Aaron Thomas, PhD
PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, DavisMS in Zoology, Brigham Young University
BS in Molecular Biology , Brigham Young University
As neural crest cells adopt different fates and differentiate, their gene expression profile changes according to their eventual fate. I am studying the gene expression changes that occur in melanoblasts as they are specified and trying to understand how that specification is controlled at the gene expression level. I use a wide variety of molecular techniques to study these questions.
Melissa L. Harris, PhD
PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, DavisBS in Genetics (minor in English), University of California, Davis
Pigment cell patterning during embryogenesis--Ceullar pathfinding is one process that contributes to the organized distribution of cells that arises during embryogenesis. Neural crest-derived pigment cells, in particular, emigrate from the neuroepithelium and migrate significant distances to colonize the integument. I have focused on elucidating transmembrane receptors that govern a melanoblast's pathfinding ability during their early dissemination from the neural tube. To achieve this, I employ a combination of molecular (e.g. siRNA knockdown) and experimental embryology (e.g. neural tube transplants) techniques.
Jon Ahlstrom, Graduate Student
PhD candidate in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, DavisBS in Microbiology, Brigham Young University
The Neural Crest EMT in 4D--My dissertation work is imaging the avian embryonic trunk neural crest epithelial To mesenchymal transformation (EMT). While much has been learned about the nc EMT in fixed tissue, the direct observation of individual neural tube cells undergoing an EMT has the potential to reveal important and novel insights into the mode and mechanisms of the nc EMT. To image the nc EMT at high-resolution, I have been using time-lapse confocal microscopy on living fluorescently labeled dorsal neural tube cells in avian embryo slice culture.
Bryan Kuo, Graduate Student
PhD candidate in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, DavisMS in Cell and Molecular Biology, San Francisco State University
BS in Cell and Molecular Biology, San Francisco State University
My project focuses on determining whether prespecification of the neural crest cell at the vagal level dictates their migratory behavior into the stereotypical migration pathways [i.e dorsal or ventral pathways]. I use a combination of cell labeling via electroporation as well as the chick-quail chimera system.
Phil Spear, Graduate Student
PhD candidate in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, DavisBS in Biology, Truman State
I'm interested in interkinetic nuclear migration in the neural tube. Cells that are going to become neurons and neural crest move their nuclei back and forth during cell divisions. No one knows exactly why they do that. I'm trying to figure out what it does for the cells by stopping it and seeing what happens.
Previous Lab Members:
Ronelle Hall, PhDTuan Duong, MS
Rob Kos
Alicia Paulson, PhD
Eun-Jung Jin, PhD
Mark Reedy, PhD
Dave Parichy, PhD
Alicia Santiago, PhD
Tina Goins
Richard Tucker, PhD