Jean Hébert began his career studying how embryonic stem cells generate the early cell lineages that make up mammalian embryos, with the ultimate goal of using the knowledge gained for regenerative purposes. These early studies were undertaken in Dr. Gail Martin’s lab at the University of California, San Francisco, as part of his Ph.D. thesis. Jean then moved to Stanford University for postdoctoral studies with Dr. Susan McConnell, where he focused on neural stem cells and how they generate the neocortex, the part of our brains that we use for our highest cognitive functions. These studies continued after he joined the faculty at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Since then, the Hébert lab is working on establishing cell replacement strategies to repair and rejuvenate the neocortex.