Molecular Diagnostics Using
Fluorescence
My major research emphasis is on using fluorescence to study living
systems. I have 3 major projects, 2 of which deal with the visual
system. Vision is one of the most important sensory systems for
people and, unfortunately, one of the most easily damaged.
Therefore understanding how the eye and brain function together is a
very important area of study for learning how to treat vision
loss. I am interested in the molecular mechanisms involved during
the devlopment of the visual system. In particular, I am studying
the role of calcium as an important signal that regulates the when and
where other proteins are activated. I am using the
african clawed frog Xenopus laevis,
a well established system for studying development in general, to
explore how the eye and the optic tectum form their reproducible
pattern of connections.
The second major project in my lab uses a new marker for
differentiating neural stem cells. Neural stem cells are immature
cells in the brain that, given the right signals, can divide and become
any type of cell in the brain. We have a marker for a very
specific stage in neural stem cell differentiation. We are
currently characterizing the specific cells which show this staining
pattern using the chick brain as a model system. While looking
for these cells in the brain directly, we are also culturing neural
stem cells and staining them for the marker as well. Our goal is
to use this marker for differentiating neural stem cells to help
characterize the signals used to make neurons and glia in the brain.
The third project is using fluorescence to identify
and count bacteria and fungi in the environment. Bacterial
contaimination in flood water, agricultural runoff, or water supplies
is a significant problem to analyze in the field. We are using
several stains that bind to DNA to detect bacteria, and will use
specific antibodies to trap particular types of bacteria. In
addition, we are collaborating with researchers in Industrial
Engineering to develop a handheld detector so that our bacterial system
can be used by first responders for quickly analyzing their
environment. This type of device would also have many
applications in medicine, bioterror defense, as well as environmental
monitoring on earth or in space.
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