“Stunning advances such as CRISPR-based molecular scissors, for which the Nobel Prize in chemistry was just awarded, allow us to precisely change genes, and designer chemicals can silence particular genes. In a recent study from our group published in Nature, however, we find that these tools are still far from perfect,” writes Gage Crump in…Continue Reading Flaws emerge in modeling human genetic diseases in animals
Year: 2020
Pituitary puzzle gets a new piece, revising evolutionary history
A new USC-led study suggests a change to the developmental — and evolutionary — story of the pituitary gland. The pea-sized gland, nestled at the base of the brain, produces hormones that drive growth, aggression, sexual development and reproduction. For decades, the front lobe of the pituitary — where the hormones are made — was…Continue Reading Pituitary puzzle gets a new piece, revising evolutionary history
When it comes to arthritic bone spurs, stem cells hurt instead of heal
The same stem cells that heal broken bones can also generate arthritic bone spurs called osteophytes, according to a new study in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases. “Although these stem and progenitor cells promote healthy bone repair in other contexts, they are inappropriately activated to cause a pathological bony protuberance in the context of arthritis,”…Continue Reading When it comes to arthritic bone spurs, stem cells hurt instead of heal
Lab publishes PNAS study about the evolution of gill covers
The emergence of jaws in primitive fish allowed vertebrates to become top predators. What is less appreciated is another evolutionary innovation that may have been just as important for the success of early vertebrates: the formation of covers to protect and pump water over the gills. In a new study published in the Proceedings of…Continue Reading Lab publishes PNAS study about the evolution of gill covers
Peter Fabian wins NIH Pathway to Independence Award
As a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at USC, Peter Fabian has proven himself to be a big fish in the pool of aspiring faculty members. Only three years after joining the USC Stem Cell laboratory of Gage Crump to study craniofacial development in tiny zebrafish embryos, Fabian…Continue Reading Peter Fabian wins NIH Pathway to Independence Award