My research aims to uncover how the developing human brain builds hundreds of cell types from a single genomic blueprint. Using stem cell-derived assembloids, I am investigating how neural progenitors integrate neuronal activity from neighboring brain regions to control gene expression during cell-type specification. In parallel, I am using ‘cell village’ systems to study at scale how genetic differences between individuals shape the way that neural progenitors respond to developmental cues. Ultimately, my work seeks to reveal how extrinsic signals guide early brain development and how this process goes awry in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.