Logan B. Smith Graduate Student (Ph.D. Program) Major Professor: Dr. Anita Oberbauer Phone: (530)752-1046 FAX: (530)752-0175 Email: lbsmith@ucdavis.edu

Education: 

B.S., Animal Science, CSU Chico, Chico, CA, 2002
M.S. Animal Science, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 2004
Ph.D. Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology 'In Progress'

Project

Title: Growth Advantages Of The Fgfr3 Mutation In Sheep

A genetic mutation, commonly known as Spider Lamb Syndrome (SLS), is believed to cause a dysfunction in the growth factor responsible for the regulation of organized bone growth. Consequently, lambs homozygous (with two copies) for this mutation are prone to a condition of rapid, disorganized bone growth and thus most do not survive beyond parturition. My project will examine sheep heterozygous (with one copy) for the SLS mutation and compare that to homozygous normal sheep to quantify the relationship between body composition and enhanced linear bone growth as a result of the mutation. I will determine if there is a phenotypic difference in linear bone length between heterozygous SLS lambs (wethers and ewes) and homozygous normal lambs (wethers and ewes).

This mutation offers a unique model to study linear bone growth. Other mutations in genes regulating growth such as those increasing growth hormone (GH) and enhancing insulin like growth factors (IGFs) are more difficult to study as they affect a wide range of tissues in the body including bone, muscle, and fat. The SLS mutation provides an opportunity to study linear bone growth with a single factor accelerating bone growth through low levels of the regulatory growth factor FGFR3.