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 chronic inflammation and metabolic stress, and the molecular mechanisms of these complications remain incompletely understood. One goal of our research is to identify natural foods that prevent and mitigate metabolic health complications, and to assess how these foods alter metabolism in a beneficial manner. In working towards this goal, 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 students in my lab are currently investigating:

·         How does curcumin speed up the wound healing process?

·         How can we genetically modify zebrafish embryos, enabling us to better answer our research questions?

·         How can dietary supplements be used to manipulate hormone levels?

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.