Biology

Associate professor of biology

Specialties:

Biology, Biomedical science, Bioengineering, Heart development, Cell biology, Physiology, Zebrafish

Bio:

Pascal Lafontant's primary research interest is heart regeneration. He is recipient of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to study heart development and regeneration. Specifically, he uses zebrafish as a research model because zebrafish can be modified genetically in order to study particular genes and follow cell behavior. In fact, every human disease can be modeled in a zebrafish. He uses imaging technology to study cells and tissues. Lafontant also studies cornea repair using zebrafish as a model. 

Lafontant first trained as an engineer, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering. Then he earned a master's degree as a physician's assistant followed by a Ph.D. in biomedical science. He has collaborated with numerous students to write articles published in peer-reviewed journals.