Welcome to the Millen Lab
Post-mortem human brain. Source: Science Source.
The Millen research lab has long been interested in the genetic and developmental basis of structural birth defects of the brain both in humans and mice. We have a specific interest in malformations of the cerebellum, a brain structure that lies between the brainstem and the cerebrum and plays important roles in sensory perception, motor output, balance and posture in addition to cognition and emotion.
In parallel to our ongoing human genetic studies, our group is studying mutant mice with cerebellar and other brain malformations to:
- Understand how the brain malformations arise during development
- Decipher the basic developmental mechanisms that regulate normal brain development
MRI of mouse brain. Source: Millen lab.
Finally, our group is working on mouse embryonic stem cell technology to more efficiently and rapidly generate mouse models of human genetic disease.
By combining the power and strengths of both mouse and human genetics, our studies are leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the basic biology and genetics of brain malformations.
Investigator Biography
Dr. Kathleen Millen is a principal investigator at the Center for Integrative Brain Research at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and an associate professor of pediatrics in the University of Washington’s division of genetics. She received her bachelor’s of science degree at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and her PhD in medical genetics at the University of Toronto. After postdoctoral work at Rockefeller University, she was appointed assistant professor, then associate professor at the University of Chicago in the departments of human genetics and neurology. She moved to Seattle in July 2010.