Ernesto Maldonado-Olvera, Ph.D.
- Title
- Associate Investigator
- Department
- Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, Reef Systems Unit
- Institution
- National Autonomous University of Mexico
- Address
-
Puerto Morelos
Quintana Roo - City
- Coyoacan
- Country
- Mexico
- [email protected]
- Website
- http://www.ifc.unam.mx/researchers/ernesto-maldonado/en
- Research field
- Developmental biology
- Award year
- 1999
- Country of origin
- Mexico
- Mentor name
- Nancy Hopkins, Ph.D.
Research
The focus of our group is to understand the molecular mechanisms that during embryonic development, are essential for the formation of certain organs, in particular we are interested in the formation of the nervous system, notochord and epidermis. The common link in the development of these structures is the expression of genes that encode proteins involved in vesicular traffic. Intracellular vesicles are essential for the function of processes of neuronal synaptic communication , the formation of vacuoles of notochord cells and collagen deposition in the epidermal cells. Currently we are studying multiple genes (vps18, limp2, NGL and others) involved in differentiation and development of these structures.
At the same time we have maintained an active collaboration with other research groups to address issues of cell polarity and RNA metabolism in zebrafish.