Research

Developmental Biology of the Brain

Developmental Biology is the study of life’s changes, from a single-celled embryo (zygote) to the many different cells that make up a plant or animal and even the changes that lead to the aging of an organism.  All other scientific fields are ultimately used to understand how multicellular life is built and how it has evolved.   The Barresi lab investigates the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing how the nervous system is built. The lab’s research is divided into three main project teams that address several questions about forebrain development (the biggest part of our brain), how the CNS gets wired up, how neural stem cells are controlled to produce the right number and types of cells of the CNS, and what role cellular electricity plays in controlling tissue patterns.

The Barresi Lab uses the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) model system, which, as a vertebrate, develops in many conserved ways that relate even to human development and disease.  The Lab takes a multifaceted approach that utilizes molecular and genetic techniques combined with classical embryology and high-resolution live embryo microscopy to reveal the role of specific genes in mediating precise cellular behaviors during brain development.  The lab also has a cross-disciplinary team of students devoted to the creation of novel computational methods for data analysis.

Current Projects:

Forebrain Team Radial Glial Team  Bioelectrics Team  Computation Team

 

Why study brain development?

The human brain has evolved to the point where we can ponder its own construction. How is the brain built? Developmental neurobiology is a field that tries to understand the origins of the structure and function of the nervous system.  By investigating the developmental mechanisms that govern how the early embryonic brain is first built, we will not only uncover the mysteries of the most complex organ system of our body but also discover how we might be able to be repair it following injury and disease. 

Why use zebrafish?

The zebrafish has recently become a favorite vertebrate model system to many researchers studying everything from setting up early axis formation in the embryo to the neural circuits driving adult behaviors! Most importantly, zebrafish is the fastest developing vertebrate model system, going from a one-cell zygote to an embryo with a functioning nervous system in less than 24h. Additionally, zebrafish embryos are optically transparent, enabling the observation of single cell movements and tissue formation in living embryos. Experimentally, zebrafish provide the ability to use genetics, classical embryology, molecular biology, physiology, and pharmacology to answer our research questions. Click here to download a timelapse movie of a zebrafish embryo developing. Credit: Don Kane and Rolf Karlstrom, 1996.

Undergraduates in Research

Smith College is a true “research college”, such that all the professors must create a competitive research program in their area of expertise and manage this program with significant undergraduate student participation. At least 80% of my lab’s research is done by undergraduate students. The Lab’s success relies upon undergraduates to carry out productive and publishable experiments. This research is externally funded through grants awarded based on the preliminary data obtained from undergraduate students. The Lab has and will continue to publish research articles with undergraduate authors. Dr. Barresi could not be more fortunate than to work with Smith College undergraduates who bring the highest level of maturity, intelligence, skill, and dependability to all the work of the lab.Aliece Goodman and Emilie Jones

After spending a year as part of the lab, students develop the fundamental skills necessary to be productive in their later years at Smith and often secure positions in premier laboratories and graduate programs. Most students will spend a minimum of 2 years but often 3 or even 4 years as part of the Barresi Lab. This could be in the form of volunteering, work-study, STRIDE or AEMES early programs, special studies, or Honor Theses, and typically involves spending one-two full-time summer research fellowships.

To date, most students attend at least one national scientific conference. As seen in the picture, Aleice and Emilie created a poster about their research and presented it at the Society for Developmental Biology Conference in at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole MA in 2019. Emilie is pursuing a Ph.D. at Tufts in Developmental Biology and Aleice just completed employment as a research technician in Nathan Lawson Laboratory at UMass-Med and is now pursuing an MD-Ph.D. program. Between 2005 and 2023, 125 students have spent a year or more in the Barresi lab and over 90% are successfully enjoying careers in science!

Our work is supported by: 

We proudly acknowledge the essential funding support for our research from the following agencies and Smith College in the form of grants awarded to Dr. Michael Barresi consistently since 2005.  Dr. Barresi thanks sincerely the taxpayers of the United States whose contributions make possible the funding opportunities the NSF and NIH provide to researchers across the country.