Byrd-Jacobs, Christine

The major focus of my research program is the development and plasticity of the central nervous system. Our model is the olfactory system of zebrafish. The olfactory system is unique in that it is a continually developing sensory system, so we are examining developmental phenomena in an adult animal.

Our work is focused on two areas. The first is an examination of the process of neurogenesis in the adult brain, specifically as it relates to the addition of new cells to the olfactory bulbs. The second area of research is an analysis of how the peripheral olfactory structures affect the maintenance of their central targets. We perform olfactory deafferentations and examine how this manipulation affects the olfactory bulb of adult zebrafish. Both of these topics will lead to a better understanding of the plasticity of the adult brain and the cellular interactions that are important in the maintenance of adult brain structures.