Tracy Haynes

Biographical Information

I am interested in stem cell research and tissue regeneration and pursue these interests by conducting research in collaboration with Dr. Katia Del Rio-Tsonis, a professor in the Department of Biology. In the Del Rio-Tsonis’ laboratory, we specifically study retina regeneration using the chick as a model organism. The embryonic chick has the intrinsic ability to regenerate a complete retina after injury by activation of retinal stem/progenitor cells located in the anterior margin of the eye or by transdifferentiation of the retinal pigmented epithelium. The regeneration is not spontaneous but must be induced by the addition of exogenous factors. Currently, I am focusing on the role of complement proteins and Wnt signaling in the induction of retina regeneration.

Selected Publications

Echeverri-Ruiz, N., Haynes, T., Landers, J, Woods, J., Gemma, M., Hughes, M., and Del Rio-Tsonis, K. (2017) A biochemical basis for induction of retina regeneration by antioxidants. (Accepted by Dev Biol. August 2017)

Grajales-Esquivel, E., Luz-Madrigal, A., Bierly, J., Haynes, T., Reis, E.S., Han, Z., Gutierrez, C., McKinney, Z., Tzekou, A., Lambris, J.D., Tsonis, P.A., Del Rio-Tsonis, K. ( 2017) Complement component C3aR constitutes a novel regulator for chick eye morphogenesis. Dev Biol. 428:88-100.

Haynes, T., Luz-Madrigal ,A., Reis, E.S., Echeverri Ruiz, N.P., Grajales-Esquivel, E., Tzekou, A., Tsonis, P.A., Lambris, J.D., Del Rio-Tsonis, K. (2013) Complement anaphylatoxin C3a is a potent inducer of embryonic chick retina regeneration. Nat Commun. 4:2312.

Tsonis, P.A., Haynes, T., Maki, N., Casco-Robles, M,M., Yamada, S., Miura, T., Chiba, C. and Del Rio-Tsonis, K. Protocols for gene loss of function in newts with emphasis on lens regeneration. (2011) Nature Protocols, 6, 593-9.

Casco-Robles, M. M., Yamada, S., Miura, T., Haynes, T., Maki, N., Del Rio-Tsonis, K., Tsonis, P. A., and Chiba, C. A Protocol for analyzing exogenous gene expression in newts by transgenesis. (2011) Nature Protocols, 6, 600-8.

Haynes, T., Gutierrez, C., Aycinena, J. C., Tsonis, P., and Del Rio-Tsonis, K. The multiple roles of BMP in retina regeneration. (2007) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104, 20380-5.

Haynes T. L. , Madhavan, M., Frisch, N.C., Call, M.K., Minich, C.M., Tsonis, P.A., Del Rio-Tsonis, K. The role of Pax-6 in lens regeneration. (2006) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103:14848-53.

Courses Taught

Principles of Human Physiology (BIO 161)
Human Physiology (BIO 305)
Cell Biology (BIO 203)
Biotechnology in the 21st Century (BIO 101)