Single-cell transcriptomics of the mouse thalamic reticular nucleus

Abstract

The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is strategically located at the interface between the cortex and the thalamus, and plays a key role in regulating thalamo-cortical interactions. Current understanding of TRN neurobiology has been limited due to the lack of a comprehensive survey of TRN heterogeneity. In this thesis, I developed an integrative computational framework to analyze the single-nucleus RNA sequencing data of mouse TRN in a data-driven manner. By combining transcriptomic, genetic, and functional proteomic data, I discovered novel insights into the molecular mechanisms through which TRN regulates sensory gating, and suggested targeted follow-up experiments to validate these findings.