Professor Marysia Placzek

School of Biosciences

Professor of Developmental Neurobiology

m.placzek@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2353

Firth Court

Full contact details

Professor Marysia Placzek
School of Biosciences
Firth Court
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN

Profile

Marysia is a Wellcome Trust Investigator and Professor of Developmental Neurobiology in the School of Biosciences. She has inspired staff and students alike with her pioneering leadership.

A driving force behind one of our University’s key research facilities, Marysia directed the MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics for many years and oversaw its evolution into the Bateson Centre.

Her initiative and outstanding commitment to her colleagues and students contributed to the ongoing success of research in the Department and the strong focus on developmental biology, and its translation, at the University.

Marysia’s research focuses on the development of the vertebrate hypothalamus and she has earned international acclaim for her work in this field. In 2023 she was awarded the British Society for Developmental Biology Waddington Medal, in recognition of her outstanding research performance as well as services to the subject community.

In 2012 she was awarded an MRC Suffrage Science Heirloom in recognition of her achievements as a leading female scientist.

Like many women, she balances the demands of world-leading research with family commitments, and has been celebrated by The Royal Society’s ‘Parent Carer Scientist’ project.

Colleagues agree that “Marysia is not just a role model for female scientists, but for all those with an aspiration to become a leader in their field.”

Research interests

How the brain develops remains one of the greatest mysteries in science. Research in the lab focus on the development of a fascinating part of the brain - the hypothalamus – the master-controller of physical, behavioural and emotional homeostasis.

Lay summary

In the developing embryos, the hypothalamus is built with precision. This ordered assembly underlies its key role in life. Our research focuses on characterising the stem and progenitor cells that build the hypothalamus and characterising the molecular networks that direct hypothalamic morphogenesis, growth and differentiation. Our work will contribute to understanding the importance of the hypothalamus to robust long-term health and will shed light on diseases and disruptions of homeostasis.

Research summary

The functions of the hypothalamus in mediating homeostasis, and ensuring that brain and body function optimally, are well-known. By contrast, little is understood of how the hypothalamus develops. This knowledge is important, because early indications suggest that deregulation of developmental programmes may underlie complex human pathological conditions, including stress and eating disorders. Our goal is therefore to understand how the hypothalamus develops in the embryo and how the proper embryonic assembly of the hypothalamus holds the key to robust adult function.

We focus in particular on five key areas:

The role of adjacent tissues in inducing multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor cells
The characterisation of multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor cells, and identification of cues that maintain progenitor cells, or promote their differentiation
The self-organisation and morphogenesis of hypothalamic progenitor cells through integrated growth and differentiation
The cellular and molecular events that underlie the integrated assembly of the hypothalamo-pituitary neuraxis
The characterization of stem/progenitor-like tanycytes in the adult hypothalamus

