Email: kathryn.richards@yale.edu
Office: Greeley Laboratory, Room 127
Phone: (203) 432-5321
Fax: (203) 432-3929

EDUCATION

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Amphibian deformities span the country and are a cause for concern.  Over the last several years, researchers have concluded that a parasite, Ribeiroia ondatrae, is a primary agent of deformities, but more recently, it has become apparent that there are large regions within which high frequencies of deformed amphibians occur in the complete absence of Ribeiroia.  We also know that proximity to agriculture is a risk factor for limb deformities.  Taken together, these studies suggest that exposure to teratogenic chemicals is an important agent of amphibian limb deformities.

To evaluate potential teratogenic effects, I will perform a series of chemical exposure experiments under laboratory conditions.  Larval amphibians (R. pipiens) will be raised to metamorphosis in the presence of environmentally relevant concentrations of known and suspected teratogens.  Candidate chemicals will then be evaluated using gene expression analysis with the Affymetrix GeneChip System.  This Genechip will allow me to examine abnormal limb development.  In addition to identifying specific genes that are up- or down-regulated in the presence of teratogens, expression analysis can uncover broader patterns including different gene functions or developmental pathways that may be targeted.  By examining multiple teratogens, we will be able to determine whether chemical compounds that share similar structures, or similar applications lead to similar patterns of abnormal development.  We can also determine whether abnormal limbs are produced by changes to a small suite of developmental pathways, or whether the same deformity can be produced by a wide array of genetic alterations.  The application of this knowledge will apply directly to a better understanding of amphibian limb deformities, but will be of interest to a wider range of scientists including evolutionary developmental biologists.