Pascal Lafontant

Pascal Lafontant is Professor of Biology (Grinnell College), Professor Emeritus (DePauw University), and Affiliate Professor (Iowa State University). He earned a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and MS as Physician Assistant (Baylor College of Medicine), MS in Biomedical Engineering (Hartford Graduate Center), and BS in Biological Engineering (Cornell University). His research and publications focus on heart development, repair, and regeneration. His numerous awards include National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation, and the Buehler Foundation grants. For his Fulbright project, he investigates the ecophysiology of the cement gland of a giant danio, Sri Lankan native fish, at the University of Peradeniya.

Sri Lanka is one of the world richest biodiversity hotspots. We are investigating a transient organ, a cement gland in a giant danio, genus Devario, a Sri Lankan native fish. Once Devario embryos hatch, larvae use the gland to attach to various substrates until they can swim. The gland then disintegrates. Initial research focused on the gland’s development. Currently we seek a better understanding of its biology, in its natural habitat, streams in the Lankan high plateaus. This research will shed light on the ecophysiology of the cement gland and may help promote conservation initiatives for the island’s biodiverse fauna.