This week we are very excited to share two preprints perfectly showcasing the multidisciplinary approach of our group. In the first study, Rebeca has developed a cellular KO system to understand the function of the dyslexia susceptibility KIAA0319 gene. In collaboration with Nils Kronenberg and Malte Gather in the School of Physics, we used a range of biophotonics methods to characterise this cellular model. Our data suggest that KIAA0319 play a role in cytoskeleton-related processes, such as cilia biology, cell migration and cell-substrate interaction.
In the second preprint, Carlos has analysed the relationships of different handedness measures in a large cohort. We found that the different measures share common characteristics, such as a higher proportion of individuals performing better with their right hand, and the tendency of males and females tend to be, on all measures, more right- and the left-lateralised, respectively. However, the correlation across measures was low (0.08-0.3) indicating that different handedness measures tap into different dimensions of laterality. Our work urges researchers in the laterality field to avoid the term “handedness” as a general and universal concept, and to refer instead to the specific tests used.
