Congratulations to Zain Khalid for successfully defending his masters thesis!
Zain is a graduate student in the Strother Lab and his research examines how low-oxygen conditions affect neural activity in vertebrate animals using fishes as model organisms. Low-oxygen waters occur naturally under a wide variety of circumstances, such as reduced mixing, high temperatures, or excess nutrients. Many fish species have highly refined physiological and behavioral responses to low-oxygen that enable them to withstand these extreme environments. However, the mechanisms by which fishes sense and respond to low-oxygen are not well understood. Using advanced imaging methods, Zain precisely mapped out how low-oxygen environments affect neuron populations throughout the brain of zebrafish. This research is critical both for determining how fishes are affected by low-oxygen, but also serves as a model for understanding the effects of low-oxygen on vertebrate animals in general. In particular, this research provides a new perspective on human diseases where neural tissue experiences low-oxygen periods, such as stroke or cardiac arrest.
In recognition of his thesis research, Zain received an honorable mention for the Harry Nick Award for Research Excellence from the Department of Neuroscience in the UF College of Medicine. After earning his masters degree, Zain plans to continue in the Strother Lab as a PhD student and expand this research project.