We use a range of animal model systems (chick, mouse, zebrafish) and combine in vivo and ex vivo approaches with state-of-the-art transcriptomic, imaging, and gain-and loss-of-function approaches.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Chinnaiya K, Burbridge S, Jones A, Kim DW, Place E, Manning E, Groves I, Sun C, Towers M, Blackshaw S & Placzek M (2023) A neuroepithelial wave of BMP signalling drives anteroposterior specification of the tuberal hypothalamus. eLife, 12. View this article in WRRO
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Groves I, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2022) Single-cell analysis of early chick hypothalamic development reveals that hypothalamic cells are induced from prethalamic-like progenitors. Cell Reports, 38(3).
Brown SJ, Boussaad I, Jarazo J, Fitzgerald JC, Antony P, Keatinge M, Blechman J, Schwamborn JC, Krüger R, Placzek M & Bandmann O (2021) PINK1 deficiency impairs adult neurogenesis of dopaminergic neurons. Scientific Reports, 11(1). View this article in WRRO
Tait CM, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Alves CH, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS , Furley A et al (2020) Crumbs2 mediates ventricular layer remodelling to form the spinal cord central canal. PLOS Biology, 18(3). View this article in WRRO
Placzek M & Briscoe J (2018) Sonic hedgehog in vertebrate neural tube development. International Journal of Developmental Biology, 62(1-3), 221-230. View this article in WRRO
Fu T, Towers M & Placzek M (2017) Fgf10(+) progenitors give rise to the chick hypothalamus by rostral and caudal growth and differentiation.. Development, 144, 3278-3288. View this article in WRRO
Burbridge S, Stewart I & Placzek M (2016) Development of the Neuroendocrine Hypothalamus.. Comprehensive Physiology, 6(2), 623-643.
Robins SC, Stewart I, McNay DE, Taylor V, Giachino C, Goetz M, Ninkovic J, Briancon N, Maratos-Flier E, Flier JS , Kokoeva MV et al (2013) α-Tanycytes of the adult hypothalamic third ventricle include distinct populations of FGF-responsive neural progenitors.. Nat Commun, 4, 2049. View this article in WRRO
Groves I, Holmshaw J, Furley D, Manning E, Chinnaiya K, Towers M, Evans BD, Placzek M & Fletcher AG () Accurate staging of chick embryonic tissues via deep learning of salient features. Development.
Frith TJR, Granata I, Stout E, Wind M, Thompson O, Neumann K, Stavish D, Heath PR, Hackland JOS, Anastassiadis K , Gouti M et al () Human axial progenitors generate trunk neural crest cells. View this article in WRRO

Chapters

Placzek M, Fu T & Towers M (2020) Development of the Neuroendocrine Hypothalamus, Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology (pp. 3-30). Springer International Publishing

Preprints

Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2021) Single-cell analysis of early chick hypothalamic development reveals that hypothalamic cells are induced from prethalamic-like progenitors, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Tait C, Chinnaiya K, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Henrique Alves C, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS, Das RM , Rashbass P et al (2019) Crumbs2 mediates ventricular layer remodelling to form the adult spinal cord central canal, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

