The Nano lab studies how molecular cues pattern specialized regions in developing tissues. We focus on the human cerebral cortex – the largest brain structure, made of areas that each have their own unique molecular, structural, and functional features. Cortical areas drive our human capacity to sense, feel, and make decisions, and area-specific disruptions characterize virtually all neurodevelopmental disorders. Using single-cell functional genomics and human cortical organoids, we dissect how cortical "arealization" typically occurs and how these trajectories are altered in neurological disease.