uncovering conserved, and potentially treatable, cellular disease phenotypes and underlying molecular pathways.