Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain

Neurodevelopmental and Autism Research Centre for Scientific Researchers

Founded: Founded 2017
Locations: 1 location

Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain

Neurodevelopmental and Autism Research Centre for Scientific Researchers

Founded: Founded 2017
Locations: 1 location

About

Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) is a medical research centre based at the University of Edinburgh focused on discovering the biological mechanisms underlying autism and monogenic neurodevelopmental conditions. Founded in 2017 with support from SFARI, the centre investigates disease mechanisms across molecular, cellular, circuit, and clinical levels to advance targeted therapies and cohort-ready clinical translation.

Services

Light-Sheet Microscopy and 3D Analysis

The Light-Sheet Microscopy and 3D Analysis core facility supports neuroscientists by combining optical tissue-clearing protocols with ultramicroscopy and 3D reconstruction tools to map intact neuronal architecture and circuit alterations in rodent disease models without slice artefacts.

EEG Rodent Core

The EEG Rodent Core facility provides electroencephalography physiological recordings from rodents to monitor network dynamics, sleep architecture, and seizure activity in freely moving animals, offering training, surgical assistance, spectral signal processing, and automated seizure scoring.

Rat Generation and Validation

A collaborative scientific research service generating novel CRISPR/Cas9 conditional re-expression and inactivation rat models to examine whether disrupting autism genes leads to irreversible deficits and to identify critical developmental windows for therapeutic intervention.