News Service from House Harris

Vic: Zebrafish to fight diseases

The healing power of the zebrafish to fight diseases has been given the tick of approval at a new centre launched in its honour.

The six centimetre mutant fish have muscle development similar to humans ..but also have regenerative properties greater than in humans .. with the potential to treat diseases like muscular dystrophy and heart disease.

A five million dollar Zebrafish Core Research Facility was opened at MonashUniversity's Clayton Campus yesterday as part of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute in partnership with the Victorian government.

The institute's deputy director Professor PETER CURRIE says the zebrafish offers researchers new insights into treatments for disease.

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