Zebrafish in Bloomsbury
The Zebrafish Research Group
The group consists of several laboratories interested in the way that cells and tissues develop as embryos grow.
Why study zebrafish?
Several research groups at UCL work on a variety of zebrafish projects. The groups have chosen to work on zebrafish as it is much easier to perform large scale genetic studies in this species than in most other vertebrates. In addition, zebrafish embryos are completely transparent and so it is possible to watch the movements of cells and development of tissues in the living animal.
Insights into genetics and embryology
The projects at UCL are aimed at understanding how genes regulate the development of the fish embryo including the eyes, brain and other parts of the body.
Studies of zebrafish can also help the scientists to investigate how genes affect the way that wounds heal. Zebrafish science can also shed light on the so-called 'biological clock' that somehow maintains the 24-hour circadian rhythms in living organisms.
The various populations of zebrafish live in two fish facilities made up of a total of 1800 tanks.
Submitted by: The UCL zebrafish group, 04 June 2008
