SCSB Lunch Series with Dr. Tatsuya Osaki: Modeling Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity and Hemodynamics in Autism Spectrum Disorder with an iPSC-Derived Microphysiological System
Simons Center Conference room, 46-6011, Room 46-6011, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA
Date: Friday, October 16, 2026 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Simons Center Conference room 46-6011. Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/99705232954 Speaker: Tatsuya Osaki, Ph.D. Affiliation: Research Scientist, Mriganka Sur Laboratory, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT Talk title: Modeling Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity and Hemodynamics in Autism Spectrum Disorder with an iPSC-Derived Microphysiological System Abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a diverse group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by challenges in social interaction, cognition, and communication. While neuronal dysfunction has been extensively studied, the role of vascular dysregulation, particularly blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and cerebrovascular hemodynamics during early development, remains largely unexplored. Using Rett syndrome (RTT) as a disease entry point, we demonstrate that mutations in methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) impair endothelial cell function, suggesting a vascular-intrinsic contribution to pathogenesis. To investigate this, we developed a human iPSC-derived microphysiological system recapitulating BBB structure and function in a physiologically…