Overview
Background
I am a biologist interested in the general question of how changes in developmental processes can lead to evolutionary variation and origin of complex traits (such as neural circuits). I study development and evolution of the brain of mammals. My doctoral thesis studied brain regions involved in olfactory and pheromonal communication in mammals. I discovered several events of parallel co-variation of sensory pathways in distantly related species sharing similar ecological niches, as cases of ontogenetic and phylogenetic plasticity. Currently, I study development and evolution of neocortical circuits by following two main lines of research: one aims to determine how early neuronal activity emerges during development and help shape brain connections, and the other one aims to understand what developmental processes led to evolutionary innovations in the mammalian brain. My research combines molecular development (electroporation, CRISPR), transcriptomics, sensory manipulations, neuroanatomy mapping (MRI, stereotaxic tracer injections, confocal and image analysis), optogenetics, and in vivo calcium imaging (multiphoton and widefield) in rodent pups and marsupial joeys.
Availability
- Associate Professor Rodrigo Suarez is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctoral Diploma of Biomedical Science, Universidad de Chile
Research interests
-
Comparative vertebrate neuroanatomy
-
Brain development
-
Sensory neuroscience
-
Neuroethology
-
Evolutionary developmental biology
-
Olfaction and pheromones
-
Mammal zoology
-
Neocortical development and function
Works
Search Professor Rodrigo Suarez’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2023
Journal Article
Non-uniform temporal scaling of developmental processes in the mammalian cortex
Paolino, Annalisa, Haines, Elizabeth H., Bailey, Evan J., Black, Dylan A., Moey, Ching, García-Moreno, Fernando, Richards, Linda J., Suárez, Rodrigo and Fenlon, Laura R. (2023). Non-uniform temporal scaling of developmental processes in the mammalian cortex. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 5950, 1-17. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-41652-5
Featured
2023
Journal Article
Clade-specific forebrain cytoarchitectures of the extinct Tasmanian tiger
Haines, Elizabeth, Bailey, Evan, Nelson, John, Fenlon, Laura R. and Suárez, Rodrigo (2023). Clade-specific forebrain cytoarchitectures of the extinct Tasmanian tiger. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120 (32) e2306516120, e2306516120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2306516120
Featured
2023
Journal Article
Cortical activity emerges in region-specific patterns during early brain development
Suárez, Rodrigo, Bluett, Tobias, McCullough, Michael H., Avitan, Lilach, Black, Dylan A., Paolino, Annalisa, Fenlon, Laura R., Goodhill, Geoffrey J. and Richards, Linda J. (2023). Cortical activity emerges in region-specific patterns during early brain development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120 (22) e2208654120, e2208654120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2208654120
Featured
2021
Journal Article
Bilateral visual projections exist in non-teleost bony fish and predate the emergence of tetrapods
Vigouroux, Robin J, Duroure, Karine, Vougny, Juliette, Albadri, Shahad, Kozulin, Peter, Herrera, Eloisa, Nguyen-Ba-Charvet, Kim, Braasch, Ingo, Suárez, Rodrigo, Del Bene, Filippo and Chédotal, Alain (2021). Bilateral visual projections exist in non-teleost bony fish and predate the emergence of tetrapods. Science, 372 (6538), 150-156. doi: 10.1126/science.abe7790
Featured
2020
Journal Article
Differential timing of a conserved transcriptional network underlies divergent cortical projection routes across mammalian brain evolution
Paolino, Annalisa, Fenlon, Laura R., Kozulin, Peter, Haines, Elizabeth, Lim, Jonathan W. C., Richards, Linda J. and Suárez, Rodrigo (2020). Differential timing of a conserved transcriptional network underlies divergent cortical projection routes across mammalian brain evolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117 (19), 201922422-10564. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1922422117
Featured
2018
Journal Article
A pan-mammalian map of interhemispheric brain connections predates the evolution of the corpus callosum
Suárez, Rodrigo, Paolino, Annalisa, Fenlon, Laura R., Morcom, Laura R., Kozulin, Peter, Kurniawan, Nyoman D. and Richards, Linda J. (2018). A pan-mammalian map of interhemispheric brain connections predates the evolution of the corpus callosum. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115 (38), 9622-9627. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1808262115
Featured
2014
Journal Article
Balanced interhemispheric cortical activity is required for correct targeting of the corpus callosum
Suarez, Rodrigo, Fenlon, Laura R., Marek, Roger, Avitan, Lilach A, Sah, Pankaj, Goodhill, Geoffrey J. and Richards, Linda J. (2014). Balanced interhemispheric cortical activity is required for correct targeting of the corpus callosum. Neuron, 82 (6), 1289-1298. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.04.040
2024
Journal Article
Polycomb repressive complex 2 is critical for mouse cortical glutamatergic neuron development
Currey, Laura, Mitchell, Benjamin, Al-Khalily, Majd, McElnea, Sarah-Jayne, Kozulin, Peter, Harkins, Danyon, Pelenyi, Alexandra, Fenlon, Laura, Suarez, Rodrigo, Kurniawan, Nyoman D, Burne, Thomas H, Harris, Lachlan, Thor, Stefan and Piper, Michael (2024). Polycomb repressive complex 2 is critical for mouse cortical glutamatergic neuron development. Cerebral Cortex, 34 (7) ARTN bhae268. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhae268
