Our research focusses on the development, plasticity, and function of long-range connections of the cerebral cortex. The corpus callosum is the largest fibre tract in the brain of placental mammals and connects neurons in each cortical hemisphere. We investigate how cellular and molecular/genetic mechanisms regulate brain wiring during development and how brain wiring is altered in congenital corpus callosum dysgenesis (CCD).
CCD occurs in 1:4000 people and can result in profound changes in the structural architecture of brain connectivity due to long-range axonal plasticity that occurs during development. Our research investigates the underlying causes of CCD, how long-range axonal plasticity occurs and how these structural changes in brain wiring impact cognition and behaviour.
Professor Richards is a board member of the International Research Consortium for the Corpus Callosum and Cerebral Connectivity (IRC5) and a scientific advisor and patron of Australian Disorders of the Corpus Callosum (AusDoCC) support group.
In addition to her research, Professor Richards is a passionate advocate for neuroscience. She contributed to establishing the International Brain Initiative, the Australian Brain Alliance and the Australian Brain Bee Challenge and is a board member of the International Brain Bee and a member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives.
Selected Publications
- Edwards T.J., Fenlon L.R., Dean R.J., Bunt J., IRC5 Consortium, Sherr E.H. and Richards L.J. (2020) Altered structural connectivity networks in a mouse model of complete and partial dysgenesis of the corpus callosum. NeuroImage doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116868.
- Paolino A., Fenlon L.R., Kozulin P., Haines E., Lim J.W.C., Richards L.J. and Suárez R. (2020) Differential timing of a conserved transcriptional network underlies divergent cortical projection routes across mammalian evolution. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Sciences doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922422117.
- Chen K-S., Bunt J., Bridges C.R., Lynton Z., Lim J.W.C., Stringer B.W., Rajagopal R., Wong K-T., Ganesan D., Ariffin H., Day B.W., Richards L.J.§ and Bunt J.§ (2019) Transcription factors NFIA and NFIB induce cellular differentiation high-grade astrocytoma. Journal of Neuro-Oncology doi:10.1007/s11060-019-03352-3. §Equal last and senior authors.
- Schanze I., Bunt J., Boppudi S., Lim J.W.C., Schanze D., Dean R.J., Alders M., Blanchet P., Attié-Bitach T., Berland S., Bridges C.J., Cho M.T., Desai S., Dobyns W.B., Donnai D., Douglas J., Earl D.L., Edwards T.J., Faivre L., Genevieve D., Gérard M., Gatinois V., Holder-Espinasse M., Huth S.F., Izumi, K., Kerr, B., Lacaze E., Lakeman P., Mirzaa G., Morgan S., Nowak C., Peeters H., Petit F., Pilz D.T., Puechberty J., Reinstein E., Rivière J-B., Santani A.B., Schneider A., Sherr E.H., Smith-Hicks C., Wieland I., Zackai E., Zhao X., Gronostajski R.M., Zenker M., and Richards L.J. (2018) NFIB haploinsufficiency is associated with intellectual disability and marcocephaly. The American Journal of Human Genetics doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.10.006.
- Suárez R., Paolino A., Fenlon L.R., Morcom L.R., Kozulin P., Kurniawan N.D., and Richards L.J. (2018) A pan-mammalian map of interhemispheric brain connections predates the evolution of the corpus callosum. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Sciences doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1808262115.
- Hearne L.J., Dean R., Robinson G., Richards L.J., Mattingley J. and Cocchi L. (2018) Increased cognitive complexity reveals abnormal brain network activity in individuals with corpus callosum dysgenesis. Neuroimage: Clinical doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2018.11.005.
- Marsh A.P.L., Herron D., Edwards T.J., et al, Richards L.J.§ Lockhart P.J.§ and Depienne C.§ (2017) Mutations in DCC cause isolated agenesis of the corpus callosum with incomplete penetrance. Nature Genetics doi:10.1038/ng.3794. §Equal last and senior authors.
- Gobius I., Morcom L., Suárez R., Bunt J., Bukshpun P., Reardon W., Dobyns W.B., Rubenstein J.L.R., Barkovich A.J., Sherr E.H. and Richards L.J. (2016) Astroglial-mediated remodeling of the interhemispheric midline is required for the formation of the corpus callosum. Cell Reports 17: 735-747. doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.09.033.
- Stringer B.W., Bunt J., Bryan W., Day B.W., Barry G., Jamieson P.R., Ensbey K.S., Bruce Z.C., Goasdoué K., Vidal H., Charmsaz S., Smith F.M., Cooper L.T., Piper M., Boyd A.W. and Richards L.J. (2016) Nuclear Factor One B (NFIB) encodes a subtype-specific tumour suppressor in glioblastoma. Oncotarget 5. 2016 May 17;7(20):29306-20. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.8720.
- Suárez R., Fenlon L.R., Marek R., Avitan L., Sah P., Goodhill G.J. and Richards L.J. (2014) Balanced interhemispheric cortical activity is required for correct targeting of the corpus callosum. Neuron 82: 1289-1298. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2014.04.040.
Publications in Neuroscience Advocacy
For a complete list of Dr. Richards' publications, click here.