The thyroid gland secretes thyroxine (TH), a hormone essential for the growth and development of all vertebrates including humans. To understand TH action, the Donald Brown lab studies one of the most dramatic roles of the hormone, the control of amphibian metamorphosis—the process by which a tadpole turns into a frog. He studies the frog Xenopus laevis, from South Africa, because it is easy to rear. Events as different as the formation of limbs, the remodeling of organs, and the resorption of tadpole tissues such as the tail are all directed by TH. How can a simple molecule control so many different developmental changes? The hormone works by regulating the expression of groups of genes. It instructs some genes to absorb the tail and gills and others to start new tissues and organs.

The lab has developed a strategy to analyze this complex programing. They have identified genes that are regulated by TH in a variety of tissues and organs by hybridizing probes with micro arrays prepared by Agilent Technologies.

Scientific Area: 
Genetics & Developmental Biology
Reference to Person: 
Donald Brown - Emeritus
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One analogy for understanding the mathematical structure of the team's work is to think of it as foam being simplified into a single bubble by progressively merging adjacent bubbles.
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