Name: Andres Collazo

Position: Director, Biological Imaging Facility

Research Description:

Prior to this new position at Caltech, Dr. Collazo studied patterning of the developing inner ear, how placodal cells choose between neuronal, nonsensory or sensory cell fates ,and the role of the transcription factor Six1 in the formation of mechano-sensory hair cells and neurons. This research program related to Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL),  one of the more common birth defects and his research utilized two model systems - the frog Xenopus laevis and the zebrafish Danio rerio. The main goal of the frog research was to determine which molecules and regions of the otic placode are required for the normal patterning of the developing inner ear in order to better understand the causes of human inner ear malformations. The goal of our zebrafish studies was to understand at the molecular level how placodal cells choose between neuronal, nonsensory or sensory cell fates.

Lab Memberships

Collazo Laboratory (Retired) (Principal Investigator/Director)

Contact Information

Email: acollazo@its.caltech.edu
Phone:  (626) 395-2761