2023
Journal Article
Brain plasticity following corpus callosum agenesis or loss: a review of the Probst bundles
Lynton, Zorana, Suárez, Rodrigo and Fenlon, Laura R. (2023). Brain plasticity following corpus callosum agenesis or loss: a review of the Probst bundles. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 17 1296779, 1-18. doi: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1296779
2023
Journal Article
Cortical activity emerges in region-specific patterns during early brain development
Suárez, Rodrigo, Bluett, Tobias, McCullough, Michael, Avitan, Lilach, Paolino, Annalisa, Fenlon, Laura R., Goodhill, Geoffrey J. and Richards, Linda J. (2023). Cortical activity emerges in region-specific patterns during early brain development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
2023
Other Outputs
Raw data for "Cortical activity emerges in region-specific patterns during early brain development. Suárez et al., PNAS 2023"
Suarez, Rodrigo, Bluett, Tobias, McCullough, Michael, Avitan, Lilach, Paolino, Annalisa, Fenlon, Laura, Goodhill, Geoffrey and Richards, Linda (2023). Raw data for "Cortical activity emerges in region-specific patterns during early brain development. Suárez et al., PNAS 2023". The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/5ccfb47
2022
Journal Article
Evolution of developmental timing as a driving force of brain diversity
Suárez, Rodrigo and Halley, Andrew C. (2022). Evolution of developmental timing as a driving force of brain diversity. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 97 (1-2), 3-7. doi: 10.1159/000524334
2022
Journal Article
The people behind the papers - Peter Kozulin, Rodrigo Suárez, Qiong-Yi Zhao, Linda Richards and Laura Fenlon
Kozulin, Peter, Zhao, Qiong-Yi, Richards, Linda, Fenlon, Laura and Suárez, Rodrigo (2022). The people behind the papers - Peter Kozulin, Rodrigo Suárez, Qiong-Yi Zhao, Linda Richards and Laura Fenlon. Development, 149 (3) dev200543. doi: 10.1242/dev.200543
2022
Journal Article
Divergent evolution of developmental timing in the neocortex revealed by marsupial and eutherian transcriptomes
Kozulin, Peter, Suárez, Rodrigo, Zhao, Qiong-Yi, Paolino, Annalisa, Richards, Linda J. and Fenlon, Laura R. (2022). Divergent evolution of developmental timing in the neocortex revealed by marsupial and eutherian transcriptomes. Development, 149 (3) dev200212. doi: 10.1242/dev.200212
2021
Journal Article
DRAXIN regulates interhemispheric fissure remodelling to influence the extent of corpus callosum formation
Morcom, Laura, Edwards, Timothy J., Rider, Eric, Jones-Davis, Dorothy, Lim, Jonathan W. C., Chen, Kok-Siong, Dean, Ryan J., Bunt, Jens, Ye, Yunan, Gobius, Ilan, Suárez, Rodrigo, Mandelstam, Simone, Sherr, Elliott H. and Richards, Linda J. (2021). DRAXIN regulates interhemispheric fissure remodelling to influence the extent of corpus callosum formation. eLife, 10 e61618. doi: 10.7554/eLife.61618
2021
Journal Article
The evolution, formation and connectivity of the anterior commissure
Fenlon, Laura R., Suarez, Rodrigo, Lynton, Zorana and Richards, Linda J. (2021). The evolution, formation and connectivity of the anterior commissure. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 118, 50-59. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.04.009
2021
Journal Article
DCC regulates astroglial development essential for telencephalic morphogenesis and corpus callosum formation
Morcom, Laura, Gobius, Ilan, Marsh, Ashley P. L., Suárez, Rodrigo, Lim, Jonathan W. C., Bridges, Caitlin, Ye, Yunan, Fenlon, Laura R., Zagar, Yvrick, Douglass, Amelia M., Donahoo, Amber-Lee, Fothergill, Thomas, Shaikh, Samreen, Kozulin, Peter, Edwards, Timothy J., Cooper, Helen M., IRC5 Consortium, Sherr, Elliott H., Chédotal, Alain, Leventer, Richard J., Lockhart, Paul J. and Richards, Linda J. (2021). DCC regulates astroglial development essential for telencephalic morphogenesis and corpus callosum formation. eLife, 10 e61769, 1-35. doi: 10.7554/eLife.61769
2020
Journal Article
In search of common developmental and evolutionary origin of the claustrum and subplate
Bruguier, Hannah, Suarez, Rodrigo, Manger, Paul, Hoerder-Suabedissen, Anna, Shelton, Andrew M., Oliver, David K., Packer, Adam M., Ferran, José L., García-Moreno, Fernando, Puelles, Luis and Molnár, Zoltán (2020). In search of common developmental and evolutionary origin of the claustrum and subplate. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 528 (17) cne.24922, 2956-2977. doi: 10.1002/cne.24922
2019
Journal Article
Shared and differential features of Robo3 expression pattern in amniotes
Friocourt, François, Kozulin, Peter, Belle, Morgane, Suárez, Rodrigo, Di‐Poï, Nicolas, Richards, Linda J., Giacobini, Paolo and Chédotal, Alain (2019). Shared and differential features of Robo3 expression pattern in amniotes. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 527 (12), 2009-2029. doi: 10.1002/cne.24648
2018
Journal Article
Transcriptional control of long-range cortical projections
Paolino, Annalisa, Fenlon, Laura R., Suárez, Rodrigo and Richards, Linda J. (2018). Transcriptional control of long-range cortical projections. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 53, 57-65. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.05.005
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Rodrigo Suarez is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
-
Evolution and development of brain wiring genes in marsupials and placentals.
