The Westerfield Lab Institute of Neuroscience 1254 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1254 USA Contact Info: Phone: (541) 346-4596 Fax: (541) 346-4548 Contact Person: Judy Peirce Email: judyp@uoneuro.uoregon.edu

Our laboratory focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate the differentiation of neurons.  We study how the specific properties of different kinds of neurons are regulated. 

We use zebrafish and a combination of anatomical, physiological, molecular, and genetic techniques.  The goal of our research is to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms that regulate the establishment of specific neuronal cell fates during normal development and what goes wrong during disease. 

Current projects include understanding the molecular genetics of ear and eye and development, especially as models of human disease. In particular, we are making and studying models of human Usher syndrome, the leading cause of deafblindness.

Lab Haikus from annual Institute retreat:

Mutant hunt is fun Tangoing through the gene pool Don't drink the water

Free the zebrafish! Take them to Amazon Creek We need more field trips

• Washington, N.L., M.A. Haendel, C.J. Mungall, M. Ashburner, M. Westerfield, and S.E. Lewis. (2009). Linking human diseases to animal models using ontology-based phenotype annotation. PLoS Bio. 7, e1000247.
• Ochi, H., and M. Westerfield. (2009). Lbx2 regulates formation of myofibrils. BMC Dev. Bio. 9, 13.
• Rotllant, J., D. Liu, Y.-L. Yan, J.H. Postlethwait, M. Westerfield, and S.-J. Du. (2008). Sparc (Osteonectin) functions in morphogenesis of the pharyngeal skeleton and inner ear. Matrix Biol. 27, 561-572.
• Dutta, S., J.-E. Dietrich, M. Westerfield, and Z.M. Varga. (2008). Notch signaling regulates endocrine cell specification in the zebrafish anterior pituitary. Dev. Biol. 319, 248-57.

• Ochi, H., S. Hans and M. Westerfield. (2008). Smarcd3 regulates the timing of zebrafish myogenesis onset. J. Biol. Chem. 283, 3529-2526.

• Nixon, S.J., A. Carter, J. Wegner, C. Ferguson, M. Floetenmeyer, J. Riches, B. Key, M. Westerfield, and R.G. Parton. (2007). Caveolin-1 is required for lateral line neuromast and notochord development. J. Cell Sci. 120, 2151-61.

• Hans, S., J. Christison, D. Liu and M. Westerfield.  (2007).  Fgf-dependent otic induction requires competence provided by Foxi1 and Dlx3b.  BMC Dev. Biol. 7: 5.

• Ochi, H. and M. Westerfield.  (2007).  Signaling networks that regulate muscle development: lessons from zebrafish.  Dev. Growth Diff.  49:1-11.

• Hans, S. and M. Westerfield. (2007). Changes in retinoic acid signaling alter otic patterning. Development 134, 2449-2458.

• Mabee, P.M.,G. Arratia, M. Coburn, M. Haendel, E.J. Hilton, J.G. Lundberg, R.L. Mayden, N. Rios, and M. Westerfield. (2007). Connecting evolutionary morphology to genomics using ontologies: A case study from Cypriniformes including zebrafish. J. Exp. Zool. B Mol. Dev. Evo. 308B, 655-668.

• Chen, Y.-H., Y.-H. Wang, M.-Y. Chang, C.-Y.Lin, C.-W. Weng, M. Westerfield, H.-J. Tsai.  (2007).  Multiple upstream modules regulate zebrafish myf5expression.  BMC Dev. Biol. 7, 1.

• Peng, G and M. Westerfield.  (2006). Lhx5 Promotes Forebrain Development by Regulating Secreted Wnt Antagonists.  Development 133, 3191-3200.

• Ochi, H., B.J. Pearson, P.-T. Chuang, M. Hammerschmidt and M. Westerfield.  (2006).  Hhip regulates zebrafish muscle development by both sequestering Hedgehog and modulating internalization of Smoothened.  Developmental Biol. 297, 127-40.

• Nixon, J. Wegner, C. Ferguson, P.-F. Méry, J.F. Hancock, P.D. Currie, B. Key, M. Westerfield, and R.G. Parton. (2005). Zebrafish as a model for caveolin-associated muscle disease; caveolin-3 is required for myofibril organization and muscle cell patterning. Hum. Mol. Genet. 14, 1727-1743.
• Dutta S., J.-E. Dietrich, G. Aspöck, R.D. Burdine, A. Schier, M. Westerfield and Z.M. Varga.  (2005).   pitx3 defines an equivalence domain for lens and anterior pituitary placode.  Development 132, 159-190.
  
• Hans, S., D. Liu and M. Westerfield. (2004) Pax8 and Pax2a function synergistically in otic specification, downstream of the Foxi1 and Dlx3b transcription factors. Development 131, 5091-5102.
• Hirsinger, E., F. Stellabotte, S.H. Devoto, and M. Westerfield. (2004). Hedgehog is required for commitment but not initial induction of slow muscle precursors. Dev. Biol. 275, 143-157.
• Jensen, A.M. and M. Westerfield. (2004). Zebrafish Mosaic eyes is a novel FERM protein required for retinal lamination and retinal pigmented epithelial tight junction formation. Curr. Biol. 14, 711-717.

List of all publications.

Links:

ZFIN (the zebrafish information network) - the zebrafish model organism database.
The Zebrafish Database Project - status of ZFIN, the on-line database of zebrafish information.
The Zebrafish International Resource Center - resource and stock center for zebrafish.
The Society for Developmental Biology
Association for Research in Vision and Opthalmology
The Society for Neuroscience