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Section of Developmental Biology News
Dr. Alexa Burger received a 5-year NIH/NIEHS R24 award
Dr. Alexa Burger received a 5-year NIH/NIEHS R24 award 1R24ES036130-01 entitled “Advancing a community-led zebrafish toxicology phenotype atlas”. For this project, Dr. Burger and her colleagues Dr. Sabrina Toro at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and her team aim to do build a comprehensive toxicology phenotype atlas. Their work will have an immediate impact into developmental and genetic programs to explain the consequences of exposure to teratogenic agents causing structural birth defects. July 2024
PhD Candidate Mikaela Follmer been awarded the prestigious ARCS Scholar Awards
Mikaela Follmer has been awarded the ARCS Foundation, which believes that support of STEM education is essential to U.S. economic growth, technological competitiveness, and continued global leadership. To address the country's need for new scientists and engineers, we fund the prestigious ARCS Scholar Awards to help the country's brightest graduate and undergraduate students create new knowledge and innovative technologies. We have provided more than $137 million to more than 11,800 students selected by their universities for their outstanding potential to make a difference.
Dr. Hannah E. Jones has been awarded the Outstanding Dissertation Award
This year’s Outstanding Dissertation Award from PhD Programs goes to Cell Biology, Stem Cells and Development graduate Dr. Hannah E. Jones. She successfully defended her thesis, which focused on a poorly understood perivascular cell type in the central nervous system (CNS) vasculature, perivascular fibroblasts (PVFs) in March of this year. Hannah has been published extensively, secured NIH predoctoral funding, and received awards for her research presentations. During her research, Hannah demonstrated a commitment to sharing knowledge that advances the field, not just her own work, as she made new techniques she had adapted available as a preprint. Hannah’s thesis committee rated it as “outstanding” and “an example of excellent scholarship.” Her success was further exemplified by the full audience she presented in front of in the Nighthorse Campbell auditorium and the 20 virtual attendees of her defense. Not only a great scientist, she also proved herself an excellent science communicator and speaker. May 2024
Dr. Jen McKey awarded Boettcher Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program
The project funded by the Boettcher Webb-Waring award will focus on understanding the mechanisms of first-wave folliculogenesis in the mammalian ovary during fetal and perinatal development. Advanced 3D imaging, single-cell molecular profiling, and innovative mouse genetic models will be employed to investigate how specific signaling pathways mediate the contribution of first-wave folliculogenesis to female development. The primary goal is to determine the role of first-wave follicles in establishing the ovarian reserve, and in regulating and maintaining female fertility and overall health. This research aims to address critical gaps in our understanding of female health, fertility, and reproductive longevity. Its findings have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of subfertility and ovarian disorders. May 2024
Dr. Anne Meyer awarded NIH NRSA F32 Fellowship
Dr. Anne Meyer, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Peter Dempsey, received a NIH postdoctoral fellowship (F32 DK135241) for her project entitled, “Epigenetic regulation of lineage specification in colon epithelial cells”. Histone modifications serve as key epigenetic marks with dynamic functions in many cellular processes. This proposal aims to characterize the role of histone H3 lysine 36 methylation, a mark of active transcription, in the specification and maintenance of colon cell lineages. Characterization of the differentiation process is critical for understanding normal physiology and disease states, including cancer. April 2023
Dr. Kadidia Adula receives NIH Fellowship
Dr. Kadidia Adula, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Bruce Appel, received a NIH postdoctoral fellowship (F32NS131216) for her project entitled, “Examining the regulation of resident mRNAs in myelin plasticity”. Many mRNAs localize to myelin sheaths wrapping axons during development, raising the possibility that mRNA translation in myelin in response to neuronal activity regulates myelin sheath formation. Kadidia’s project investigates the molecular mechanisms regulating the sub-cellular localization of these transcripts to myelin sheaths. April 2023
pIGLET: Safe harbor landing sites for reproducible and efficient transgenesis in zebrafish
Robert L. Lalonde, Harrison H. Wells, Cassie L. Kemmler, Susan Nieuwenhuize, Raymundo Lerma, Alexa Burger, and Christian Mosimann
Science Advances, 5 Jun 2024, Vol 10, Issue 23. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn6603
Multiple embryonic sources converge to form the pectoral girdle skeleton in zebrafish
Shunya Kuroda#, Robert L Lalonde#, Thomas A Mansour, Christian Mosimann, Tetsuya Nakamura
# = equal contribution
Nature Communications, 26 July 2024; Vol 15, Issue 1:6313. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50734-x.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50734-x