My research interests include understanding the extracellular environment responsible for cell fate determination in the regenerating retina. Through use of molecular techniques including real time PCR and microarray analysis we have identified differentially regulated genes in the zebrafish model involved in various stages of retinal regeneration. These stages include the removal of cellular debris following retinal injury, the progression of proliferating cells through the cell cycle, axonal regeneration, and cytogenesis. Currently, I am working on characterizing a set of genes involved in the early immune response prior to progenitor cell proliferation. SOCS 1 and SOCS3 are suppressors of cytokine signaling that aid in regulating transcription induced via IFN-g and IL-6 receptors, respectively. In addition, I began to characterize the zebrafish out of bounds (obd) mutant that seems to be defined by increased cell proliferation in the lens and circumferential margins of the retina with little photoreceptor cell differentiation. It is my hope that further analysis in both projects will aid in developing a clearer picture of the molecular and cellular coordination involved in retinal regeneration.
