Profile
Dr Rohit Joshi's group is focused on understanding how cellular diversity is generated in developing central nervous system (CNS) using the Drosophila model of neurogenesis. Their work has elucidated how Hox genes regulate the cell number along the head-to-tail axis of the developing CNS. The ongoing work in the lab focuses on understanding how developmental signalling regulates quiescence reactivation and proliferation-differentiation control of neural stem to generate of neuronal diversity. The perturbation in these fundamental phenomena often results in rare neurodevelopmental disorders in humans, for some of which a Drosophila model is being generated.
Current Focus Areas
Signaling pathways regulating quiescence reactivation and proliferation-differentiation control of neural stem to generate of neuronal diversity. Development of Drosophila model for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Selected Publications
Sipani R and Joshi R. (2022). "Hox genes collaborate with helix-loop-helix factor Grainyhead to promote neuroblast apoptosis along the anterior-posterior axis of the Drosophila larval central nervous system." Genetics, 222(1), 1-18, DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac101.
Joshi R, Sipani R, Bakshi A. (2022). "Roles of Drosophila Hox genes in the assembly of neuromuscular networks and behavior. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 9:786993. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.786993.
Bakshi A, Sipani R, Ghosh N and Joshi R. (2020). "Sequential activation of Notch and Grainyhead gives apoptotic competence to Abdominal-B expressing larval neuroblasts in Drosophila Central nervous system". PLoS Genetic. 16(8):e1008976. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008976.
Ghosh N, Bakshi A, Khandelwal R, Rajan SG and Joshi R. (2019). "The Hox gene Abdominal-B uses DoublesexF as a cofactor to promote neuroblast apoptosis in the Drosophila central nervous system". Development. 146, dev175158. doi:10.1242/dev.175158.
Khandelwal R, Sipani R, Rajan SG, Kumar R and Joshi R. (2017). "Combinatorial action of Grainyhead, Extradenticle and Notch in regulating Hox mediated apoptosis in Drosophila larval CNS". PLoS Genet. 13(10): e1007043.