All publications

Journal articles

Beal S, Stewart I, Hatton P, Placzek M & Ortega I (2024) Fabrication and characterisation of random and aligned electrospun scaffolds to investigate hypothalamic stem/progenitor cell behaviour. Engineered Regeneration, 5(1), 11-20.
Chinnaiya K & Placzek M (2023) A Methodology for the Enzymatic Isolation of Embryonic Hypothalamus Tissue and Its Acute or Post-Culture Analysis by Multiplex Hybridisation Chain Reaction. BIO-PROTOCOL, 13(23).
(2023) An interview with Marysia Placzek. Development, 150(23).
Chinnaiya K, Burbridge S, Jones A, Kim DW, Place E, Manning E, Groves I, Sun C, Towers M, Blackshaw S & Placzek M (2023) A neuroepithelial wave of BMP signalling drives anteroposterior specification of the tuberal hypothalamus. eLife, 12. View this article in WRRO
Eachus H, Ryu S, Placzek M & Wood J (2022) Zebrafish as a model to investigate the CRH axis and interactions with DISC1. Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, 26.
Moore A, Chinnaiya K, Kim DW, Brown S, Stewart I, Robins S, Dowsett GKC, Muir C, Travaglio M, Lewis JE , Ebling F et al (2022) Loss of function of the neural cell adhesion molecule NrCAM regulates differentiation, proliferation and neurogenesis in early postnatal hypothalamic tanycytes. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16.
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Groves I, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2022) Single-cell analysis of early chick hypothalamic development reveals that hypothalamic cells are induced from prethalamic-like progenitors. Cell Reports, 38(3).
Brown SJ, Boussaad I, Jarazo J, Fitzgerald JC, Antony P, Keatinge M, Blechman J, Schwamborn JC, Krüger R, Placzek M & Bandmann O (2021) PINK1 deficiency impairs adult neurogenesis of dopaminergic neurons. Scientific Reports, 11(1). View this article in WRRO
Wind M, Gogolou A, Manipur I, Granata I, Butler L, Andrews PW, Barbaric I, Ning K, Guarracino MR, Placzek M & Tsakiridis A (2021) Defining the signalling determinants of a posterior ventral spinal cord identity in human neuromesodermal progenitor derivatives. Development, 148(6). View this article in WRRO
Groves I, Placzek M & Fletcher AG (2020) Of mitogens and morphogens : modelling Sonic Hedgehog mechanisms in vertebrate development. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 375(1809). View this article in WRRO
Jones A, Barker‐Haliski M, Ilie AS, Herd MB, Baxendale S, Holdsworth CJ, Ashton J, Placzek M, Jayasekera BAP, Cowie CJA , Lambert JJ et al (2020) A multiorganism pipeline for antiseizure drug discovery: Identification of chlorothymol as a novel γ‐aminobutyric acidergic anticonvulsant. Epilepsia. View this article in WRRO
Tait CM, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Alves CH, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS , Furley A et al (2020) Crumbs2 mediates ventricular layer remodelling to form the spinal cord central canal. PLOS Biology, 18(3). View this article in WRRO
de Souza FSJ & Placzek M (2020) Conserved roles of Rax/rx3 genes in hypothalamus and pituitary development. The International Journal of Developmental Biology.
Fu T, Pearson C, Towers M & Placzek M (2019) Development of the basal hypothalamus through anisotropic growth. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 31(5).
Placzek M & Briscoe J (2018) Sonic hedgehog in vertebrate neural tube development. International Journal of Developmental Biology, 62(1-3), 221-230. View this article in WRRO
Fu T, Towers M & Placzek M (2017) Fgf10(+) progenitors give rise to the chick hypothalamus by rostral and caudal growth and differentiation.. Development, 144, 3278-3288. View this article in WRRO
Eachus H, Bright C, Cunliffe VT, Placzek M, Wood JD & Watt PJ (2017) Disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 is essential for normal hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis function. Human Molecular Genetics, 26(11), 1992-2005. View this article in WRRO
Muthu V, Eachus H, Ellis P, Brown S & Placzek M (2016) Rx3 and Shh direct anisotropic growth and specification in the zebrafish tuberal/anterior hypothalamus. Development, 143(14), 2651-2663.
