I’ve blogged before about the incredible opportunities for discovery from zebrafish, including new treatments and cures for leukemia and other cancers. Zebrafish offer opportunities to learn about both environmental and inherited factors that contribute to disease. Zebrafish can be used to investigate the effects of pollution and other toxins on the human body. More than 70% of human disease genes are evident in the zebrafish genome, including more than 80% of genes associated with human disease. They share similar immune systems, brains, digestive tracts, etc. Environmental factors can be tested to determine if they trigger cancer.
I am fortunate to be involved with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and by proxy the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. The Alfred E. Mann Family Foundation recently funded a new zebrafish laboratory, headed by Dr. James Amatruda.
Now, scientists at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles discovered a mechanism that zebrafish use to regenerate damaged heart tissue. Dr. Harrison works in the laboratory of Ellen Lien, PhD, where the overall research goal is to uncover the mechanisms used by zebrafish to recover from injury.
This new research vehicle (zebrafish) offer tremendous learning opportunities. Environmental factors which contribute to health, as well as congenital conditions, can all be studied via these see-through fish. I look forward to monitoring future studies and advances related thereto.
Environmental Science and Its Application to Health 