James Coffman

James Coffman is an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine. His research focuses on developmental biology, particularly how genomic information, cell physiology, and environmental factors interact to shape phenotypic characteristics and influence aging and regenerative capacity.

• B.A., Carleton College, 1981
• Ph.D., Duke University, 1990

His laboratory uses zebrafish and sea urchins as model systems to study:

• Developmental signaling pathways (e.g., Nodal, Runx, Wnt)
• Cell cycle regulation and apoptosis
• Redox signaling in embryonic axis specification
• Phenotypic plasticity and aging
• Epigenetic mechanisms in development

Research trends from his publications emphasize developmental control of gene networks, evolutionary conservation of signaling pathways, and environmental influences on embryonic patterning.

He has served as a manuscript reviewer for journals like Development, Developmental Biology, and Science, and as a grant reviewer for organizations including the National Science Foundation and NIH. His laboratory actively investigates regenerative medicine using marine models.