Welcome to The Tan Lab

Led by Prof Seong-Seng Tan, The Tan Lab is committed to generating a greater understanding of how the brain develops, grows and regenerates. The group is directed at discovering how newly-born neurons are properly assembled, interconnected and electrically activated.

The lab is also active in trying to find a cure for brain injury following brain trauma or the restriction of blood supply to the brain from Stroke.

Investigating the mechanisms of these functions of the brain will brings us closer to finding a cure for a series of debilitating and often life-threatening conditions that effect millions of Australians.

The three core interests of the Tan Lab are:

UNDERSTANDING
how brain cells are properly assembled during development. Specifically, we wish to enquire how individual neurons in the embryonic brain now where to go and what to become.

LEARNING
the identities of genes that drive neuronal migration and testing the functions of these genes in the intact brain. For instance, how do these genes alter the way cells are born, change shape, migrate and adopt different neuronal identities? These studies will provide new information on how genes have shaped brain evolution. Understanding the link between genetic mutations and aberrant neuronal behaviour can also explain the genetic causes of mental illnesses such as Autism, Schizophrenia and Epilepsy.

DISCOVERING
how to prolong the survival of neurons after injury or stress in situations following stroke or brain trauma. We have discovered a number of neuroprotective proteins and wish to uncover the mechanisms of their action, and devise methods for delivering them to stressed neurons.