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Dr Silke Rinkwitz

Senior Research Fellow
Brain & Mind Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences

M02 - Mallet Street Campus
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia

T: +61 2 9351 0866
F: +61 2 9351 0731
E:
Curriculum vitae

Research interests

The zebrafish is established as a vertebrate model organism for forward and reverse genetic approaches. Extra-uterine development, transparency of the embryos and larvae and rapid differentiation make this organism especially suitable for studying the function of genes in developmental, physiological or behavioral processes. We are interested in genes that are associated with mental disorders and hypothalamic obesity, both developmental phenotypes, with the goal to establish the disease causing mechanisms for single gene mutations.

We create transgenenic zebrafish lines that use the regulatory sequences of genes to visualise and modify gene activity. Expressing fluorescent proteins these lines serve as morphological markers, but are also used to analyse the function of the genes.

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Current national competitive grants*

2012

In vivo analysis of miRNAs associated with neurological diseases
Becker T, Rinkwitz S, Cairns M
NHMRC Project Grants ($573,660 over 3 years)

2011

Cis regulatory and functional analysis of genomic loci with implication in hypothalamic obesity using the zebrafish as a model system
Rinkwitz S, Becker T
National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant ($465,022 over 3 years)

* Grants administered through the University of Sydney

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