Proper development and function of the vertebrate nervous system requires the generation of distinct types of neurons, which need to be specified at the right place, time and number and then be correctly connected to each other. We study how a recently uncovered temporal patterning program, which depends on cohorts of transcription factors that are specific for early, intermediate, or late-born neurons, contributes to the establishment of neuronal diversity in large regions of the developing nervous system. The main aim of the project is to investigate how temporal patterning contributes to the establishment of neuronal diversity of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. To achieve this aim, we plan to use in-vitro human stem cell-based differentiations in combination with in-vivo mouse models and a wide repertoire of experimental approaches. These range from state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, single cell transcriptomics and epigenomic profiling of transcription factor binding sites and histone modifications to in-vivo cell labelling and histological experiments.