Research opportunities:
Research opportunities exist in my laboratory for
both graduate and undergraduate students interested in the molecular control
of vertebrate development. Please e-mail me if you're
interested in starting a research project in vertebrate eye development.
Research Interests:
INTRODUCTION
The laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms
responsible for the terminal differentiation of cells and organs and how
the disruption of these pathways leads to disease. Over the past
several years, these questions have been studied in the developing
eye and more specifically the lens. The lens is a good model to study
organogenesis since it, like many other tissues, requires early inductive
events between different germinative layers for its development. In addition,
the lens is a relatively simple organ, consisting only of a proliferative
epithelial layer overlying terminally differentiated fiber cells.
As cells leave the germinative zone of the epithelium, they begin to elongate,
express terminal differentiation markers and finally degrade their nuclei
and cellular organelles in preparation for lens transparency. Lens
development and physiology can be easily perturbed in vivo by targeted
gene expression since the disruption of lens development does not affect
survival. Also, numerous spontaneous mouse mutations with abnormal
eyes and lenses are known and can be used as tools to help understand normal
development and as models of human eye diseases.
Crystallins, the major water soluble proteins
of the lens, are a diverse group of proteins whose expression either commences
or sharply upregulates during the elongation of lens fiber cells.
The ability of the lens to focus light is a direct result of the refractive
index formed by the high levels of these proteins found in the lens.
Each crystallin gene has its own temporal and spatial expression pattern
during development resulting in a refractive index gradient which prevents
spherical aberration in the short focal length vertebrate lens. I
have investigated the developmental pathways responsible for the formation
of a functional lens by studying the mechanisms responsible for the high
level of crystallin expression in the lens, the genes involved in the early
specification of the lens, as well as the role of crystallins in the maintenance
of lens transparency.
More Details:
CRYSTALLINS AS MARKERS OF LENS DIFFERENTIATION
STRUCTURE AND EXPRESSION OF
BETA-CRYSTALLINS
Finally, I would be greatly interested in collaborating with both clinical and basic scientists to develop other projects related to development and disease in vertebrates.
Other Links of Interest: