Exciting new research from the Washbourne lab:
Dr. Phil Washbourne and his research team at the University of Oregon are using zebrafish to study Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). While this may seem fishy to the public, it turns out that the connections between brain cells, called synapses, are very similar between fish and people. Synapses are the main sites of communication between brain cells, and are critical for proper brain functioning. Dr. Washbourne studies how synapses form and the deficits that arise in the absence of key ASD genes. Their work with the zebrafish allows them to screen for mutations in the ASD genes, which will allow for the identification of potential drug candidates.
For more information on this project, see the following links: