Daniel Núñez-León, Ph.D.

Sections

Daniel Núñez-León, Ph.D.
Title
Postdoctoral fellow
Department
Pathology
Institution
University of Southern California
Address
2011 Zonal Ave.
HMR 313
City, State, ZIP
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Phone
323-442-1258
Email
[email protected]
Website
https://sites.usc.edu/cmchuong/
Research field
Developmental Biology
Award year
2023
Country of origin
Chile
Mentor name
Cheng-Ming Chuong, M.D., Ph.D.

Research

In the Chuong lab, I will investigate how different birds produce distinctive and varied facial decorations. Each of these accessories has a unique function—whether it’s involved in courtship, physical protection, or thermal regulation. We tend to think of all chickens as having a red comb and wattle. But different chicken breeds also sport a diverse array of extravagant craniofacial adornments, from crests and beards to ear tufts. Using a suite of sophisticated techniques in cell and molecular genetics, developmental biology, and gene editing, I will identify the cells and genes that give rise to the characteristic facial appendages of three different chicken breeds and determine whether transplanting these unique specifiers of developmental fate into a standard commercial chicken breed will modify these birds’ appearance. A deeper understanding of the complexities of facial development could lead to novel therapies for a variety of craniofacial conditions in people.

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