Drug Screening and Discovery using Zebrafish as an Animal Model

Drug Efficacy Test

DISEASE MODELS

I) For drug discovery

Epilepsy: Using a stablished method in 5 dpf larvae to identify compounds effective against epilepsy

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Using a novel method in 6 dpf larvae to identify potential drugs to cure ALS

Diabetes: Glucose measurement in 7 dpf larvae to identify compounds efficient in lowering blood glucose levels.

Brain Micro-bleeding (BMB)/Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH): Using established methods to identify efficient compounds to rescue the bleeding in 3 dpf larvae

Parkinson: Using MPP+ model to identify potential drugs in 5 dpf larvae

Anxiety: Thigmotaxis assay to identify anxiolytics and anxiogenics in 3 dpf larvae

Stress: Assessment of locomotor activity and photomotor response in 5 dpf larvae by performing alternating light/dark locomotion assay using DanioVision Noldus tracking system to identify efficient compounds

Wound Healing: Tailfin transection in 4 dpf larvae and assaying its healing 4 and 6 days after wounding to identify efficient compounds

Rare Genetic Diseases: Generating knockdown zebrafish by using gene specific morpholino (antisense oligonucleotide) at 1 to 4 cell stage embryos and characterizing the induced phenotype to identify the compounds which show rescue effect and explore novel therapeutic strategies.

II) For novel cosmetics development

Anti-oxidation: In-vivo anti-oxidation assays in 3 dpf larvae to identify antioxidants for pharma and cosmetics

Melanin Quantification: Using stablished methods in 2 dpf larvae to identify whitening-agents for cosmetics