Burbridge S, Stewart I & Placzek M (2016) Development of the Neuroendocrine Hypothalamus.. Comprehensive Physiology, 6(2), 623-643.
Ellis PS, Burbridge S, Soubes S, Ohyama K, Ben-Haim N, Chen C, Dale K, Shen MM, Constam D & Placzek M (2015) ProNodal acts via FGFR3 to govern duration of Shh expression in the prechordal mesoderm. Development, 142(22), 3821-3832.
Liua F, Placzekb M & Xu H (2014) Corrigendum to "Axon guidance effect of classical morphogens Shh and BMP7 in the hypothalamo-pituitary system" [Neurosci. Lett. (2013) 104-109]. Neuroscience Letters, 562, 107.
Christou YA, Ohyama K, Placzek M, Monk PN & Shaw PJ (2013) Wild-type but not mutant SOD1 transgenic astrocytes promote the efficient generation of motor neuron progenitors from mouse embryonic stem cells.. BMC Neurosci, 14, 126. View this article in WRRO
Liu F, Placzek M & Xu H (2013) Axon guidance effect of classical morphogens Shh and BMP7 in the hypothalamo-pituitary system.. Neurosci Lett, 553, 104-109.
Robins SC, Stewart I, McNay DE, Taylor V, Giachino C, Goetz M, Ninkovic J, Briancon N, Maratos-Flier E, Flier JS , Kokoeva MV et al (2013) α-Tanycytes of the adult hypothalamic third ventricle include distinct populations of FGF-responsive neural progenitors.. Nat Commun, 4, 2049. View this article in WRRO
Liu F, Pogoda H-M, Pearson CA, Ohyama K, Löhr H, Hammerschmidt M & Placzek M (2013) Direct and indirect roles of Fgf3 and Fgf10 in innervation and vascularisation of the vertebrate hypothalamic neurohypophysis.. Development, 140(5), 1111-1122.
Placzek M & Anton ES (2013) Larysa Pevny, Ph.D., 1965-2012 Obituary. CELL STEM CELL, 12(1), 10-11.
Pearson CA & Placzek M (2013) Development of the medial hypothalamus: forming a functional hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal interface.. Curr Top Dev Biol, 106, 49-88.
Liu F & Placzek M (2013) Axon guidance effects of classical morphogens Shh and BMP7 in the hypothalamo-pituitary system (DOI:10.1016/j.neulet.2013.08.027). Neuroscience Letters.
Pearson CA, Ohyama K, Manning L, Aghamohammadzadeh S, Sang H & Placzek M (2011) FGF-dependent midline-derived progenitor cells in hypothalamic infundibular development.. Development, 138(12), 2613-2624.
Van Hateren NJ, Das RM, Hautbergue GM, Borycki A-G, Placzek M & Wilson SA (2011) FatJ acts via the Hippo mediator Yap1 to restrict the size of neural progenitor cell pools.. Development, 138(10), 1893-1902.
Blackshaw S, Scholpp S, Placzek M, Ingraham H, Simerly R & Shimogori T (2010) Molecular pathways controlling development of thalamus and hypothalamus: from neural specification to circuit formation.. J Neurosci, 30(45), 14925-14930.
Ohyama K, Das R & Placzek M (2008) Temporal progression of hypothalamic patterning by a dual action of BMP.. Development, 135(20), 3325-3331.
Placzek M (2008) Tissue recombinations in collagen gels.. Methods Mol Biol, 461, 325-335.
Manning L, Ohyama K, Saeger B, Hatano O, Wilson SA, Logan M & Placzek M (2006) Regional morphogenesis in the hypothalamus: a BMP-Tbx2 pathway coordinates fate and proliferation through Shh downregulation.. Dev Cell, 11(6), 873-885.
Ingham PW & Placzek M (2006) Orchestrating ontogenesis: variations on a theme by sonic hedgehog. NAT REV GENET, 7(11), 841-850.
Das RM, Van Hateren NJ, Howell GR, Farrell ER, Bangs FK, Porteous VC, Manning EM, McGrew MJ, Ohyama K, Sacco MA , Halley PA et al (2006) A robust system for RNA interference in the chicken using a modified microRNA operon.. Dev Biol, 294(2), 554-563.
Chu J, Ding J, Jeays-Ward K, Price SM, Placzek M & Shen MM (2005) Non-cell-autonomous role for Cripto in axial midline formation during vertebrate embryogenesis.. Development, 132(24), 5539-5551.
Ohyama K, Ellis P, Kimura S & Placzek M (2005) Directed differentiation of neural cells to hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons.. Development, 132(23), 5185-5197.
Jeays-Ward K & Placzek M (2005) Molecular control of area a cell specification to anterior floor plate fate. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, 122, S164-S165.
Pearson CA, Manning L, Ohyama K & Placzek M (2005) Neurogenesis in the chick hypothalamus. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, 122, S177-S177.