How does the brain acquire its connectivity pattern during development? What developmental features have been key to the generation of evolutionary diversity of brain architecture in mammals and other vertebrates? By studying comparative development of the cerebral cortex in selected species we aim to gain insights not only on the natural history of the human brain, but also on neurodevelopmental diseases that affect neocortical circuits such as autism and schizophrenia.
This project aims at elucidating the molecular evolution of genes involved in mammalian brain development. By comparing transcriptomic, cellular and developmental differences between mice and marsupials this project will shed light on the evolution of the largest tract in the brain: the corpus callosum. Highly motivated students with strengths in genetics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, developmental neurobiology, physiology and/or brain anatomy are encouraged to apply.
-
Role of early neuronal activity on the formation of neocortical circuits
How does the brain acquire its connectivity pattern during development? What developmental features have been key to the generation of evolutionary diversity of brain architecture in mammals and other vertebrates? By studying comparative development of the cerebral cortex in selected species we aim to gain insights not only on the natural history of the human brain, but also on neurodevelopmental diseases that affect neocortical circuits such as autism and schizophrenia.
This project aims at elucidating the main roles of early sensory and spontaneous activity in the formation of neocortical layers, areas and circuits. By combining molecular, electrical and developmental manipulations in developing mammalian embryos and pups, this project will study how early events affect the precise formation of cortical features required for normal cognitive development. Highly motivated students with strengths in developmental neurobiology, neurophysiology, animal behaviour, signal analysis and/or computational sciences are encouraged to apply.
-
Multiple projects in comparative and developmental neuroscience
How does the brain acquire its connectivity pattern during development? What developmental features have been key to the generation of evolutionary diversity of brain architecture in mammals and other vertebrates? By studying comparative development of the cerebral cortex in selected species we aim to gain insights not only on the natural history of the human brain, but also on neurodevelopmental diseases that affect neocortical circuits such as autism and schizophrenia.
Highly motivated students with a strong scientific formation and original ideas on the evolution and development of the nervous system are particularly encouraged to apply for a RHD student scholarship.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
A comparative study of telencephalic connectivity in marsupial and eutherian mammals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laura Fenlon
-
Doctor Philosophy
The anatomy and functional dynamics of aberrant brain connectivity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laura Fenlon
-
Doctor Philosophy
Timing of gene expression in the evolution of mammalian brain traits
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Peter Kozulin, Dr Laura Fenlon
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the evolutionary history of early processes of neocortical development
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Peter Kozulin, Dr Laura Fenlon
Completed supervision
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Conserved and divergent mechanisms of cortical development across mammalian brain evolution
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laura Fenlon
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Evolution of the mammalian brain: using phylogenetic comparative methods to study brain evolution in three mammalian clades
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Simone Blomberg
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Cellular and genetic regulation of interhemispheric fissure remodelling and corpus callosum formation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Peter Kozulin
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Rodrigo Suarez directly for media enquiries about:
- anatomy
- animal behaviour
- animal ethics
- animal models
- animal research
- artificial life
- autism
- autopoiesis
- axon guidance
- brain anatomy
- brain development
- Brain evolution
- brain plasticity
- brain recovery
- brain wiring
- cerebral cortex
- connectome
- Corpus callosum
- critical period
- environmental enrichment
- epigenetics
- ethology
- evolution
- evolutionary theory
- experience
- gene therapy
- genetics
- human brain
- in vivo microscopy
- larmarckism
- learning
- living systems
- magnetic resonance imaging
- mammals
- nature versus nurture debate
- neocortex
- neural stem cells
- neuroanatomy
- neurodevelopmental disease
- neuroethology
- neuronal programming
- olfaction
- optogenetics
- perception
- pheromones
- philosophy of biology
- philosophy of science
- schizophrenia
- sensory systems
- sexual behaviour in animals
- smell
- social behaviour
- teaching
- trancriptome
- zoology
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: