Lab
Biemar Lab
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Statement of Research Interest
We use the zebrafish as a model organism to study pancreas organogenesis.
Initial studies showed that, albeit some minor differences, the essential components (transcription factors and signaling molecules) involved in pancreas organogenesis in zebrafish and mammals are conserved. Nonetheless, the gene network underlying pancreas development in zebrafish and mammals is incomplete because mainly based on epistatic relationships inferred from knockout phenotypes. In addition, recent surveys of the embryonic expression of microRNAs during zebrafish development revealed at least two that appear to be pancreas-specific. The function of these miRNAs in pancreas formation is unknown.
What are the genes directly regulated by some of the major transcription factors involved in pancreas organogenesis (i.e. Ptf1, Pdx, Hb9, Isl1, Pax6, Nk2.2,...)? What are the target cis-regulatory modules bound by those factors? Are target genes regulated by these factors combinatorially? What is the role of microRNAs expressed in the pancreatic anlage during zebrafish embryogenesis? We address those questions using a combination of ChiP-seq and SELEX assays, classical deletion studies, comparative genomics and other bioinformatics methods, as well as reverse genetics.
Initial studies showed that, albeit some minor differences, the essential components (transcription factors and signaling molecules) involved in pancreas organogenesis in zebrafish and mammals are conserved. Nonetheless, the gene network underlying pancreas development in zebrafish and mammals is incomplete because mainly based on epistatic relationships inferred from knockout phenotypes. In addition, recent surveys of the embryonic expression of microRNAs during zebrafish development revealed at least two that appear to be pancreas-specific. The function of these miRNAs in pancreas formation is unknown.
What are the genes directly regulated by some of the major transcription factors involved in pancreas organogenesis (i.e. Ptf1, Pdx, Hb9, Isl1, Pax6, Nk2.2,...)? What are the target cis-regulatory modules bound by those factors? Are target genes regulated by these factors combinatorially? What is the role of microRNAs expressed in the pancreatic anlage during zebrafish embryogenesis? We address those questions using a combination of ChiP-seq and SELEX assays, classical deletion studies, comparative genomics and other bioinformatics methods, as well as reverse genetics.
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