Lara D. Hutson

Lara D. Hutson is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo’s College of Arts and Sciences. She specializes in undergraduate STEM education and cell biology, with a research focus on developmental biology using zebrafish as a model organism. She received her BS from the University of California, San Diego, her PhD from the University of Washington, and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Utah.

Her research explores axon guidance mechanisms, heat shock protein roles in development, and the impact of chemotherapy on neural systems. She has authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications, including seminal studies on zebrafish heart migration and slit/robo signaling pathways. Hutson is also a leading advocate for integrating zebrafish into undergraduate education, co-developing modular lab exercises and publishing on innovative teaching methods.

• Education:
  • BS, University of California, San Diego
  • PhD, University of Washington
  • Postdoctoral Research, University of Utah

Recipient of the UB Teaching Innovation Award, Hutson teaches foundational courses including BIO 100 (Foundations of Biology), BIO 201/211 (Cell Biology), and BIO 302 (Molecular Biology). Her work bridges basic research with educational innovation, emphasizing hands-on learning in zebrafish developmental biology.