Prof. Herman P. Spaink
Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University
‘Zebrafish as a model for studying human disease’
co-referee: Prof. Huub Savelkoul, Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University
The zebrafish offers exciting possibilities to unravel the molecular mechanism of disease processes, e.g. the discovery of novel gene functions in disease processes. Its optical transparency in the early life stages enables the use of optical imaging techniques to monitor cellular processes in an entire vertebrate organism. This lecture will give an overview of the recent advances in the use of zebrafish to study infectious disease and cancer, with emphasis on the technological aspects.
Abstract
Zebrafish as a model for studying human disease
The zebrafish offers exciting possibilities to unravel the molecular mechanism of disease processes. First of all its optical transparency in the early life stages enables the use of optical imaging techniques to monitor cellular processes in an entire vertebrate organism. This offers novel opportunities to understand the signal transduction pathways underlying disease phenomena such as cancer. Secondly, we are able to monitor the early stages of disease at the most relevant resolution and time scale. Thirdly, considering the small size of the test organism the measurements can be integrated with data obtained at the whole organism level. Last but not least, due to its amenability to forward genetic screens the zebrafish is powerful for discovery of novel gene functions in disease processes. We may link new molecular and cellular insights to medical or pharmaceutical applications. In this lecture I will give an overview of the recent advances in the use of zebrafish to study infectious disease and cancer, with emphasis on the technological aspects.
About Herman P. Spaink
Full professor of Molecular Cell Biology at Leiden University. His group of 22 research scientists currently studies the molecular mechanisms controlling cellular recognition mechanisms using zebrafish as the main model system. He is co-founder of the company ZF-screens that aims to develop and valorize fish cell transplantation technology.
Spaink obtained his PhD, on molecular analysis of Rhizobium-plant interaction (supervision Prof.Dr. E.J.J. Lugtenberg), in 1989 at Leiden University (cum laude). In 1990 he started a one–year post-doc position at Harvard Medical School at the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (supervision Prof.Dr. E.P. Kennedy). After a five year fellowship at Leiden University funded by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), he was appointed as associate professor in Molecular Microbiology. In 1998 he became full professor in Molecular Cell Biology at Leiden University. He has published 124 peer-reviewed papers in journals, 86 papers in books and 22 patent applications.
For an extended CV see the following webpage: http://biology.leidenuniv.nl/~spaink/