Harris Lab at the 2023 Biology of Aging Course at the Marine Biological Laboratory
Matthew Harris and Stephen Treaster teach students about the theory and use of clams and mutant zebrafish to better understand the biology of aging.
News
2023
Drug Discovery News: New genetic pathways involved in aging Permalink
By using rockish and zebrafish, Stephen Treaster hopes to understand how to extend animal lifespans.
The Scientist: Rockfish Genes Hold Clues to Human Longevity Permalink
Stephen Treaster and Matthew Harris highlighted. By analyzing the genomes of 23 remarkably long-lived fish species, a study found two metabolic pathways associated with longevity.
Popular Science: What rockfish genes can teach humans about living past 100 Permalink
Stephen Treaster and Matthew Harris highlighted. Plunging into the genes of the humble rockfish could help us treat age-related diseases.
2022
Quanta Magazine: Flying Fish and Aquarium Pets Yield Secrets of Evolution Permalink
Matthew Harris and Jacob Daane higlighted. New studies reveal the ancient, shared genetic “grammar” underpinning the diverse evolution of fish fins and tetrapod limbs.
2021
Harvard Medical School Video Animation: A glimpse into the evolution of long fins. Permalink
Jacob Daane and Matthew Harris highlighted. Researchers in the lab of Matthew Harris at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital have just unlocked new clues by studying the DNA blueprints for wing-like fins in flying fish—and making shockingly simple genetic alterations in normally shorter-finned zebrafish.
History lesson: Geneticists comb DNA of ‘survivor’ fish for clues to withstanding climate change Permalink
Some 25 to 30 million years ago, the Earth’s temperature fell. Ice caps grew and sea level dropped. Plants and animals died off as their environments rapidly shifted. Some species, however, survived the upheaval.
2020
Harvard Medical School Highlight: Diving Deep: Understanding skeletal conditions with fish models. Permalink
From fragile ice fish deep in the Antarctic Ocean to flying fish gliding above the Caribbean Sea, fish have evolved a fascinating variety of skeletal traits. These traits not only help them adapt to their environments, they also provide genetic insights into rare human skeletal disorders.
2018
Cayman Island Expedition for Extreme Fins and Beaks
On the hunt for flying fish, needlefish, and halfbeaks, collecting samples for comparative transcriptomics, to discover mechanisms regulating proportion.