“Welcome to the CCB Lab in Jena—a city of science at the serene foot of rolling hills, where the term ‘stem cell’ was coined. Jena is an open-minded city, alive with scientists and filled with the gentle scent of books.”

Vision:

To advance fundamental understanding of how centrosomes and cilia determine neural stem cell fate mechanisms in human brain development. Through next-generation human brain organoids and transformative cell biology, we aim to resolve cellular dynamics with unprecedented precision and illuminate the origins of neurodevelopmental diseases, neurodegeneration, and glioblastoma.

Mission:

·  Elucidate how centrosomes and primary cilia regulate human brain development and tissue organization.

·  Develop scalable, reproducible brain organoid platforms for high-resolution modeling of human development and disease.

·  Integrate advanced imaging, multi-omics, and stem-cell technologies to uncover mechanisms driving glioma initiation and invasion.

·  Build collaborative research ecosystems that share resources, support scientists, and accelerate translation for human health.

·  Train the next generation of scientists to lead with excellence, resilience, and integrity in a challenging global research landscape.