Neurological diseases emerge from changes in the development, function, and interactions of specific brain-cell populations. The Human Neurobiology Laboratory combines cell-based models with molecular analysis, human brain tissue, and electrophysiology to investigate these changes under experimentally controlled conditions. In research on mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, neural stem-cell cultures derived from surgically resected human hippocampal tissue were studied alongside immunofluorescence and multielectrode recordings of living brain slices. This integrated approach connected the developmental state of neurons and glia with the abnormal electrical activity occurring in diseased tissue. This work showed that the production of immature neurons declines as epilepsy progresses, while immature astroglial cells persist and vary according to local epileptiform activity. These findings suggest that immature astroglia may actively influence neuronal hyperactivity and represent a potential therapeutic target. The research builds upon Prof Dupont’s broader studies of neural progenitor cells, hippocampal neurogenesis, depression, antidepressant treatment, and aging. By linking observations in human tissue with cell culture and functional models, the lab seeks to identify cellular mechanisms that can be experimentally tested and ultimately targeted in neurological and psychiatric disease.