St. Clair, Samantha

• Ph.D., Nutrition Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• B.S., Nutrition Science, Indiana University-Bloomington

The St. Clair lab utilizes zebrafish and drosophila as model systems to investigate molecular mechanisms of diet-induced obesity. The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing worldwide, with CDC estimates that 40% of American adults are obese. The weight of the obesity epidemic is not just a statistic; it’s a crushing burden on families, communities, and health care systems, demanding a paradigm shift in our approach to health. Further, obesity is associated with impaired fat and carbohydrate metabolism (i.e. type II diabetes), and the molecular mechanisms of these complications remain incompletely understood. Previous studies in our lab have determined that we can supplement natural foods like tomatoes into zebrafish diets to help stave off obesity. One goal of our research is to identify natural foods that prevent and mitigate obesity-associated health complications, and to assess how these foods alter hepatic gene expression in a beneficial manner. Our second goal is to assess whether commonly consumed food additives promote diet-induced obesity. In working towards these goals, students in the St. Clair lab receive mentorship as they develop their own projects addressing a topic that they are interested in. Listed below are questions that research students will be asking next year:

·         Do synthetic food dyes promote behavioral changes and obesity in zebrafish?

·         How does tomato consumption alter hepatic lipid metabolism to prevent obesity in zebrafish?

·         How can we genetically modify zebrafish embryos, enabling us to better address the above questions?

·         How does aspartame consumption affect growth and development in drosophila melanogaster?

Over the course of 1-2 semesters, students will develop experiments to test their hypotheses, collect tissue samples, gather and analyze data, and present results in the form of a poster presentation. Students may choose to continue work towards a publication or thesis project.1 While all students are welcome, the background knowledge and expertise gained from working in the St. Clair lab would be particularly beneficial for students pursuing health-oriented careers or graduate degrees in molecular biology or biochemistry. We use conventional molecular research techniques to promote a paradigm shift in the way society addresses healthcare. We focus on prevention methods for metabolic syndrome, as opposed to pharmaceutical treatments.

References:

1.Yinger, R.V., Evangelisto, C.J., Tucker, N.C., Billingsley, J.M., and St. Clair, S.L. (2024). β-Estradiol Supplementation Regulates Cholesterol Synthesis Independent of Unsaturated Fat Consumption in Adult Zebrafish. Zebrafish 21, 223–230. https://doi.org/10.1089/zeb.2023.0066.