Meet Irene Faravelli of Università degli Studi di Milano (Italy) where she is part of the Neural Stem Lab led by Stefania Corti. The fourth-year resident in Neurology, however, is currently spending a year in Columbia University in Serge Przedborski's lab under Francesco Lotti's guidance. Irene made her inaugural trip to the Lab to participate in the 2017 Development and 3D Modeling of the Human Brain.  

What are your research interests? What are you working on?
My main focus has always been neuromuscular disorders of both childhood and adulthood. I use different cell and animal models to dissect the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying these diseases.

Was there something specific about the Development and 3D Modeling of the Human Brain meeting that drew you to attend?
I was particularly interested in the cerebral organoid topic as this is my main field of research back in Italy. In addition, as soon as I knew that Paola Arlotta (whose lab I’ve had the chance to visit for a brief period of time) was among the organizers, I knew this would be an incredibly interesting meeting.

What is your key takeaway from the Meeting?
The rapid speed in which the organoid field has grown in recent years, and how cutting-edge technologies have been applied to different aims with increasing and fascinating complexity.

If someone curious in attending a future iteration this meeting asked you for feedback or advice on it, what would you tell him/her?
I would tell him/her that this is a marvelous opportunity to keep updated in the advances of this rapidly evolving field and, also, to interact with the most important exponents of research on organoids.

What do you like most about your time at CSHL?
I really enjoyed the feasibility of meeting people from different countries and laboratories, and with varying backgrounds in a friendly and lovely context. 

Thank you to Irene for being this week's featured visitor. To meet other featured scientists - and discover the wide range of science that takes part in a CSHL meeting or course - go here.