Placzek M & Briscoe J (2005) The floor plate: multiple cells, multiple signals.. Nat Rev Neurosci, 6(3), 230-240.
Pevny L & Placzek M (2005) SOX genes and neural progenitor identity.. Curr Opin Neurobiol, 15(1), 7-13.
Patten I, Kulesa P, Shen MM, Fraser S & Placzek M (2003) Distinct modes of floor plate induction in the chick embryo.. Development, 130(20), 4809-4821.
Patten I & Placzek M (2002) Opponent activities of Shh and BMP signaling during floor plate induction in vivo.. Curr Biol, 12(1), 47-52.
Patten I & Placzek M (2001) Vertebrate development: Et in Arkadia.. Curr Biol, 11(15), R616-R619.
Patten I & Placzek M (2000) The role of Sonic hedgehog in neural tube patterning.. Cell Mol Life Sci, 57(12), 1695-1708.
Ingham PW & Placzek M (2000) Introduction: preface to the Hedgehog family of proteins review volume. CELL MOL LIFE SCI, 57(12), 1671-1671.
Ellis S, Patten I, Vesque C, Shen M, Doddì J & Placzek M (2000) Differentiation of ventral midline tissues along the A-P axis. Biochemical Society Transactions, 28(5), A139-A139.
Vesque C, Ellis S, Lee A, Szabo M, Thomas P, Beddington R & Placzek M (2000) Development of chick axial mesoderm: specification of prechordal mesoderm by anterior endoderm-derived TGFbeta family signalling.. Development, 127(13), 2795-2809.
Placzek M, Dodd J & Jessell TM (2000) Discussion point. The case for floor plate induction by the notochord.. Curr Opin Neurobiol, 10(1), 15-22.
Soubes SC & Placzek M (2000) Rostro-ventral patterning of the neural tube ventral midline. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, 12, 12-12.
Placzek M & Ingham PW (2000) Developmental genetics in Sheffield: a meeting point for Hedgehog researchers.. Int J Dev Biol, 44(1), 65-72.
Placzek M & Skaer H (1999) Airway patterning: A paradigm for restricted signalling.. Curr Biol, 9(14), R506-R510.
Dale K, Sattar N, Heemskerk J, Clarke JD, Placzek M & Dodd J (1999) Differential patterning of ventral midline cells by axial mesoderm is regulated by BMP7 and chordin.. Development, 126(2), 397-408.
Placzek M & Dale K (1999) Tissue recombinations in collagen gels.. Methods Mol Biol, 97, 293-304.
Dodd J, Jessell TM & Placzek M (1998) Neuroscience - The when and where of floor plate induction. SCIENCE, 282(5394), 1654-1657.
Dodd J, Jessell TM & Placzek M (1998) The when and where of floor plate induction.. Science, 282(5394), 1654-1657.
Pevny LH, Sockanathan S, Placzek M & Lovell-Badge R (1998) A role for SOX1 in neural determination.. Development, 125(10), 1967-1978.
Tessier-Lavigne M & Placzek M (1998) Chapter 8 Guidance of developing axons by diffusible chemoattractants. Principles of Medical Biology, 11(C), 153-165.
Dale JK, Vesque C, Lints TJ, Sampath TK, Furley A, Dodd J & Placzek M (1997) Cooperation of BMP7 and SHH in the induction of forebrain ventral midline cells by prechordal mesoderm.. Cell, 90(2), 257-269.
Placzek M & Furley A (1996) Patterning cascades in the neural tube. Neural development.. Curr Biol, 6(5), 526-529. View this article in WRRO
Ruiz i Altaba A, Placzek M, Baldassare M, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1995) Early stages of notochord and floor plate development in the chick embryo defined by normal and induced expression of HNF-3 beta.. Dev Biol, 170(2), 299-313.
Placzek M (1995) The role of the notochord and floor plate in inductive interactions.. Curr Opin Genet Dev, 5(4), 499-506.
ERICSON J, MUHR J, PLACZEK M, LINTS T, JESSELL TM & EDLUND T (1995) SONIC HEDGEHOG INDUCES THE DIFFERENTIATION OF VENTRAL FOREBRAIN NEURONS - A COMMON SIGNAL FOR VENTRAL PATTERNING WITHIN THE NEURAL-TUBE (VOL 81, PG 747, 1995). CELL, 82(1), U11-U11.
Ericson J, Muhr J, Placzek M, Lints T, Jessell TM & Edlund T (1995) Sonic hedgehog induces the differentiation of ventral forebrain neurons: a common signal for ventral patterning within the neural tube.. Cell, 81(5), 747-756.
Roelink H, Augsburger A, Heemskerk J, Korzh V, Norlin S, Ruiz i Altaba A, Tanabe Y, Placzek M, Edlund T & Jessell TM (1994) Floor plate and motor neuron induction by vhh-1, a vertebrate homolog of hedgehog expressed by the notochord.. Cell, 76(4), 761-775.
