While mammalian models remain critical to translational research, they are expensive, laborious, and do not always accurately reflect human disease. UK offers a rich environment for basic and applied research using alternative in vivo models and is also home to the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center (an NIH-funded national resource center that distributes Mexican axolotls for research). In collaboration with UK investigators, CPRI is focused on facilitating alternative in vivo model cutting edge research and advancing new applications in the context of probe/lead discovery with particular emphases in cancer, regenerative biology, and substance use disorders.
In Vivo Models
Representative In Vivo Models
Ambystoma mexicanum (Mexican axolotl/salamander)
- Dr. S. Randal Voss
- Regenerative Biology
Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworm)
- Dr. Salvatore J. Cherra III
- Neurobiology and Substance Use Disorders
Danio rerio (zebrafish)
- Dr. Jessica Blackburn
- Cancer and ADMET
Petromyzon marinus (lamprey eel)
- Dr. Jeramiah Smith
- Evolutionary, Developmental and Regenerative Biology
Representative Publications
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Xie Y, Kril LM, Yu T, Zhang W, Frasinyuk MS, Bondarenko SP, Kondratyuk KM, Hausman E, Martin ZM, Wyrebek PP, Liu X, Deaciuc A, Dwoskin LP, Chen J, Zhu H, Zhan CG, Sviripa VM, Blackburn J, Watt DS, Liu C (2019). Semisynthetic aurones inhibit tubulin polymerization at the colchicine-binding site and repress PC-3 tumor xenografts in nude mice and myc-induced T-ALL in zebrafish. Scientific Reports 9(1):6439. PMCID: In Process
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Voss SR, Ponomareva LV, Dwaraka VB, Pardue KE, Baddar NWAH, Rodgers AK, Woodcock MR, Qiu Q, Crowner A, Blichmann D, Khatri S, Thorson JS (2019). HDAC regulates transcription at the outset of axolotl tail regeneration. Scientific Reports 9(1):6751. PMCID: PMC6494824
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Wang X, Abbas M, Zhang Y, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Cui Z, Van Lanen SG, Sajid I, Voss SR, Shaaban KA, Thorson JS (2019). Baraphenazines A-G, divergent fused phenazine-based metabolites from a Himalayan Streptomyces. Journal of Natural Products 82(6):1686-1693. PMCID: PMC6630045
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Baddar NW, Chithrala A, Voss SR. 2018. Amputation-induced ROS signaling is required for axolotl tail regeneration. Developmental Dynamics 248:189-196.
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Wang X, Zhang Y, Ponomareva LV, Qiu Q, Woodcock R, Elshahawi SI, Chen X, Zhou Z, Hatcher BE, Hower JC, Zhan CG, Parkin S, Kharel MK, Voss SR, Shaaban KA, Thorson JS (2017). Mccrearamycins A-D, geldanamycin-derived cyclopentenone macrolactams from an eastern Kentucky abandoned coal mine microbe. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 56(11):2994-2998. PMCID: PMC5339036
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Ponomareva LV, Athippozhy A, Thorson JS, Voss SR (2015). Using Ambystoma mexicanum (Mexican axolotl) embryos, chemical genetics, and microarray analysis to identify signaling pathways associated with tissue regeneration. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology 178:128-135. PMCID: PMC4662883
Inquiries
We welcome inquiries from UK investigators interested in exploring new applications of novel natural products, small molecules, and/or approved drugs. For more information or to request services/resources, please contact us.