Dr Love's zebrafish
Dr Don Love and his team at Auckland University are using zebrafish to investigate heritable diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
He met with Year 13 Biology students to discuss his work and some of the techniques commonly used in his laboratory.
Watch clips of Dr Love explaining:
What makes zebrafish good models for some human diseases – and not others
Genes, chromosomes and genomes – and what you need to know in order to create a targeted gene effect
The importance of PCR and DNA sequencing in identifying fish with a specific mutation
Why the future represents a ‘new dawn’ in biological research
Careers prospects for geneticists in New Zealand
To find out more about Don’s work, see the article: Zebrafish make a difference.
Students participating in this 2007 video conference were from:
Stratford High School
Wellington College
Waipa Area School
Video clips
Why are zebrafish good research models?
Animal models are often needed to understand the complexity of disease and to find treatments.
Are zebrafish good models?
There's a big difference between them and us!
Insults equal change
But it's probably not what you're thinking...
Checking for mutations
Sometimes it is necessary for scientists to deliberately cause mutations.
It's not just genes
The human genome contains more than 3,000 million base pairs.
The road is long (with many a winding turn...)
What have been the implications of the mapping of the human genome?
Research funding
He's not it in for the money — and that might be a good thing!
Career prospects in genetics
Thinking of a career in genetics?