The human brain takes an exceptionally long time to develop. While some nerve cells acquire their mature features relatively quickly, others take years, or even decades, to fully mature and integrate into neural circuits. How are these different developmental trajectories established and coordinated? What happens when their timing is disrupted? And how can processes that unfold over such long timescales be studied in the laboratory? This seminar will explore the biological mechanisms that control the pace of neuronal development and coordinate the maturation of different types of neurons across the nervous system. Gabriele Ciceri will also introduce the experimental models used by his team to recreate and investigate key stages of human brain development.