News Splash Issue 20 Summer 2025
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Letter from the President
It is my honor to be writing my first Letter from the President in the IZFS News Splash. The News Splash is how the IZFS communicates with you, our members around the world. It notifies you about upcoming conferences and reviews past ones (19th IZFC Meeting Report). It highlights exciting recent zebrafish research as seen through the eyes of some of our early career members (Science Spotlight and Science Spotlight); it profiles current (Meet IZFS Awardees: CBC, Streisinger, and Nüsslein-Volhard) and former members of the community who went on to exciting non-academic careers (Alternatives to Academia). Finally, it provides timely advice on practical issues that the community faces (Shipping Zebrafish Internationally). These are difficult and uncertain times to be in science, particularly in the United States. Science is under attack at U.S. universities and at the organizations that the world has looked to for trustworthy, science-based information on health and disease. New and confusing directives on phasing out animal research in favor of organoid and AI-driven approaches has alarmed those of us who understand that these alternative models, while complementary, cannot model the complex cell and tissue interactions that underlie the development and function of living organisms. Over the past 30 years the zebrafish has been instrumental in discovering these interactions and their underlying genetic mechanisms. But the zebrafish has also had direct impacts on our understanding and treatment of human disease. Below are three “talking points” for you, the members of the IZFS, to take to your friends, families and elected officials to tell them about the biomedical importance of zebrafish research in particular and model organism research in general. These are a few examples; there are many others. - continue reading - Letter from the Outgoing President
As my term as President of the International Zebrafish Society (IZFS) comes to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on some of the milestones we have achieved together and express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your unwavering support and dedication. It has been an immense honor to serve as your President, and I am proud of what we have accomplished during this time. Among the highlights was the organization of the 19th International Zebrafish Conference in Madison, USA, July 9-13, 2025, which brought together nearly 600 researchers, students, and professionals from around the world. The conference provided an exceptional platform for sharing cutting-edge research, fostering collaborations, and strengthening the global zebrafish community. - continue reading - Congratulations to the Incoming Board of Directors Members!
See IZFS's full Board of Directors Here! Thank you to our Outgoing Board of Directors Members!
19th IZFC Meeting Report:The 19th International Zebrafish Conference, organized by the International Zebrafish Society, returned to Madison, WI in July. University of Wisconsin-Madison has hosted IZFC several times since 2002, and is home to a thriving zebrafish research community with 10 research labs working primarily or solely in zebrafish. This year, 583 zebrafish researchers from 21 countries across the world came together at the Memorial Union to share cutting-edge research advances, showcasing the enduring power of zebrafish as a model organism for addressing both basic and translational biological questions in developmental biology, regenerative biology, and disease modeling. - continue reading - Science SpotlightIn each issue of the News Splash we invite two early-career members of the zebrafish community to write an article in the newsletter covering recent high-impact zebrafish publications of their choice. If you are interested in participating in this mentored science writing opportunity by writing an article for a future issue, contact Science Spotlight editors Cecilia Moens (cmoens@fredhutch.org) and/or Karuna Sampath (K.Sampath@warwick.ac.uk). Localized Heat Shock Reveals New Sources of Dendritic Cells Hematopoiesis, the process of making blood cells, occurs at multiple times and places during animal development. One product of hematopoiesis, dendritic cells (DCs), regulate the immune system by presenting antigens to T-cells, initiating the adaptive immune responses1. Recently, Lin et al. at the Southern Institute of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, have used a spatio-temporal fate-mapping system to discover two distinct developmental sources of DCs with distinct genetic underpinnings2. - continue reading - Precision in gene regulation with zHORSE: No more horsing around Throughout the history of developmental biology, one persistent challenge has been to determine when and where gene expression takes place as embryos assemble into complex organisms. Genetic systems like Cre/loxP and Gal4/UAS, often controlled by tissue-specific promoters, have been invaluable for switching on genes in particular tissues and/or at specific times1,2. Yet, despite their success, these tools offered relatively crude control—unable to precisely manipulate individual cells and prone to unwanted background expression. New work by Varady and colleagues at the St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute in Vienna, Austria using sequential heat and light induction of Cre recombinase allows targeted gene expression at the single-cell level3. - continue reading - Career Corner: Alternatives to AcademiaFor this issue of “Career Corner: Alternatives to Academia”, we focus on careers in Science Communication, specifically the field of medical writing. We spoke with Dr. Christine Gatchalian, who recently retired from an accomplished career as Director of Scientific Communications at Amgen. - continue reading - Sustainability in Zebrafish Research: Highlights from the Sustainability Workshop at IZFC 2025Exploring new ways to make research more sustainable has been a recurring thought as I work in the lab. Conversations with colleagues and other members of the sustainability committee revealed that many of us share these concerns, suggesting a broader interest in sustainable lab practices. These issues were at the forefront of discussions during the Sustainability Workshop held at the 19th International Zebrafish Conference (IZFC) in Madison, Wisconsin, in July 2025. - continue reading - Shipping Zebrafish Internationally: Some UpdatesShipping zebrafish abroad for research purposes is complex because import requirements differ from country to country and can frequently change. Zoltan Varga and David Lains at the Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC) in Eugene, Oregon, have provided an update on the current situation regarding shipping zebrafish internationally from the United States. - continue reading - Meet the IZFS AwardeesCongratulations to the winners of the George Streisinger, Chi-Bin Chien, and Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Awards from this year! Click the Awardees' names or photos to read more about them.
Submit Your Zebrafish Photos to be Featured on the IZFS WebsiteWe will be highlighting images, both photographs and line illustrations, from members' labs. The website images will be updated annually and you can submit your fantastic images to be featured on the IZFS website below! We look forward to promoting the beautiful science done by members of the IZFS.
11th Strategic Conference of Zebrafish Investigators (SCZI):Principal investigators are invited to attend the 11th Strategic Conference of Fish Investigators (SCZI), hosted by the International Zebrafish Society (IZFS)! The conference will be held January 14-17, 2026 at the National University of Singapore - Shaw Foundation Alumni House. The meeting attendance is limited to 200 in order to enable meaningful discussions. The IZFS is thrilled to host the SCZI for the first time in Asia Pacific - you will not want to miss this meeting! Important Deadlines:
Upcoming EventsSee more about our Community Events on our Community Calendar! Cold Spring Harbor Zebrafish Neurobiology Meeting 11th Strategic Conference of Zebrafish Investigators Job PostingsTo post to the IZFS Job Board you must be a member. Click here to join. If you have a job to post, please send an e-mail to info@izfs.org
Have an idea for the newsletter or would like to contribute? Contact us at info@izfs.org! We'd love to hear from you!
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