Erin Bailey
Education
- B.S., University of Maine, 2013
- Ph.D., University of Maine, 2019
Biosketch
As an undergraduate student at the University of Maine, I performed my Honors Thesis research in Dr. Rob Wheeler’s lab, where I studied the evolution of immune receptors that respond to fungi in zebrafish. It was here that I became interested in working with zebrafish in a collaborative environment that values interactive and interdisciplinary research. After learning about the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the GSBSE, I applied to the program and returned to the University of Maine to work on my PhD. I am now a doctoral candidate in Biomedical Science studying zebrafish models of muscular dystrophy in Dr. Clarissa Henry’s lab. As I have progressed through the GSBSE program and examined conditions in which larval zebrafish muscle is either repaired or not repaired, I have developed strong interests in the mechanisms that govern tissue development, damage, and repair. Additionally, I have learned that both experimental victories and failures are bridges to success in the lab. I am grateful that as a GSBSE student, I have been introduced to various strategies, approaches, and perspectives that have enriched my graduate school experience and maximized my growth as a scientist.
Research Interests
The dystroglycanopathies are a subset of muscular dystrophies that remain understudied and present with a broad range of clinical symptoms and severities. While some patients first exhibit disease symptoms in adolescence or adulthood, others are born with severe congenital muscular dystrophies. It is essential to elucidate the causes of this symptomatic variability and identify potential therapeutic interventions so that medical professionals can provide patients and their families with accurate prognoses. My dissertation research aims to leverage the advantages of the zebrafish model system to study dystroglycanopathies and their phenotypic variability and to identify potential therapeutic interventions.
Selected Services
- Undergraduate and High School Student Mentor, Henry Lab (Fall 2014-present)
- GSBSE Monthly Meeting Coordinator (Fall 2016-Spring 2017)
- Teaching Assistant, BIO100/200 laboratories (Fall 2015-Fall 2016)
- GSBSE Orono Site Coordinator (Fall 2015-Spring 2016)
- Graduate Student Government Grants Officer (Fall 2015-Spring 2016)
- Graduate Student Government Senator for GSBSE (Spring 2015)
Selected Publications
- Bailey EC, Alrowaished SS, Kilroy EA, Crooks ES, Drinkert DM, Karunasiri CM, Belanger JJ, Khalil A, Kelley JB, Henry CA. NAD+ improves neuromuscular development in a zebrafish model of FKRP-associated dystroglycanopathy. Skelet Muscle. 2019 Aug 7;9(1):21
- Goody M.F., Carter E.V., Kilroy E.A., Maves L., Henry C.A. ‘Muscling’ through life: integrating studies of muscle development, homeostasis, and disease in zebrafish. Current Topics in Developmental Biology, 124: 197-234
- Lisse T.S., Middleton L.J., Pellegrini A.D., Martin P.B., Spaulding E.L., Lopes O., Brochu E.A., Carter E.V., Waldron A., Rieger S. (2016). Paclitaxel-induced epithelial damage and ectopic MMP-13 expression promotes neurotoxicity in zebrafish. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA; 113(5): E2189-E2198
Dissertation Mentor
