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Yevgenya Grinblat

Assistant Professor of Zoology

Yevgenya Grinblat
Address:
129 Zoology
Telephone:
265-3219
Email:
ygrinblat@wisc.edu
Research Fields:
Developmental Genetics
Zebrafish
Neurogenetics

Ph.D. (1993) Harvard University

Postdoctoral Research: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 1993-2001

Research Interests

Pattern formation, neural development, zebrafish developmental genetics

Research Description

Pattern formation in the zebrafish neurectoderm. In vertebrate embryos, the neurectoderm (the future brain and spinal cord) is first patterned very early in embryogenesis, during gastrulation. We are studying early neural pattern formation in a genetically and embryologically tractable vertebrate embryo, the zebrafish Danio rerio. We are particularly interested in understanding how early pattern forms at the border of the neural plate, which later becomes the dorsal-most neural tube. Our experimental approach relies on combining genetic, embryological and molecular biological techniques to address the following specific aims: (1) Describe the fine pattern of gene expression near the border of the neural plate; (2) Analyze regulation of border pattern formation by candidate signaling pathways (eg. BMP and FGF pathways) using fish strains carrying mutations in these pathways; (3) Describe cell interactions required for border formation using in vitro explant culture assays; (4) Analyze regulation of patterned gene expression using promoter analysis; (5) Carry out mutant screens to identify novel regulators of pattern in the neural plate.

Representative Publications

  • Y. Grinblat, H.L. Sive (2001). zic gene expression marks anteroposterior pattern in the presumptive neurectoderm of the zebrafish gastrula. Dev. Dynamics 222, 688-693.
  • Y. Grinblat, M. E. Lane, C. G. Sagerstrom and H. L. Sive (1999). Analysis of Zebrafish development using explant culture assays. In The Zebrafish: Methods in Cell Biology, vol. 59 (ed. H. W. Dietrich, M. Westerfield and L. Zon) pp. 127-159.
  • Y. Grinblat, J. T. Gamse, M. Patel and H. L. Sive (1998). Determination of the zebrafish forebrain: induction and patterning. Development 125:4403-4416.
  • C. Sagerstrom, Y. Grinblat, H.L. Sive (1996). Anteroposterior patterning in the zebrafish, Danio rerio: an explant assay reveals inductive and suppressive cell interactions. Development 122:1873-1883.