Stem cells provide a powerful platform to study developmental biology, which is utilized in biomedical fields to investigate human genetic diseases, and for drug screening. Understanding the mechanisms that control and modulate the function of neuronal differentiation and neural function is crucial in designing therapies for neurodegenerative and neuronal diseases.

As stem cell research moves towards clinical applications in neuroscience, the value of accurate cell culture models of neurodegeneration and neural disease becomes increasingly evident. To achieve these objectives, several challenges are being addressed around tissue culture-based models of neural stem cells differentiation and disease modeling.

The aim of this Special Issue is to invite research examining the modeling of neurogenesis and neurological diseases as well as neural differentiation by using pluripotent stem cells, cell lines, neurospheres and brain organoids. Submissions about isolation, derivation, culture and differentiation, programming, transplantation, characterisation, disease modeling of the above-mentioned cell types, and other similar studies on the topics are welcome. Research on the above-mentioned aspects of neurogenesis and modeling neurological disease is also encouraged. Original research and review articles are welcomed.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• The derivation and characterization of neural stem cells (NSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs)
• Programming and differentiation of neural cells
• Advances in existing isolation, derivation, or differentiation methods, in particular the development of scalable clinically relevant systems
• Modelling neurodegenerative diseases using hESC, iPSCs, and direct programming
• Maintenance, differentiation, and trans-differentiation of neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and other cells residing in the CNS
• Biomaterials for culture, expansion, differentiation or transplantation of neurons
• Transplantation of NSCs neural cell types into in vivo model systems of disease
• 2D and 3D cultures of neural cell types including neurospheres and brain organoids
• Development of good manufacturing practice protocols for clinical-grade NSCs and NPCs
• Clinical trials and case studies relating to the application of NSCs or NPCs or differentiated neurons
• Delivery methods for transplantation of NSCs/NPCs and the immune response after transplantation
• Functional genomics of NSCs/NPCs and differentiated neurons (including related diseases)
• Molecular mechanism of stem cell neurogenesis