Wilson SW, Placzek M & Furley AJ (1993) Border disputes: do boundaries play a role in growth-cone guidance?. Trends Neurosci, 16(8), 316-323.
Placzek M, Jessell TM & Dodd J (1993) Induction of floor plate differentiation by contact-dependent, homeogenetic signals.. Development, 117(1), 205-218.
Tessier-Lavigne M & Placzek M (1991) Target attraction: are developing axons guided by chemotropism?. Trends Neurosci, 14(7), 303-310.
Yamada T, Placzek M, Tanaka H, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1991) Control of cell pattern in the developing nervous system: polarizing activity of the floor plate and notochord.. Cell, 64(3), 635-647.
Placzek M, Yamada T, Tessier-Lavigne M, Jessell T & Dodd J (1991) Control of dorsoventral pattern in vertebrate neural development: induction and polarizing properties of the floor plate.. Dev Suppl, Suppl 2, 105-122.
Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M, Yamada T, Jessell T & Dodd J (1990) Mesodermal control of neural cell identity: floor plate induction by the notochord.. Science, 250(4983), 985-988.
Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M, Jessell T & Dodd J (1990) Orientation of commissural axons in vitro in response to a floor plate-derived chemoattractant.. Development, 110(1), 19-30.
Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M, Yamada T, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1990) Guidance of developing axons by diffusible chemoattractants.. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, 55, 279-289.
Peters G, Brookes S, Smith R, Placzek M & Dickson C (1989) The mouse homolog of the hst/k-FGF gene is adjacent to int-2 and is activated by proviral insertion in some virally induced mammary tumors.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 86(15), 5678-5682.
Peters G, Brookes S, Placzek M, Schuermann M, Michalides R & Dickson C (1989) A putative int domain for mouse mammary tumor virus on mouse chromosome 7 is a 5' extension of int-2.. J Virol, 63(3), 1448-1450.
Jessell TM, Bovolenta P, Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M & Dodd J (1989) Polarity and patterning in the neural tube: the origin and function of the floor plate.. Ciba Found Symp, 144, 255-276.
Tessier-Lavigne M, Placzek M, Lumsden AG, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1988) Chemotropic guidance of developing axons in the mammalian central nervous system.. Nature, 336(6201), 775-778.
Brookes S, Placzek M, Moore R, Dixon M, Dickson C & Peters G (1986) Insertion elements and transitions in cloned mouse mammary tumour virus DNA: further delineation of the poison sequences.. Nucleic Acids Res, 14(21), 8231-8245.
Peters G, Placzek M, Brookes S, Kozak C, Smith R & Dickson C (1986) Characterization, chromosome assignment, and segregation analysis of endogenous proviral units of mouse mammary tumor virus.. J Virol, 59(3), 535-544.
Placzek M, Chinnaiya K, Kim DW & Blackshaw S () Control of tuberal hypothalamic development and its implications in metabolic disorders. Nature Reviews Endocrinology.
Groves I, Holmshaw J, Furley D, Manning E, Chinnaiya K, Towers M, Evans BD, Placzek M & Fletcher AG () Accurate staging of chick embryonic tissues via deep learning of salient features. Development.
Sedas Perez S, McQueen C, Stainton H, Pickering J, Chinnaiya K, Saiz-Lopez P, Placzek M, Ros MA & Towers M () Fgf signalling triggers an intrinsic mesodermal timer that determines the duration of limb patterning. Nature Communications, 14(1).
Eachus H, Oberski L, Paveley J, Bacila I, Ashton J-P, Esposito U, Seifuddin F, Pirooznia M, Elhaik E, Placzek M , Krone N et al () Glucocorticoid Receptor regulates protein chaperone, circadian clock and affective disorder genes in the zebrafish brain. Disease Models & Mechanisms.
H E, C B, VT C, M P, JD W & PJ W () Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 is essential for normal hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis function. Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology.
Frith TJR, Granata I, Stout E, Wind M, Thompson O, Neumann K, Stavish D, Heath PR, Hackland JOS, Anastassiadis K , Gouti M et al () Human axial progenitors generate trunk neural crest cells. View this article in WRRO

