Education

Ph.D. 2000 Developmental Biology Simon Fraser University

Dept. Mol. Biol. (Dr. B. Brandhorst)

Dissertation title: A Novel Laminin Receptor Expressed by Invasive Mesenchyme Cells During Gastrulation in Sea Urchin Embryos

M.Sc. 1993 Developmental Biology University of Victoria

Biology Dept. (Dr. R. Burke)

Thesis title: Extracellular Matrix Receptors and Their Effects on Cell Behaviour During Gastrulation in the Sea Urchin

B.Sc. 1987 Genetics University of Alberta

Career Objectives

An academic position at a Canadian university where I can pursue basic research, interact and collaborate with other academics, and teach enthusiastic, well-motivated graduate and undergraduate students.

Research Interests

My overarching interest in developmental biology is in how cell-matrix interactions result in morphogenesis. My graduate work focused on the cells at the tip of the archenteron in gastrulating sea urchin embryos, their interaction with the basal lamina that lines the blastocoel, and how those interactions affected the cell fate decisions made by these pluripotent and invasive mesenchyme cells. I am now working on characterizing some widely conserved and functionally complex proteins that modulate cell adhesion and motility, and on the extracellular matrices themselves, in the developing zebrafish embryo.

Teaching Philosophy

As an undergraduate biology student, I found that much of my course work focused on the memorization of facts and details. At the time, I found that uninspiring, and in my role as an instructor, I try to keep memorization tasks to a minimum. Instead, I focus on the development of conceptual understanding, and I teach and evaluate students' use of given facts to derive relationships or to elucidate underlying mechanisms. I provide students with as much practice and corrective feedback as is feasible within the constraints of the instructional context. Finally, I believe it is imperative that students have a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn and how their performance is being evaluated. Pedagogically, I find this approach both more challenging and more rewarding, and it has met with great success and appreciation among my students.

Employment

· Sessional instructor University of Alberta 2003 (appointed)

Zoology 402: Current Topics in Animal Development

· Postdoctoral research associate University of Alberta 2002-present

Biology dept., Pilgrim Lab.

I am working with members of the Pilgrim lab to expand zebrafish research opportunities, and developing my own research program investigating the dynamics of cell-matrix interactions.

· Posdoctoral research associate University of Washington 2000-2002

Zoology dept., Hille Lab.

Established a breeding colony of zebrafish and performed cell and developmental biology research on the roles of focal adhesions in cell motility and morphogenesis in the zebrafish.

· Scientific imaging consultant Empix Imaging 1995-2000

Provided image processing training and software development for research clients.

· Graduate teaching assistant Simon Fraser University 1993-2000

Dept. of Mol. Biol & Biochem.

Lecture and tutorial development and delivery, student evaluation and administrative duties for cell and developmental biology courses.

· Graduate teaching assistant University of Victoria 1993-2000

Biology dept.

Lecture and lab development and delivery, student evaluation and administrative duties for introductory biology, genetics, and developmental biology courses.

· Private consultant (computer services) 1987-1990

Systems analysis and software development and maintenance for a number of business and academic clients.

· Programmer analyst Informatix dept. 1988-1989

Edmonton International Airport

Systems analysis and software development, maintenance and porting.

· Computer lab instructor Athabasca University 1987-1988 Edmonton Regional Office

Management and instruction in a student computer lab facility, computer systems support, student examination supervision and administrative duties for a distance education university.

· Research assistant University of Alberta 1985

Genetics dept., Russell Lab.

Computer modeling, mutagenesis and screening of Drosophila melanogaster, stock maintenance and miscellaneous lab duties.

Publications and Contributions

Peer-reviewed Publications:

Henry, C. A., Crawford, B. D., Yan, Y-L., Postlethwait, J., Cooper, M. S., and Hille, M. B. (2001) Roles for Zebrafish Focal Adhesion Kinase in Notochord and Somite Morphogenesis. Developmental Biology 240:474–487

Northwood, I. C., Tong, A. Y. H., Crawford, B. D., Drobnies, A. E. and Cornell, R. B. (1999) Shuttling of cytidylytransferase between the nucleus and ER accompanies the wave of PC synthesis upon reentry of quiescent cells into the cell division cycle. Journal of Biological Chemistry 274:26240-8.

Crawford, B. D. and Burke, R. D. (1994) YIGSR domain of laminin binds surface receptors of mesenchyme and stimulates migration during gastrulation in sea urchins. Development 120:3227-3234

Thorndyke, M. C., Crawford, B. D. and Burke, R. D. (1992) Localization of a SALMFamide Neuropeptide in the Larval Nervous System of the Sand Dollar Dendraster excentricus. Acta Zoologica 73(4):207-212

Published Abstracts:

Henry, C.A., Crawford, B.D., Sepich, D., Cooper, M.S., and Hille, M. B. (2000). Subcellular localization of focal adhesion kinase during zebrafish organogenesis: Distinct roles for FAK in notochord and somite morphogenesis. Mol. Biol. Cell 11:297.

