Jeriyla Kamau-Weng

I am a masters student at Northeastern University in the Environmental Science and Policy program. I graduated with a bachelors in marine biology in 2022 from Northeastern University and am continuing my undergraduate research project with the help of my mentors Jake Daane and Bill Dietrich. I enjoy research related to biomechanics and swimming patterns of fish in addition to finfish aquaculture. I am also interested in work related to conservation and fisheries management.

My current projects focus on modeling cardiovascular mutations found in Antarctic icefish to better understand rare human diseases. Icefish are unique in that they are the only vertebrates which do not possess red blood cells. To compensate, they have evolved a range of cardiovascular mutations to survive in their extreme environments. These mutations, which include enlarged and spongy hearts, are similar to certain diseases found in human development. By identifying genetic elements that are both under selection in icefish and play potential roles in human disease, we can better understand how mutations in these shared genes can lead to defects in heart development.