University of California-Davis · BiologyZarbalis Lab
Konstantinos Zarbalis · Davis, California
Research Focus
Dr. Konstantinos Zarbalis's lab focuses on understanding how imbalances in essential nutrients, specifically folate and vitamin B12, can impact brain development during pregnancy. By using engineered human brain-like structures known as cerebral organoids, the lab studies the effects of these nutrients on the growth and function of neurons. Their goal is to uncover potential links between dietary factors and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and developmental delays.
neurodevelopmental disordersfolatevitamin B12cerebral organoidsneurogenesisDNA methylationproteomicsepigeneticselectrophysiologynutrition
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the effects of folate and vitamin B12 on neuron differentiation and growth in cerebral organoids.
AIM 02Examine how nutrient imbalances affect DNA methylation and gene expression in developing neurons.
AIM 03Assess the electrophysiological function of neural networks in organoids exposed to varying levels of folate and B12.
Skills the Lab Values
cerebral organoid cultureDNA methylation analysiselectrophysiologyproteomicstranscriptomicsimmunohistochemistrymicroelectrode array experimentsquantitative PCRbiochemical assaysanimal model studies
Output against the department
Publications14bottom 2% of dept.1,015th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations2.9kbottom 21% of dept.815th 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.