My name is Ben Tang and I am a junior biology and biochemistry & molecular biology double major at UMass Amherst. As a RichCo Fellow, I work in the Karlstrom Lab studying post-embryonic brain development, particularly Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling in the hypothalamus.

Research into Shh signaling has shown that it plays a role in embryonic and adult brain development, but little is known about its involvement in post-embryonic brain growth. In the Karlstrom Lab, our research looks to fill this knowledge gap, using larval zebrafish as a model. Additionally, mutations involved in Shh signaling during embryonic development have been linked to birth defects including holoprosencephaly, and mutations later in life have been associated with medulloblastomas and glioblastomas, forms of brain cancer. Again, little is known about the effects of post-embryonic Shh mutations, so that is another focus of ours.

My project can be broken into three subprojects. In Project I, we look to identify cell types that receive and respond to Shh signals in the brain. Project II focuses on mapping where the active response of Shh is located at different periods during the larval stage. Finally, Project III allows us to understand the effects on brain growth when Shh levels are manipulated. This past semester, my primary focus was on Projects I and II. In the future, I plan to shift towards Project III, where we will use transgenic lines to up and down-regulate Shh signaling in fish, utilizing brain growth assays to understand the effects.

Thank you to RichCo Labs, Steve Richter, and Tommy Goodrow for this incredible opportunity. This role has provided me with an outlet into the field and allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of experimental processes and how to perform crucial techniques. In the future, I look to pursue a career in biotechnology research. The improved skillset, attained through the RichCo program, will help me work towards these academic and career goals.