UMaine amplifies biomedical research with expanded zebrafish lab

The University of Maine unveiled an expanded and renovated zebrafish laboratory in Hitchner Hall this July. The facility, jointly funded by two grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $650,000 with additional investment by UMaine, significantly expands the university’s capacity for biomedical research using zebrafish.

Zebrafish have genomes and immune systems similar to humans, making them ideal models for studying genetic, developmental and toxicological variables. The paperclip-sized minnows are prolific and mature quickly. Their more unusual attributes, like having transparent skin as embryos, have made them mainstays in research labs for over a century. UMaine is a well-established leader in zebrafish research, being among the first institutions in New England to utilize them as research models and founding the Pine Tree State’s first lab. 

“With this expanded lab, we can speed up experiments, support more rising researchers and train more students,” said Clarissa Henry, professor of biological sciences at UMaine, who secured the grant. “The renovation addresses the bottlenecks we’ve faced for years, like limited spawning space, and opens the door to new experimental designs and collaborations.”

The new lab space, which repurposed a former teaching space in Hitchner Hall, doubles the square footage of UMaine’s zebrafish research labs. The updated lab is adjacent to existing zebrafish rooms, facilitating seamless integration with current operations. The lab previously served more than a dozen faculty members, along with their technicians, graduate students and undergraduates, like recent University of Maine at Machias alum Lillian Warwick. Now, it has room to grow as zebrafish biomedical research rises in prominence. Since 2007, zebrafish research has accounted for nearly a third of all NIH funding received by the university. 

The upgrades allow researchers to rear more zebrafish in their ideal conditions with better precision, which, in turn, accelerates experiments focused on studying muscular dystrophy, cancer, infections, toxins and other human health challenges. The lab’s expansion is part of a NIH Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant that bolstered UMaine’s role as the academic leader for biomedical research in the Pine Tree State and aims to fuel Maine’s growing biotech sector.

“The new spawning shelves alone more than triple our capacity to conduct daily experiments,” said Henry, who is also principal investigator on the NIH COBRE grant awarded to UMaine in 2023. “That means more data, faster results and an overall boost in scientific productivity, not just for COBRE investigators, but for all faculty and students working with zebrafish.”

Mark Nilan, who has managed UMaine’s zebrafish lab since its founding in 2003, played a critical role in the expansion’s design and implementation.

“This renovation is the most significant upgrade our facility has ever seen,” Nilan said. “It dramatically improves the workflow for researchers, and it’s gratifying to see how the infrastructure now reflects the excellence of the science happening here.”

A key advantage of the expanded space is the ability to rear zebrafish at lower densities, which speeds the time to sexual maturity from four to just two months.

“Dedicated nursery tanks mean we’re no longer limited in how quickly we can establish or expand transgenic lines,” said Henry. “That’s a huge deal for genetic and developmental research.”

The NIH COBRE-funded renovation also supports UMaine’s collaborative research environment. When new faculty join the university, lab space and resources are often reallocated to support their work. With the expanded capacity, new researchers can integrate into the zebrafish research community without displacing existing projects.

“This is about building a sustainable, forward-looking research infrastructure,” said Henry. “The lab doesn’t just support current faculty, it helps recruit and retain future scientists. It gives us room to grow.”

“This project reflects the university’s long-term commitment to zebrafish-based research,” Nilan said. “With these upgrades, we can support more investigators, offer world-class training to students and early-career faculty and accelerate biomedical solutions to long-standing health challenges.”

The newly expanded zebrafish laboratory is now fully operational. UMaine’s Coordinated Operating Research Entities (CORE), which has managed the lab since 2018, offers additional information about the lab and other shared research resources online. Contact: Erin Miller, erin.miller@maine.edu