We are interested in how cells in the nervous system make decisions to turn genes on or off, and how those decisions are remembered in processes such as development and plasticity, or neurological disease and injury. The goal of the Meffert lab is to gain a mechanistic understanding of how selective gene programs are recruited and maintained.  Rather than focusing on single genes, we investigate upstream processes that allow coordinate regulation of many genes to achieve biological impact.  We uncover dynamic molecular mechanisms for spatial control of gene programs at cellular and subcellular levels, with a focus on the roles played by non-coding RNAs and RNA-binding proteins.