Tamara A. Franz-Odendaal

Post Doc (Dalhousie University, Canada)

PhD  (University of Cape Town, South Africa)

MSc (University of Cape Town, South Africa)

BSc (Med)(Hons) (University of Cape Town, South Africa)

Office: Evaristus 248
(902) 457-6140
Lab: Evaristus 126/235
(902) 457-6718
msvu.ca

Research Interests:

I am a developmental biologist with a strong background in paleontology.  As such my research is focused on comparative vertebrate development and evolution.  Specifically, we are interested in comparing the processes for development of the craniofacial skeleton (i.e. the skull).   My research combines the study of fossils (paleontology) with the study of body shape (morphology) and development in living organisms, called Evolutionary Developmental Biology or Evo-Devo.  We study development at the gene, tissue and organ levels by means of molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, histology, TEM, morphology, morphometrics.

About Me:

My lab is one of very few  that study bone development at the fundamental level. Although I have only had my lab for under 10 years, we consistently produce well received publications; I have been invited to and have written a book chapter, and two review articles on bone development.  I am one of the assoc editors of the Can J of Zoology. I have organised two symposia at the American Association of Anatomists Meeting over the last 3 years.  I am currently on the review panel for NSERC Discovery Grants (Cells, Genes and Molecules). I am also the Vice-Chair for the Comparative Morphology and Development Division of the Canadian Society of Zoologists and have just completed a 5-year term as a NSERC Faculty Awardee.  Since Sept 2011, I have been awarded the (NSERC) Atlantic Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, please go to www.WISEatlantic.ca for more information about these activities. 

Selected Publications:

Franz-Odendaal, TA. 2011. Scleral ossicles through the Evo-devo looking glass.  Journal of Experimental Zoology: Part B: Molecular Evolution and Development. In press.

Franz-Odendaal,TA. 2011. Induction and patterning of intramembranous bone. Frontiers in Biosciences 17: 2734-2746 (Special Issue – Signaling Mechanisms in Development) (invited) 

Franz-Odendaal TA. 2011. Epigenetics in bone and cartilage development. In: B. Hallgrimsson and BK Hall (eds), Epigenetics: Linking genotype and phenotype in development and evolution. University California Press. (pp. 195-220)

Edsall, S and Franz-Odendaal TA. 2010. A whole-mount protocol for staining osteoblasts and osteoclasts in Teleosts. Zebrafish 7:3:275-280.

Schonthaler HB*, Franz-Odendaal TA*, Hodel C, Gehring I, Geisler, R, Schwarz, H, Neuhauss, SC, Dahm, R. 2010. The zebrafish mutant bumper shows secondary fibre cell degeneration in the lens leading to functional blindness associated with altered skull morphology. Mechanism of Development 127: 203-219. (*authors contributed equally)

Varatharasan N, Croll, R, Franz-Odendaal TA. 2009. Taste bud morphology, number and distribution during development in sighted and blind morphs of Astyanax mexicanus. Developmental Dynamics 238: 3056-3064.

Franz-Odendaal TA. 2008.  Towards understanding the development of scleral ossicles in chicken embryos.  Developmental Dynamics. 237: 3240-3251.

Franz-Odendaal T, Ryan K, Hall, BK.  2007. Developmental and morphological variation in the teleost craniofacial skeleton reveals an unusual mode of ossification.  Journal of Experimental Zoology, (Mol Dev Evol) 308B: 709-721.

Franz-Odendaal TA, and Hall BK. 2006.  Skeletal elements within teleost eyes and a discussion on their homology.  Journal of Morphology.  267: 1326-1337.

Franz-Odendaal TA and Vikaryous MV. 2006.  Skeletal elements in the vertebrate eye and adnexa – morphological and developmental perspectives. Developmental Dynamics (Special Issue on Craniofacial Development) 235: 1244-1255.

Franz-Odendaal TA.  2006.  Intramembranous ossification of scleral ossicles in Chelydra serpentina.  Zoology 109:75-81.

Franz-Odendaal TA, and Hall BK.  2006.  Modularity and sense organs in the blind cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus. Evolution & Development 8:94-100. 

Franz-Odendaal TA, Hall BK, and Witten PE.  2006.  Buried alive – how osteoblasts become osteocytes.  Developmental Dynamics 235:176-190.