‘The Maine Question’ explores how zebrafish are used in research to improve human health

Zebrafish are small and not physically impressive, but they are powerhouses in medical research labs. Not only can these little fish from Southeast Asia regrow their organs and body parts, but they also have transparent eggs and remarkably similar DNA to human beings.

All of those features, and the fact that they are easy to grow and care for, make zebrafish great for studying some of the most serious diseases affecting people — from infections and cancer to muscular dystrophy.

The University of Maine has ongoing and completed research projects that use zebrafish as a model, some of which have led to groundbreaking discoveries. In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, UMaine faculty members Ben King, Melody Neely and Rob Wheeler explore how university research uses this remarkable little fish with host Ron Lisnet.

Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, Spotify, YouTube or “The Maine Question” website. 

What topics would you like to learn more about? What questions do you have for UMaine experts? Email them to mainequestion@maine.edu.