The Cortical Development and Axon Guidance Laboratory, led by Professor Linda J. Richards, investigates how the brain becomes wired up during development. Our research focuses on the development of the cerebral cortex, a region of the brain where all higher order cognition is processed. The lab investigates the development of the largest fibre tract in the brain, called the corpus callosum, that connects neurons in the left and right cerebral hemispheres. Associate Professor Richards' lab is interested in the development of the cortical midline and aspects of glial and neuronal development that impact the formation of midline structures such as the corpus callosum. The lab utilises both mouse and human tissue in its projects and applies the results to identifying the basis of agenesis of the corpus callosum which occurs in more than 50 different human congenital syndromes.