Ela Knapik

Vanderbilt-led team discovers new genetic disease and defines underlying mechanism

An international research team has discovered a new genetic syndrome caused by mutation of a single gene and named it CATIFA, an acronym for its core symptoms.

Study merges big data and zebrafish biology to reveal mechanisms of human disease

In a series of studies that volleyed between large databases and research in zebrafish, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered a link between vascular biology and eye disease.

In a zebrafish’s eye

Vanderbilt investigators demonstrate that a certain eye lens protein is evolutionarily conserved between zebrafish and rat, suggesting that zebrafish can be used as a model system to understand eye lens disorders such as cataracts.

illustration of cholesterol blockage

VU team explores new cholesterol processing pathway

A zebrafish model of a rare genetic disease has revealed an unexpected regulatory pathway for cholesterol absorption and processing.

Targeting tumor “supply lines”

A metabolic enzyme plays a crucial role in vascular development and may be a good target for cancer therapies.

fish skeleton

Clues to skeletal form in ‘feelgood’ fish

Ela Knapik, associate professor of medicine, and colleagues are using zebrafish to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause birth defects of the face and skeleton.