Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine

Future Research Projects

THE EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA ON ZEBRAFISH BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

Supervisor

Professor Kuldip Bedi
Professor of Anatomy & Histology

BACKGROUND

Hypoxic or ischaemic episodes in humans, which can happen during childbirth, during adverse cardio-vascular or other traumatic events, are known to cause significant effects on the central nervous system. These events can cause long term functional deficits in the behaviour of individuals. It is hypothesised that these functional deficits are a result of the effects of the hypoxic or ischaemic events on neuronal cell death in specific regions of the developing brain. Zebrafish, (Danio rerio) has become a powerful animal model for the study of brain development. It produces large numbers of translucent eggs which can be easily examined as they develop outside the body.

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

To examine the effects of periods of hypoxia or normoxia during early life on cellular apoptosis in the central nervous system.

METHODS

The project will be particularly concerned with quantifying the extent of apoptotic cells using specific labelling techniques such as the TUNEL method and Caspase-3 immunohistochemistry.