Stanford University · BiologyThe Oligodendrocyte Initiative
William S Talbot · Stanford, California
Research Focus
Dr. William S Talbot's lab at Stanford University studies glial cells in the central nervous system, particularly focusing on oligodendrocytes and microglia. Using zebrafish as a model organism, the lab investigates how these cells develop, function, and respond to various signals. The ultimate aim is to understand the genetic mechanisms underlying brain health and disease, which could lead to new treatments for neurological disorders.
glial cellszebrafisholigodendrocytesmicrogliamyelinationneurodevelopmentgenetic screeningCNS disorderspathogen clearance
Research Aims
5AIM 01Identify new genes essential for glial cell development and function.
AIM 02Explore the regulation of myelination during development and remyelination.
AIM 03Characterize the genetic requirements and functions of microglia in vivo.
AIM 04Investigate the molecular basis of critical periods in oligodendrocyte development.
AIM 05Examine the impact of genetic mutations on CNS health and disease.
Skills the Lab Values
genetic analysiscell culturein vivo imagingzebrafish modelsmutational screeningmicroscopyimmunohistochemistrydata analysismolecular biology techniques
Output against the department
Publications136bottom 49% of dept.523rd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations19ktop 21% of dept.216th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.