ZFIN ID: ZDB-LAB-001120-1
Whitlock Lab
PI/Director: Whitlock, Kate
Contact Person: Whitlock, Kate
Email: kathleen.whitlock@uv.cl
URL: http://cinv.uv.cl/kwhitlock/
Address: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV) Universidad de Valparaíso Avenida Gran Bretana 1111 Valparaíso, Chile
Country: Chile
Phone: 56-32-299-5510
Fax: 56-32-250-8027
Line Designation: uv


GENOMIC FEATURES ORIGINATING FROM THIS LAB
Show all 2 genomic features


STATEMENT OF RESEARCH INTERESTS
BASIC RESEARCH
We are investigating how intrinsic genetically controlled programs and extrinsic factors in the internal and/or external environment interact to form the nervous system. Specifically we are interested in the differentiation of sensory neurons, glia, and neuroendocrine cells. The olfactory sensory arises from the neurectoderm and generates the neurons necessary to sense the external world, thus is in direct contact with the outside world. In contrast the neuroendocrine cells of the hypothalamus, once thought to arise from the olfactory sensory system, respond to changes in the internal environment where hormone levels can control the generation of new neuroendocrine cells. We have proposed an exciting new model for olfactory system development (Torres-Paz & Whitlock, 2014) where our most recent data support the presence of cell types characteristic of the central nervous system in the olfactory epithelium of developing and adult zebrafish (Gonzalez et al., submitted)...as we say in Chile Bakan!! (Cool)

OUTREACH:
Ciencia Al Tiro (Science Immediately) is an Outreach program Dr. Whitlock developed in 2008 to encourage interest in science and technology. Our inspiration was to help the situation of education in Chile where there is an extremely large difference in the quality of education among schools. This inequality in education is driven and maintained by the extreme inequality in income distribution in Chile (The Economist, December 13, 2007). Thus, because the poor quality of education in Chile is an urgent problem, we named the program “Ciencia Al Tiro” (Science Immediately).
We have published a book "La alegria de la Ciencia" (Dec 2014) and recently completed a series of short videos for television based on the book. For more information and video clips see: www.cienciaaltiro.cl

APPLIED SCIENCE
We have developed Aquaponics and energy efficient technologies in Chile. Dr. Whitlock is certified in solar thermal design and Aquaponic Systems. The years of working with salmon and then zebrafish have proved invaluable to developing recirculating energy efficient systems for Aquaponics. Concurrently we are working to develop a national line of Koi by selective breeding. See more at Ciencia Que Pesca: El futuro es saber (Science that grabs you: the future is knowledge) www.cienciaquepesca.cl


LAB MEMBERS
Calfun, Cristian Post-Doc Ceriani, Ricardo Graduate Student González, Pablo Graduate Student
Palominos, M Fernanda Graduate Student Moscoso, Andrea Fish Facility Staff Órdenes, Trinidad Fish Facility Staff
Tine, Eugene Mbar Technical Staff