Chapters

Manning E & Placzek M (2024) Organizing activities of axial mesoderm, Current Topics in Developmental Biology (pp. 83-123). Elsevier
Placzek M, Fu T & Towers M (2020) Development of the Neuroendocrine Hypothalamus, Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology (pp. 3-30). Springer International Publishing
Albertine KA, Alvarez IS, Bally-Cuif L, Barald KF, Bersu E, Brothman A, Byrne JLB, Capel B, Carey JC, Chen Y , Edlund H et al (2009) Content Experts, Larsen's Human Embryology (pp. v-v). Elsevier
Placzek M (2006) Early Development of the Neural Tube, Imaging the Central Nervous System of the Fetus and Neonate (pp. 3-12). CRC Press
Jessell TM, Bovolenta P, Karagogeos D, Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M & Dodd J (1990) Axonal Pathfinding in the Developing Spinal Cord: Involvement of the Floor Plate in Chemotropic and Contact Guidance, Brain Repair (pp. 199-211). Macmillan Education UK

Conference proceedings papers

Bandmann S, Keatinge M, Placzek M & Bandmann O (2018) Adult neurogenesis is impaired in pink1-/- zebrafish (Danio rerio). MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Vol. 33 (pp S605-S605)
Stokes S, Mani N, Bahl A, O'Connor-Read L & Placzek M (2013) Adult stem cells in the human and mouse spinal cord: What are their characteristics and can they migrate and replicate upon exposure to growth factors. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Vol. 100 (pp 38-39)
Hoggar EC, Placzek M & Chico TJ (2012) FLOW INDUCED VESSEL REMODELLING IN THE CHICKEN EMBRYO IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIFIC GENE EXPRESSION PROFILE. HEART, Vol. 98 (pp A4-A4)
Hoggar EC, Placzek M & Chico TJ (2011) TRANSCRIPTIONAL PROFILING REVEALS A REQUIREMENT FOR PHOSPHODIESTERASE 10A DURING FLOW-INDUCED VESSEL REMODELLING IN THE CHICK EMBRYO. HEART, Vol. 97(20) (pp 15-15)
Hoggar E, Pugh S, Wilson S, Placzek M, Crossman D & Chico T (2009) A NOVEL CHICK EMBRYO MODEL REVEALS THAT ENDOTHELIN RECEPTOR B IS ESSENTIAL FOR COLLATERAL VESSEL DEVELOPMENT. HEART, Vol. 95(22)
Placzek M (2009) Stem cells in the adult hypothalamus. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S8-S8)
Ohyama K, Wilson S, Briscoe J & Placzek M (2009) A temporal integration of BMP signalling controls progressive progenitor specification in the ventral diencephalon. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S210-S210)
Muthu V & Placzek M (2009) Regulation of neural stem cells in the zebrafish hypothalamus by Shh. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S220-S220)
Parkin C, Baxendale S, Smith S & Placzek M (2009) Small molecule screening of zebrafish models of disease and development. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S142-S142)
Pearson CA, Ohyama K & Placzek M (2009) Development of the ventral hypothalamus and infundibulum. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, Vol. 331(2) (pp 467-468)
Hoggar EC, Pugh SD, Wilson S, Placzek M, Crossman DC & Chico TJA (2009) A NOVEL CHICK EMBRYO MODEL REVEALS ENDOTHELIN RECEPTOR B IS ESSENTIAL FOR COLLATERAL VESSEL DEVELOPMENT. HEART, Vol. 95 (pp A65-A65)
Manning L, Ohyama K, Soubes S & Placzek M (2003) A role for BMPs in the formation of the ventral hypothalamus.. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, Vol. 259(2) (pp 492-492)

