2026 Cell Types Workshop/ Genetic Tools Atlas

Why It Matters

By providing a scalable, non‑transgenic method to label and manipulate defined neuronal populations, the Genetic Tools Atlas speeds discovery of brain circuit function and therapeutic target validation.

Key Takeaways

• Viral enhancers enable cell-type specific labeling without transgenic mice.
• Accessible chromatin mapping identifies enhancer sequences for targeted viral vectors.
• Standardized viral cassette includes mini promoter, reporter, and enhancer.
• Thousands of experiments cataloged in Genetic Tools Atlas with manual scorecards.
• Atlas provides searchable database to select optimal tools for specific brain populations.

Summary

The video introduces the Viral Genetic Tools team’s effort to build a Genetic Tools Atlas that gives researchers viral enhancers to access specific brain cell types.

They explain how cell‑type specific gene expression arises from distal enhancers; using ATAC‑seq they map accessible chromatin, clone ~500‑bp enhancer fragments into a standardized viral cassette with a mini promoter and fluorescent reporter, and deliver systemically.

Example: targeting the cortical layer‑6B marker gene Cplx3, they identified three enhancers; two reproduced the native expression pattern, one failed. Thousands of such screens have been annotated manually, generating a scorecard of brain regions, density, and reliability.

The resulting atlas is a searchable, community‑curated resource that lets scientists quickly choose validated viral tools, accelerating functional studies of neuronal subtypes without costly transgenic lines.

Original Description

Yoav Ben-Simon, Assistant Investigator, and Sharon Way, Scientific Project and Alliance Manager present on the Genetic Tools Atlas