ZEBRAFISH PUBLICATIONS OF LAB MEMBERS
Palominos, M.F., Calfún, C., Nardocci, G., Candia, D., Torres-Paz, J., Whitlock, K.E. (2022) The Olfactory Organ Is a Unique Site for Neutrophils in the Brain. Frontiers in immunology. 13:881702
Ceriani, R., Whitlock, K.E. (2021) Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (Gnrh) Triggers Neurogenesis in the Hypothalamus of Adult Zebrafish. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22(11):
Palominos, M.F., Whitlock, K.E. (2021) The Olfactory Organ Is Populated by Neutrophils and Macrophages During Early Development. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology. 8:604030
Ceriani, R., Calfún, C., Whitlock, K.E. (2020) phoenixin(smim20), a gene coding for a novel reproductive ligand, is expressed in the brain of adult zebrafish. Gene expression patterns : GEP. 39:119164
Whitlock, K., Postlethwait, J., Ewer, J. (2019) Neuroendocrinology of reproduction: Is Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) dispensable?. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology. 53:100738
Calfún, C., Domínguez, C., Pérez-Acle, T., Whitlock, K.E. (2016) Changes in Olfactory Receptor Expression Are Correlated With Odor Exposure During Early Development in the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Chemical senses. 41(4):301-12
Cortés-Campos, C., Letelier, J., Ceriani, R., Whitlock, K.E. (2015) Zebrafish adult-derived hypothalamic neurospheres generate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. Biology Open. 4(9):1077-86
Torres-Paz, J., Whitlock, K.E. (2014) Olfactory sensory system develops from coordinated movements within the neural plate. Developmental Dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists. 243:1619-31
Whitlock, K.E. (2014) Zebrafish Invade Valparaiso: Third Meeting and Symposium of the Latin American Zebrafish Network. Zebrafish. 11:580-582
Harden, M.V., Pereiro, L., Ramialison, M., Wittbrodt, J., Prasad, M.K., McCallion, A.S., and Whitlock, K.E. (2012) Close association of olfactory placode precursors and cranial neural crest cells does not predestine cell mixing. Developmental Dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists. 241(7):1143-1154
Stephenson, J.F., Partridge, J.C., and Whitlock, K.E. (2012) Food and Conspecific Chemical Cues Modify Visual Behavior of Zebrafish, Danio rerio. Zebrafish. 9(2):68-73
Paul, T.A., Rovnak, J., Quackenbush, S.L., Whitlock, K., Zhan, H., Gong, Z., Spitsbergen, J., Bowser, P.R., and Casey, J.W. (2011) Transgenic Expression of Walleye Dermal Sarcoma Virus rv-cyclin (orfA) in Zebrafish does not Result in Tissue Proliferation. Marine biotechnology (New York, N.Y.). 13(2):142-150
Stephenson, J.F., Whitlock, K.E., and Partridge, J.C. (2011) Zebrafish Preference for Light or Dark Is Dependent on Ambient Light Levels and Olfactory Stimulation. Zebrafish. 8(1):17-22
Whitlock, K.E. (2008) Developing a sense of scents: plasticity in olfactory placode formation. Brain research bulletin. 75(2-4):340-347
Flanagan, C.A., Chen, C.C., Coetsee, M., Mamputha, S., Whitlock, K.E., Bredenkamp, N., Grosenick, L., Fernald, R.D., and Illing, N. (2007) Expression, structure, function, and evolution of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors GnRH-R1SHS and GnRH-R2PEY in the teleost, Astatotilapia burtoni. Endocrinology. 148(10):5060-5071
Harden, M.V., Newton, L.A., Lloyd, R.C., Whitlock, K.E. (2006) Olfactory imprinting is correlated with changes in gene expression in the olfactory epithelia of the zebrafish. Journal of neurobiology. 66(13):1452-1466
Whitlock, K.E., Illing, N., Brideau, N.J., Smith, K.M., and Twomey, S. (2006) Development of GnRH cells: Setting the stage for puberty. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 254-255:39-50
Whitlock, K.E. (2006) The Sense of Scents: Olfactory Behaviors in the Zebrafish. Zebrafish. 3(2):203-213
Whitlock, K.E., Smith, K.M., Kim, H., and Harden, M.V. (2005) A role for foxd3 and sox10 in the differentiation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) cells in the zebrafish Danio rerio. Development (Cambridge, England). 132(24):5491-5502
Vitebsky, A., Reyes, R., Sanderson, M.J., Michel, W.C., and Whitlock, K.E. (2005) Isolation and characterization of the laure olfactory behavioral mutant in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. Developmental Dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists. 234(1):229-242
Whitlock, K.E. (2004) Making Scents: Development and Function of the Olfactory Sensory System. In Fish Development and Genetics - the Zebrafish and Medaka Models. Gong, Z. and Korh, V., Eds. Book series of "Molecular Aspects of Fish and Marine Biology". 2
Whitlock, K.E. (2004) Development of the nervus terminalis: Origin and migration. Microscopy research and technique. 65(1-2):2-12
Gopinath, A., Tseng, L.A., and Whitlock, K.E. (2004) Temporal and spatial expression of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in the brain of developing zebrafish (Danio rerio). Gene expression patterns : GEP. 4(1):65-70
Whitlock, K.E. (2004) A new model for olfactory placode development. Brain, behavior and evolution. 64(3):126-140
Sanders, L.H. and Whitlock, K.E. (2003) Phenotype of the zebrafish masterblind (mbl) mutant is dependent on genetic background. Developmental Dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists. 227(2):291-300
Whitlock, K.E., Wolf, C.D., and Boyce, M.L. (2003) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) cells arise from cranial neural crest and adenohypophyseal regions of the neural plate in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. Developmental Biology. 257(1):140-152
Paul, T.A., Burns, J.C., Shike, H., Getchell, R., Bowser, P.R., Whitlock, K.E., and Casey, J.W. (2001) Reporter gene expression in fish following cutaneous infection with pantropic retroviral vectors. Marine biotechnology (New York, N.Y.). 3:S81-S87
Paul, T.A., Burns, J.C., Shike, H., Getchell, R., Bowser, P.R., Whitlock, K.E., and Casey, J.W. (2001) Reporter gene expression in fish following cutaneous infection with pantropic retroviral vectors. Marine biotechnology (New York, N.Y.). (Suppl.1) 3:S081-087
Reyes, R., Vitebsky, A., and Whitlock, K.E. (2001) Calcium Binding Proteins in the developing olfactory system of zebrafish. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr..
Whitlock, K.E. and Wolf, C.D. (2001) Progenitors of GnRH cells lie outside the olfactory placode. Chemical senses. 26(8):1113
Whitlock, K.E. and Westerfield, M. (2000) The olfactory placodes of the zebrafish form by convergence of cellular fields at the edge of the neural plate. Development (Cambridge, England). 127(17):3645-3653
Whitlock, K.E. and Sanders, L. (2000) Olfactory placode development in the zebrafish. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr.. 604:14
Whitlock, K.E. (1999) Convergent ideas on olfactory organ development in the zebrafish Danio rerio. Chemical senses. 24(5):552
Whitlock, K.E. and Westerfield, M. (1998) A transient population of neurons pioneers the olfactory pathway in the zebrafish. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 18:8919-8927