Lavinia Sheets, PhD

Mailing address

660 S. Euclid Ave.
CB 8115
St. Louis, MO  63110

Research interests

Hair cells are the sensory receptors of sound, motion, and spatial orientation. Exposure to excessively loud noise or certain drugs can permanently damage hair cells and their connections to nerve fibers. My lab investigates the cellular mechanisms of noise-induced and chemical hair-cell damage using zebrafish as a model for human hearing and deafness.

Our research interests are: 1. To define the cellular pathways that bring about hair-cell synapse loss and hair cell death following damaging noise exposures; 2. To determine what biological pathways promote nerve regeneration and hair-cell reinnervation with the goal of providing information toward clinical regenerative therapies; and 3. To identify novel protectants against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity with the goal of protecting auditory nerve fibers from damage during cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Education

• Ph.D. (Neuroscience), Oregon Health & Science University, 2007
• Special Topics Course, Analytical and Quantitative Light Microscopy, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
• B.S. Biology (Music minor), Pacific University, 1996

Honors & Leadership Roles

• Amelia Peabody Fellowship, 2013-15
• Student Poster, 3rd Place, 4th European Zebrafish Genetics and Development Meeting, 2005
• Student Talks, 2nd Place, 21st Annual Student Research Forum, OHSU, 2004
  Tartar Trust Fellowship, 2003

Select Publications

• Lee DS, Schrader A, Zou J, Ang WH, Warchol ME, Sheets L. Direct targeting of mitochondria by cisplatin leads to cytotoxicity in zebrafish lateral-line hair cells. iScience, Volume 27, October 18, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110975
• Newton KC, Kacev D, Nilsson SRO, Saettele AL, Golden SA, Sheets L. Lateral Line Ablation by Ototoxic Compounds Results in Distinct Rheotaxis Profiles in Larval Zebrafish. Communications Biology 2023 Jan 21;6(1):84. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-04449-2
• Lee DS, Schrader S, Warchol ME, Sheets L. Cisplatin exposure acutely disrupts mitochondrial bioenergetics in the zebrafish lateral-line organ. Hear Res. 2022 Dec;426:108513. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108513
• Saettele AL, Wong HC, Kindt KS, Warchol ME, Sheets L. Prolonged Dexamethasone Exposure Enhances Zebrafish Lateral-Line Regeneration but Disrupts Mitochondrial Homeostasis and Hair Cell Function. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2022 Dec;23(6):683-700. doi: 10.1007/s10162-022-00875-x
• Holmgren M, Ravicz ME, Hancock KE, Strelkova O, Indzhykulia AA, Warchol ME, and Sheets L. Mechanical overstimulation causes acute injury followed by fast recovery in lateral-line neuromasts of larval zebrafish. eLife, 2021, 10:e69264 doi: 10.7554/eLife.69264

View Dr. Sheets full profile of research, publications and collaborations here »