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
Lab Members:
Gudrun Aspöck, Research Associate
Jennifer Chiem, Student
Joe Christison, Student
Dam Lam, Student
Braden Larson, Student
Dong Liu, Research Associate
Haruki Ochi, Research Associate
Sarah Namugenyi, Student

Judy Peirce, Research Assistant
Gang Peng
, Research Associate
Jennifer Phillips, Research Associate
Sabrina Toro, Research Associate
Jeremy Wegner, Research Assistant
Monte Westerfield, Professor
Alex Westlake, Student
Westerfield Lab Alumni
ZFIN Database:

Leyla Bayraktaroglu, Scientific Curator
Yvonne Bradford, Scientific Curator
Tom Conlin, Scientific Curator
David Fashena, Scientific Curator
Ken Frazer, Scientific Curator
Sherry Giglia, Communication Coordinator
Melissa Haendel, Scientific Curator
Doug Howe, Scientific Curator
Jonathan Knight, Adminstrative Assistant
Prita Mani, Software Engineer
Christian Pich, Software Engineer

Sridhar Ramachandran, Scientific Curator
Kevin Schaper, Software Engineer
Xiang Shao, Software Engineer
Amy Singer, Scientific Curator
Judy Sprague , Director
Brock Sprunger, Software Engineer
Peiran Song, Database Administrator
Sierra Moxon, Database Administrator
Ceri Van Slyke, Scientific Curator
Marie Susana Valle, Adminstrative Assistant

Zebrafish International Resource Center:
Austin Bailey, Research Assistant
Kostia Birulin , Research Assistant
Carrie Carmichael, Research Assistant
Carrie Cleeton, Research Assistant
Renee Clark, Research Assistant
April Freeman, Research Assistant
Terra Hiebert, Research Assistant
Ron Holland, Database Administrator
Jen-Jen Hwang-Shum, Reearch Associate
Michael Kent, Professor
David Lains , Research Assistant
Tim Mason, Programmer
Katy Murray, Veterinarian
Beth Murrill, Research Assistant
Andrzej Nasiadka, Research Associate
Erin Quinn, Administrator
Jennifer Ramsay, Student
Evan Williams, Research Assistant
Zoltan Varga, Director

Research Interests:

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, eye and muscle development, particularly as models of human disease. In particular, we are making and studying models of human Usher syndrome, the leading cause of deafblindness.

Lab Haiku from annual Institute retreat:

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

                       


Some Recent Publications:


Links: