Can Zebrafish improve human health?

Nothing about the zebrafish is physically impressive. Despite being less than an inch long, this little fish from Southeast Asia is a favorite for home aquariums and human health research. Zebrafish are powerhouses in the lab. Not only can they 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.