Crawford, B.D. and B.P. Brandhorst (1998). Molecular and biological characterization of a putative laminin receptor involved in sea urchin gastrulation. Devel. Biol. 198:223.

Submitted manuscripts

Crawford, B. D., Henry, C. A., Clason, T., and Hille, M. B. Activity and Distribution of Paxillin, FAK, and Cadherin Suggest Cooperative Roles during Zebrafish Morphogenesis. Submitted to Mol. Cell Bio. (accepted pending revisions)

Crawford, B. D., Hourihane, S. L., and Brandhorst, B. P. A Novel Sea Urchin Laminin Binding Protein Expressed in Invasive Pigment Cells. Submitted to Matrix Biology.

Conference Presentations:

Crawford, B. D., Henry, C. A., Clason, T. and Hille, M. B. (2002). Activity and Distribution of Paxillin, Fak, and Cadherin Suggest Cooperative Roles during Zebrafish Morphogenesis. 42^nd Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology.

Crawford, B. D., Henry, C. A., and Hille, M. B. (2002). Roles for Paxillin, Focal Adhesion Kinase and Cadherin in the Enveloping Layer and Notochord of Zebrafish Embryos. 5^th International Meeting on Zebrafish Development and Genetics.

Cooper, M. S., Sommers-Herivel, G. , Poage, C. T and Crawford, B. D. (2002). A Bioinformatics Initiative: The Zebrafish CD Exchange Project. 5^th International Meeting on Zebrafish Development and Genetics.

Crawford, B. D., Henry, C. A., and Hille, M. B. (2002). Phosphorylation of Focal Adhesion Proteins During Zebrafish Embryogenesis. 35^th Northwest Regional Developmental Biology Meeting.

Henry, C. A., Crawford, B. D. and Hille, M. B. (2001). Zebrafish Paxillin and FAK are necessary for normal development. 60^th Meeting of the Society for Developmental Biology.

Henry, C. A., Crawford, B. D., Schumpert, B. and Hille, M. B. (2001). Zebrafish Paxillin is Necessary for Normal Morphogenesis of the Midbrain-Hindbrain Boundary, the Eye and the Heart. 34^th Northwest Regional Developmental Biology Meeting.

Henry, C. A., Crawford, B. D., Cooper, M. S. and Hille, M. B. (2001). Roles for Zebrafish Fak in Organogenesis. 1^st West-Coast Regional Zebrafish Meeting.

Crawford, B. D. and Brandhorst, B. P. (2000). A laminin-binding protein involved in pigment cell specification. 13^th International Meeting on the Developmental Biology of the Sea Urchin.

Crawford, B. D., Hourihane, S. L. and Brandhorst, B. P. (2000). Cloning and Characterization of a Novel Laminin Receptor expressed by Invasive Mesenchyme Cells during Sea Urchin Gastrulation. 33^rd Northwest Regional Developmental Biology Meeting.

Crawford, B. D. and Brandhorst, B. P. (1998). Molecular and Biological Characterization of a Putative Laminin Receptor Involved in Sea Urchin Gastrulation. 57^thMeeting of the Society for Developmental Biology.

Crawford, B. D. and Brandhorst, B. P. (1998). Characterization of a Putative Laminin Receptor Involved in Sea Urchin Gastrulation. 31^st Northwest Regional Developmental Biology Meeting.

Crawford, B. D. and Brandhorst, B. P. (1997). Laminin-binding proteins. 11^th International Meeting on the Developmental Biology of the Sea Urchin.

Crawford, B. D. and Burke, R. D. (1993). Laminin-binding Cell Surface Receptors Activate Mesenchyme Cell Migration During Gastrulation in the Sea Urchin. 26^th Northwest Regional Developmental Biology Meeting.

Crawford, B. D. and Burke, R. D. (1993). YIGSR Domain of Laminin Binds to Cell Surface Receptors of Mesenchyme and Stimulates Migration during Gastrulation in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. 6^th International Meeting on the Developmental Biology of the Sea Urchin.

Society Memberships:

· Society for Developmental Biology

· American Society of Cell Biologists

· International Society of Matrix Biologists

Scholarships and Awards:

· SFU President's research fellowship, 2000

· MacMillan Bloedel IMBB Graduate Fellowship 1994, 1995, and 1998

· Simon Fraser Graduate Student Fellowship 1996 and 1997

Other Interests

· SCUBA diving

· Terrestrial and underwater photography

· Music performance (trumpet) and appreciation

· Natural history

· Off-road cycling

· Hiking & camping

Non-academic Certifications

· PADI Rescue Diver

· WHIMIS

· St. John’s Ambulance First Aid

· Radiation Safety

References and teaching evaluations available upon request