My laboratory research utilizes the zebrafish model system to explore the regulation of proportional growth in vertebrates.  During normal development, growth is integrated such that relative sizes among structures and tissues are specified and maintained. My laboratory is studying zebrafish mutant strains with fins that grow to over twice the normal length. These long-finned zebrafish are notable in that they maintain patterned overgrowth, distinct from the kind of aberrant proliferation seen in cancer and overgrowth disorders.

Interestingly, a mutation in any one of several different genes that encode potassium transport proteins can cause the long-finned phenotype. This finding suggests a functional connection between potassium ion homeostasis and vertebrate growth regulation. Our current work is focused on elucidating the changes in gene and protein expression that differentiate long-finned fish from wild-type fish, and then using genetic and biochemical tools to determine which of these changes are causally linked to fin overgrowth.

Zebrafish also possess the remarkable ability to fully regenerate their fins within two weeks of amputation. Thus, understanding the growth pathways that are activated in our long-finned fish may lend insight into the molecular underpinnings of tissue regeneration. Also, because zebrafish share many of their genes with humans, our work may identify a conserved role for potassium ion homeostasis in vertebrate growth regulation.

More recently, I have started to pursue research in STEM education. My particular focus is developing effective strategies to combat racism in biology and pre-health education. My research is on how to effectively integrate discussions of race into our core Biology and Nursing courses, in order to address racialized misconceptions in anatomy, physiology and genetics.

Ao “Kevin” Shi ’17 and Kathryn Henrikson ’16 in the fish room

Wildtype and longfinned zebrafish (Danio rerio)