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Diane Bridge, Ph.D. |
Biographical Information
Education:
B.A. Biology, Yale University 1988
Ph.D. Biology, Yale University 1994
Professional Experience:
- Elizabethtown College, Associate Professor
2006- present - Elizabethtown College, Assistant Professor
2000 - 2006 - University of California at Irvine, Postdoctoral Fellow 1995-2000
- American Museum of Natural History, Postdoctoral Fellow 1994-1995
Courses
Bio 112 Introduction to Biological Sciences II with Lab
Bio 347 Invertebrate Zoology with Lab
Bio 352 Developmental Biology with Lab
Bio 354 Molecular Evolution with Lab
Research
The invertebrate phylum Cnidaria, which includes corals, sea anemones, jellyfish, and the freshwater genus Hydra, is one of the earliest arising animal groups. However, many of the genetic pathways important in development of mice and humans are also involved in cnidarian development. By studying cnidarians, we can gain information about which features of development were present early in animal evolution and which are later modifications unique to vertebrates or arthropods.
Hydra vulgaris Expression based on RNA
Photograph courtesy of in situ hybridization of a
R. Campbell, UC Irvine Hydra VEGF/PDGF gene
Research in my laboratory focuses on the well-studied freshwater genus Hydra and on marine colonial hydrozoan species. Current projects relate to the following two topics.
Evolution of Aging
In collaboration with Daniel Martínez’ laboratory at Pomona College, we are examining the role of a FOXO gene in members of the genus Hydra. In C. elegans and Drosophila, FOXO genes play a role in regulating life span. Data on Hydra mortality rates suggest that Hydra may not age, making the function of FOXO genes in these organisms particularly interesting.
Evolution of Angiogenesis
Systems of fluid-bearing tubes or canals are present in many colonial cnidarians as well as in sponges. In colonial hydrozoans studied, as in vertebrate circulatory systems, the growth of fluid-bearing networks is responsive to tissue redox state and to flow within tubes. Such data raise questions about whether conserved mechanisms regulating the development of branching, fluid-bearing tubes arose early during animal evolution, and whether cnidarians could serve as simple experimental systems for the study of vascular biology. To address these issues, we are investigating the functions in Hydra and colonial marine hydrozoans of homologues of genes important in regulating vertebrate circulatory system growth and remodeling. These include genes related to those encoding vertebrate vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha. This work is occurring in collaboration with Steve Dudgeon at California State University at Northridge.
Publications
(Names of faculty member and Elizabethtown College students are in bold type)
Blackstone, N. W. and D. Bridge. Model systems for environmental signaling. 2005. Integr. Compar. Biol. 45: 605-614.
Bridge, D., C. T. Ha, A. Nemir, A. Renden, M. M. Rorick, A. L. Shaffer, D. M. Underkoffler, A. E. Wills and D. E. Martinez. Variations on a theme? 2004. Polyp and medusa development in Podocoryna carnea. Hydrobiologia 530: 299-307
Technau, U., M. A. Miller, D. Bridge and R. E. Steele. 2003. Arrested apoptosis of nurse cells during Hydra oogenesis and embryogenesis. Dev. Biol. 260: 191-206
Bridge, D., N. Stover and R. E. Steele. 2000. Expression of a novel receptor tyrosine kinase gene and a paired-like homeobox gene provides evidence of differences in patterning at the oral and aboral ends of hydra. Dev. Biol. 220: 253-262.
Yan, L., K. Fei, D. Bridge and M. P. Sarras. 2000. Identification of translationally controlled tumor protein (P23/TCTP) in Hydra vulgaris. Dev. Genes Evol. 210: 506-511
Martínez, D., D. Bridge, L. Masuda Nakagawa and P. Cartwright. 1998. Cnidarian homeobox genes and the zootype. Nature 393: 748-749.
Hassel, M., D. Bridge, N. A. Stover, H. Kleinholz and R. E. Steele. 1998. The level of expression of a protein kinase C gene may be an important component of the patterning process in Hydra. Dev. Genes Evol. 207: 502-514.
Bridge, D., C. W. Cunningham, R. DeSalle and L. W. Buss. 1995. Class-level relationships in the phylum Cnidaria: molecular and morphological evidence. Mol. Biol. Evol. 12: 679-689.
Siddall, M. E., D. S. Martin, D. Bridge, S. S. Desser and D. K. Cone. 1995. The demise of a phylum of protists: phylogeny of Myxozoa and other parasitic Cnidaria. J. Parasitol. 8: 961-967.
Bridge, D., C. W. Cunningham, B. Schierwater, R. DeSalle and L. W. Buss. 1992. Class-level relationships in the phylum Cnidaria: Evidence from mitochondrial genome structure. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 89: 8750-8753
Dick, M., D. Bridge, R. DeSalle and W. C. Wheeler. 1992. Collection and storage of invertebrate material. Meth. Enzymol. 224: 51-65
Current Lab Members
Joseph Hines, Elizabethtown College ’07
Curtis Nolt, Elizabethtown College ’07
Alexander Theofiles, Elizabethtown College ’07
Michele Saul, Elizabethtown College ’08
Rebecca Holler, Elizabethtown College ’09
Members of the lab (Curtis Nolt and Joe Hines,
front row; Dr. Bridge, back row left with collaborators from Pomona College, summer 06)
Former Lab Members
Alicia Alcamo, Elizabethown College ’06
Currently in MD program, Ohio State University
Anne Gordon, Elizabethtown College ’05
Currently in DV/PhD program, Cornell University
Heather House, Elizabethtown College ’05
Currently in MD program, University of Maryland
Amie Shaffer, Elizabethtown College ’05
Currently in Physician Assistant Program, DeSales University
Tara Budnitz, Elizabethtown College ‘03
Currently in DO program, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Marcus Hoffman, Elizabethtown College ‘03
Currently in MD program, University of Pittsburgh College of Medicine
Danielle Underkoffler, Elizabethtown College ‘03
Currently in MD program, Duke University College of Medicine
Grants/Awards
2006-2010 Contractor on national Institute for Health Grant "Regulation of Vascular Development in Hydrozoa," P. Didgeon
2003-2006 National Science Foundation RUI Grant "Developmental Bases of Body Plan Diversity within the Phylum"
2003 Melon Foundation Faculty Research Partnership Grant, Co-PI Daniel Martinez
Professional Societies
Fall 2008 Schedule
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 8:00-9:20 am | 8:00-9:20 am | 8:00-9:20 am | 8:00-9:20 am | 8:00-9:20 am |
| 9:30-10:50 am | 9:30-10:50 am | 9:30-10:50 am | 9:30-10:50 am | 9:30-10:50 am |
| 10:00-11:30 | ||||
| 11:00-12:20 pm | Office hours | ACTIVITY | 11:00-12:20 pm | 11:00-12:20 pm |
| Bio 352 | Lyet 247 | PERIOD | Bio 352 | |
| Lyet 253 | Lyet 253 | |||
| 12:30-1:50 pm | 12:30-1:50 pm | 12:30-1:50 pm | 12:30-1:50 pm | 12:30-1:50 pm |
| Bio 111 Lab | Office hours | Bio 352 Lab | Bio 111 Lab | |
| Lyet 152 | Lyet 247 | Lyet 253 | Lyet 152 | |
| 2:00-3:20 pm | 2:00-3:20 pm | 2:00-3:20 pm | 2:00-3:20 pm | 2:00-3:20 pm |
| 3:30-4:50 pm | MEETING | 3:30-4:50 pm | MEETING |
3:30-4:50 pm |
| PERIOD | Office hours | PERIOD | ||
| Lyet 247 |
