Emma Xiong, “The Role of Talin Protein in Biomechanical Regulation of Zebrafish Brain Morphogenesis”
Mentor: Jennifer Gutzman, Biological Sciences, Letters & Science (College of)
Poster #186
Structural birth defects of the brain can result in physical or mental impairments ranging from minor neurological effects to significant disability or early fatality. These morphological abnormalities often result from disruption in fundamental biological processes due to either genetic mutations or environmental factors. While significant work has been conducted to understand the biochemical pathways that mediate cell and tissue shape during development, there is a significant gap in our understanding of the biophysical and biomechanical mechanisms that drive morphogenetic events in vivo. Our work to identify the contribution of talin proteins in the biomechanics to morphogenesis of the brain will significantly impact our understanding of the unknown mechanisms that lead to congenital morphological diseases that have not previously been explored.