Thank you for supporting us in our efforts to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research. We are the Goessling laboratory at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Our laboratory uses the zebrafish model to study the genes and pathways that impact growth, disease, and regeneration in the liver and pancreas. By exploring the parallels between embryonic development, organ repair, and disease, we hope to identify pathways (genes, or proteins) that can serve as therapeutic targets. 

What are zebrafish?

A zebrafish is a tropical fresh-water fish native to the rivers of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. Zebrafish eggs are fertilized externally and are optically clear, making the zebrafish a popular laboratory model organism. Following egg fertilization, researchers can observe the development of embryos over time and study organ formation. A single female zebrafish can lay up to 200 eggs in one week!  Equally important, zebrafish can be manipulated genetically and used to model human disease. In sum, the zebrafish is an excellent model for studying many of the genes and pathways relevant for vertebrate development and disease.