Section of Developmental Biology
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Section of Developmental Biology News
Dr. Kim Arena receives NIH NRSA F32 Fellowship
Dr. Kim Arena, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Bruce Appel, received a NIH postdoctoral fellowship (F32NS134612) for her project entitled, “Investigating the role of Wnt signaling effectors on the neuron-glia switch and OPC specification during development and after injury”. Kim’s project will utilize genetic and bioinformatic approaches in zebrafish to uncover the gene regulatory networks that drive the specification of oligodendrocytes during development and after spinal cord injury. January 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
Dr. Katie Ranard awarded NIH NRSA F32 Fellowship
Dr. Katie Ranard, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Bruce Appel, received a NIH postdoctoral fellowship (F32NS131175) for her project entitled, “Role of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in myelination during development”. Katie’s project focuses on the role of maternal nutrition during infant brain development. This project may reveal a cellular mechanism by which DHA promotes cognitive function and will provide insight into nutritional strategies that optimize maternal and infant health. April 2023
Dr. Robert Lalonde receives NIH Pathway to Independence Award
Dr. Robert Lalonde, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Christian Mosimann, received a career transition award (K99HL168148) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for his research entitled “Mechanisms of human appendicular and cardiovascular comorbidities: An analysis of heterogeneity and lineage trajectories of the lateral plate mesoderm”. This award will fund Dr. Lalonde’s postdoctoral training and research in his own laboratory when he transitions to a faculty position. In this project, Dr. Lalonde uses zebrafish as a model system to uncover how individual causative genes drive multi-organ comorbidities in the heart, limb, and lung. March 2023
Hannah Moran awarded NIH NRSA F31 Fellowship
Hannah Moran, a graduate student in the lab of Dr. Christian Mosimann and a member of the Graduate Training Program in Cell Biology, Stem Cells, and Development, received a NIH predoctoral training fellowship (F31HL167580) for her project entitled, “Defining the developmental mechanisms of pericardium formation”. Hannah’s work will help reveal the origins of the pericardium, which surrounds and supports the heart, and the cellular and molecular mechanisms that guide its development and function as part of the cardiovascular system. February 2023