The Lovely Lab

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About 

We study the intersection of genes and the environment, in particular ethanol. We use the zebrafish as our model system and study the impact of gene-ethanol interactions on tissue morphogenesis and development of the facial skeleton.

Key Research Areas

  • We are currently examining the mechanistic basis of these gene-ethanol interactions and how they impact craniofacial development. We will also continue to identify new ethanol-sensitive genetic loci involved in craniofacial development.
  • We are characterizing the signaling pathways that underlie epithelial morphogenesis and how disruptions to this morphogenetic events impacts development of the craniofacial skeleton.

Current Projects

  • R01 AA031043 – PI: C.B. Lovely, 5/2024 – 4/2029, NIH/NIAAA An ethanol-sensitive, Bmp-PCP dependent pathway regulating endoderm cell behaviors
  • F31 (resubmit) – PI: M. Stearsman; Sponsor: C.B. Lovely, 1/2026 – 12/2028, NIH/NIAAA   Uncovering the role of a Bmp-Chemokine signaling mechanism in ethanol-induced cranial neural crest apoptosis
  • Bmp-nkx2.3-Fgf signaling pathway regulating endoderm morphogenesis
  • Gene-small carbon alcohol interactions in zebrafish
  • Bmp-Shh signaling interactions generating mediolateral identity in the endoderm

Recent Publications

  • Swartz, M.E#., Lovely, C.B#., McCarthy, N., Kuka, T., Eberhart, J.K. Novel Ethanol-Sensitive Mutants Identified in an F3 Forward Genetic Screen. Alcohol Clin. Exp. Res. 2020, 44(1):56-65.
  • Lovely, C.B. Quantification of Ethanol Levels in Zebrafish Embryos Using Head Space Gas Chromatography. J Vis Exp. 2020, 11(156).
  • Lovely, C.B. Animal models of gene-alcohol interactions. Birth Defects Res. 2020, 112(4):367-379.
  • Swartz, M.E., Lovely, C.B., Eberhart, J.K. Variation in phenotypes from a Bmp-Gata3 genetic pathway is modulated by Shh signaling. PLoS Genet. 2021, 17(5):e1009579.
  • Fernandes, Y. Lovely, C.B. Zebrafish Models of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Genesis. 2021, 59(11):e23460.
  • Klem, J.R., Gray, R., Lovely, C.B. The Zebrafish Tol2 System: A Modular and Flexible Gateway-Based Transgenesis Approach. J Vis Exp. 2022, (189):e64679.
  • Kemmler, C.L., Moran, H.R., Murray, B.F., Scoresby, A., Klem, J.R., Eckert, R.L.*, Lepovsky, E.*, Bertho, S., Nieuwenhuize, S., Burger, S., D'Agati, G., Betz, C., Puller, A., Felker, A., Ditrychova, K., Boetschi, S., Affolter, M., Rohner, N., Lovely, C.B., Kwan, K.M., Burger, A., Mosimann, C. Next-generation plasmids for transgenesis in zebrafish and beyond. Development. 2023, 150(8).
  • Gray, R. and Lovely, C.B. (2024). Redefining retinoic acid receptor expression in zebrafish embryos using Hybridization Chain Reaction. Differentiation.100822. doi:10.1016/j.diff.2024.100822
  • Lovely, C.B. (2024). Bone Morphogenetic Protein signaling pathway - ethanol interactions disrupt palate formation independent of gata3. Reprod Toxicol.131:108754. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108754. Epub 2024
  • Klem, J.R., Schwantes-An, T., Abreu, M., Suttie, M., Gray, R., Vo, H. Conley, G.*, Foroud, T.M. Wetherill, L., CIFASD, Lovely, C.B. (2025). Mutation in the Bone Morphogenetic Protein signaling pathway sensitize zebrafish and human to ethanol-induced jaw malformations. Dis Model Mech. 1;18(4):dmm052223. doi: 10.1242/dmm.052223.
  • Vo, H. and Lovely, C.B. (2025). Ethanol induces craniofacial defects in Bmp mutants independent of nkx2.3 by elevating cranial neural crest cell apoptosis. Biomedicines. 20;13(3):755. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13030755
  • Gray, R. and Lovely, C.B. (2025). Interactions between the Bone Morphogenetic Protein and the Planar Cell Polarity Pathway lead to distinctive ethanol-induced facial defects. bioRxiv 2025.04.23.650288; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.04.23.650288 (In revision at ACER).

Team 

The Lovely Lab

School of Medicine - Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics

Website about

Phone

502-852-7551

Location

HSC-A-tower, Rm 713

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