معرفی
Maura McGrail is a Professor and Associate Chair for Research in the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology at Iowa State University (ISU). She holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1988) and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, and Genetics from the University of Minnesota (1996). Her postdoctoral training included roles at the University of California-San Diego, Myriad Genetics, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah.
Her research focuses on brain development and disease using zebrafish genetic models, with a particular emphasis on CRISPR genome editing technologies. Key projects include developing Cre/loxP systems for cell-type-specific gene knockout and lineage tracing, investigating neural progenitor cell division symmetry, and creating resources for conditional genetic studies. Her NIH-funded work (R24 OD020166 and R24 OD036201) supports the Zebrafish Community Cre/lox Resource, enabling researchers to study developmental and disease mechanisms.
Recent research highlights include studies on Stat3-mediated neurodegeneration, Rbbp4’s role in neural progenitor survival, and the development of the GeneWeld method for targeted genome editing. McGrail’s lab collaborates widely, contributing to advancements in CRISPR tools and zebrafish genetic resources. Future work aims to expand applications of these technologies to study human health and disease.