Preprints

Chinnaiya K, Burbridge S, Jones A, Kim DW, Place E, Manning E, Groves I, Sun C, Towers M, Blackshaw S & Placzek M (2022) A neuroepithelial wave of BMP signalling drives anteroposterior specification of the tuberal hypothalamus, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Groves I, Holmshaw J, Furley D, Towers M, Evans BD, Placzek M & Fletcher AG (2022) Accurate staging of chick embryonic tissues via deep learning, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2021) Single-cell analysis of early chick hypothalamic development reveals that hypothalamic cells are induced from prethalamic-like progenitors, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Tait C, Chinnaiya K, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Henrique Alves C, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS, Das RM , Rashbass P et al (2019) Crumbs2 mediates ventricular layer remodelling to form the adult spinal cord central canal, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Moore A, Chinnaiya K, Kim DW, Brown S, Stewart I, Robins S, Dowsett G, Muir C, Travaglio M, Lewis JE , Ebling F et al () The neural cell adhesion molecule NrCAM regulates development of hypothalamic tanycytes, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S () Single-Cell Analysis of Early Hypothalamic Development Reveals that Hypothalamic Cells are Induced from Prethalamic-Like Progenitors.
Wind M, Gogolou A, Manipur I, Granata I, Butler L, Andrews PW, Barbaric I, Ning K, Guarracino MR, Placzek M & Tsakiridis A () Defining the signalling determinants of a posterior ventral spinal cord identity in human neuromesodermal progenitor derivatives.
Eachus H, Subramanya D, Jackson HE, Wang G, Berntsen K, Ashton J-P, Esposito U, Seifuddin F, Pirooznia M, Elhaik E , Krone N et al () Regulation of neuron-specific gene transcription by stress hormone signalling requires synaptic activity in zebrafish, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Research group

Current lab members:

Dr Sarah Burbridge (Research Assistant)
Dr Kavitha Chinnaiya (Research Associate)
Dr Elizabeth Manning (Research Associate)
Dr Elsie Place (Research Associate)
Mr Ian Groves (PhD student; joint with Dr Alex Fletcher)
Ms Bethany James (PhD student; joint with Professor Andrew Furley and Dr Ivana Barbaric)

Teaching activities

I lecture and teach on several undergraduate and MSc courses, including second, third year and masters courses in developmental biology, developmental neurobiology and stem/ regenerative biology. I am module co-ordinator for Developmental Neurobiology (second year module).

My group annually takes several undergraduate and masters students into the lab for their final dissertation/research projects and most years we have summer students working with us.

I am an invited editor of ‘Principles of Development Biology’ (7th ed).

Professional activities and memberships

Chair: Wellcome Trust Expert Review Group: Cell and Developmental Biology
Scientific Advisory Board member: GW4 Biomed MRC DTP

Presentations

I am invited to present research talks at international meetings in numerous fields, including Developmental biology, Neuroscience, Neuroendocrinology, Endocrinology

Examination bodies

External Examiner for Development, Regeneration and Stem Cells, University of Edinburgh (2016-2019)
External Examiner for Part 2 Zoology, University of Cambridge (2013-2015)

Professional societies

British Society for Developmental Biology
Society for Endocrinology
Society for Neuroscience
Society for Anatomy

Peer review activity

I am an ad hoc reviewer for many journals (including Cell, Nature Neuroscience, Current Biology, Development, Developmental Cell, PLoS Biology) and for Grant awarding bodies (including Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, MRC, ERC, Hong Kong Research Council, Human Science Frontiers Program; NIHR). I have been involved in many promotion reviews for scientists in my field of research in the UK, USA and elsewhere, act as a Content Expert (eg Larsen’s Human Embryology 4th Ed (Ed: G. Schoenwolf)) and editor (Wolpert’s Principlels of Developmental Biology 7th Ed).

School of Biosciences

School of Biosciences

Professor Marysia Placzek

Lay summary

Research summary

Featured publications

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All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

Preprints

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Examination bodies

Professional societies

Peer review activity

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