BMEBT Doctoral Dissertation Defense / BMEBT Seminar by Vijay Boominathan
When: Friday,
April 15, 2016
2:00 PM
-
3:00 PM
Where: Textiles Building 101E
Description: TITLE: GENETIC SIMILARITY TO HUMANS MAKE THE ZEBRAFISH AN EXCELLENT RESEARCH MODEL TO ADDRESS CELL DIFFERENTIATION, TISSUE PATTERNING, BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF NOVEL BIOMATERIALS AS WELL AS DRUG RELEASE AND TISSUE RESPONSE.
Abstract: The vertebrate animal model, the Zebrafish- Danio rerio shares a high degree of sequence and functional homology with mammals, including humans. With the development of the Zebrafish Genome project and comparison to the Human reference genome, it was discovered that this vertebrate has homologous genes to 84% of the genes existing in human diseases. Our research here focused on how the zebrafish can assist in efforts to study cell differentiation as well as to use the whole organism as an in vivo model to answer questions about novel biomaterials. In regards to early cell differentiation studies we wanted to examine the role of tbx22 in zebrafish in the hopes it can lend insight into diseases such as X-linked cleft palate with ankyloglossia syndrome, which is known to occur in humans as the result of defects in TBX22 signaling. Our goals were to determine critical promoter elements that drive a well-defined discrete domain of expression of tbx22 in zebrafish. Identification of promoter elements that allow for restricted expression may assist our efforts to delete tbx22 only in the mouth region bypassing developmental defects associated with ubiquitous tbx22 disruption throughout the whole embryo. The second goal was to work towards understanding T-box target genes to understand what genes T-box controls that assist in mouth formation. MattInspector and transcription factor (TF) binding tools were used to find potential T-binding domains on target genes in Zebrafish. The studies performed in this work will provide a foundation for our long-term goals, which include a more thorough understanding of the molecular signaling events regulating craniofacial development.
The use of Zebrafish has not limited our hands to study only within the field of molecular biology. We have successfully used the animal model to study the effect of biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds. We have tested the effect of Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) when treated in both in-vitro and in-vivo systems. Biodegradability and biocompatibility of the scaffold materials in these systems have been studied for the change in their structural properties and their nature to support the growth of cells which is a desired quality for scaffoled for tissue engineering. We also studied the effect of drug loaded Poly(caprolactone) scaffolds and their potential as a controlled drug release system. Studies were not confined to only in-vitro assays but also extended to use the Zebrafish in-vivo animal model system. The field of biomedical applications is seeing new developments every day, testing the effect of them on to animal models. The zebrafish with its striking homology genetically and physiologically has been seen as a novel tool to study and understand complex tissue interactions.
Advisor: Dr. Tracie Ferreira, Bioengineering
Committee: Dr. Erin Bromage, Biology; Dr. Sankha Bhowmick, Mech Engr; Dr. Robert Drew, Biology; and Dr. Chris Brigham, Bioengineering
Abstract: The vertebrate animal model, the Zebrafish- Danio rerio shares a high degree of sequence and functional homology with mammals, including humans. With the development of the Zebrafish Genome project and comparison to the Human reference genome, it was discovered that this vertebrate has homologous genes to 84% of the genes existing in human diseases. Our research here focused on how the zebrafish can assist in efforts to study cell differentiation as well as to use the whole organism as an in vivo model to answer questions about novel biomaterials. In regards to early cell differentiation studies we wanted to examine the role of tbx22 in zebrafish in the hopes it can lend insight into diseases such as X-linked cleft palate with ankyloglossia syndrome, which is known to occur in humans as the result of defects in TBX22 signaling. Our goals were to determine critical promoter elements that drive a well-defined discrete domain of expression of tbx22 in zebrafish. Identification of promoter elements that allow for restricted expression may assist our efforts to delete tbx22 only in the mouth region bypassing developmental defects associated with ubiquitous tbx22 disruption throughout the whole embryo. The second goal was to work towards understanding T-box target genes to understand what genes T-box controls that assist in mouth formation. MattInspector and transcription factor (TF) binding tools were used to find potential T-binding domains on target genes in Zebrafish. The studies performed in this work will provide a foundation for our long-term goals, which include a more thorough understanding of the molecular signaling events regulating craniofacial development.
The use of Zebrafish has not limited our hands to study only within the field of molecular biology. We have successfully used the animal model to study the effect of biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds. We have tested the effect of Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) when treated in both in-vitro and in-vivo systems. Biodegradability and biocompatibility of the scaffold materials in these systems have been studied for the change in their structural properties and their nature to support the growth of cells which is a desired quality for scaffoled for tissue engineering. We also studied the effect of drug loaded Poly(caprolactone) scaffolds and their potential as a controlled drug release system. Studies were not confined to only in-vitro assays but also extended to use the Zebrafish in-vivo animal model system. The field of biomedical applications is seeing new developments every day, testing the effect of them on to animal models. The zebrafish with its striking homology genetically and physiologically has been seen as a novel tool to study and understand complex tissue interactions.
Advisor: Dr. Tracie Ferreira, Bioengineering
Committee: Dr. Erin Bromage, Biology; Dr. Sankha Bhowmick, Mech Engr; Dr. Robert Drew, Biology; and Dr. Chris Brigham, Bioengineering
Contact: BMEBT PHD Program
Topical Areas: University Community, Biology, Bioengineering, College of Engineering