James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Regenerative Biology
Modeling disease in zebrafish
Genetic approaches to organ regeneration
Cardiac regeneration
Appendage regeneration
Developmental biology
Appointments and Affiliations
- James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Regenerative Biology
- Professor Emeritus of Regenerative Biology
- Director of the Duke Regeneration Center
- Professor in Medicine
- Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society
- Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
Contact Information
- Office Location: 307 Research Drive, Nanaline Bldg Room 466 A, Durham, NC 27710
- Email Address: kenneth.poss@duke.edu
- Websites:
Education
- Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998
- University of Utah, 2000
- Children's Hospital, 2003
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
- Distinguished Faculty Award. Duke Medical Alumni Association. 2024
- Distinguished Achievement Award. Carleton College. 2017
- Merit Award. American Heart Association. 2016
- Ruth and A. Morris Williams Prize in Basic Research. Duke University School of Medicine. 2011
- Early Career Scientist. Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 2009
- Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. Pew Charitable Trusts, The. 2006
Courses Taught
- CMB 710E: Cell & Molecular Biology Module V
- CELLBIO 493: Research Independent Study
- BIOLOGY 791T: Tutorial
- BIOLOGY 493: Research Independent Study
- BIOLOGY 314: Regenerative Biology and Medicine
- BIOLOGY 293: Research Independent Study
In the News
- Gene Therapy for Heart Attacks in Mice Just Got More Precise (Dec 13, 2022)
- Salamanders Can Regrow Limbs. Why Can't I? (Dec 13, 2019 | School of Medicine)
- Seven From Duke Named Fellows of American Association for the Advancement of Sc…
- Scientists Find Key Protein For Spinal Cord Repair (Nov 3, 2016)
- Study reveals hidden DNA that could be 'reawakened' (Apr 8, 2016 | Daily Mail)
- DNA sequence behind muscle regeneration begins to unravel (Apr 7, 2016 | Gizmag)
- Duke Study Uncovers Genetic Elements That Drive Regeneration (Apr 6, 2016)
- Transgenic zebrafish forms technicolor 'skinbow' (Mar 22, 2016 | Nature)
- Technicolor Zebrafish Reveal How Skin Heals (Mar 21, 2016)
- Duke Study Uncovers Foundations of Heart Regeneration (May 1, 2015)
Representative Publications
- Kikuchi, Kazu, Jennifer E. Holdway, Robert J. Major, Nicola Blum, Randall D. Dahn, Gerrit Begemann, and Kenneth D. Poss. “Retinoic acid production by endocardium and epicardium is an injury response essential for zebrafish heart regeneration.” Dev Cell 20, no. 3 (March 15, 2011): 397–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2011.01.010.
- Poss, Kenneth D. “Advances in understanding tissue regenerative capacity and mechanisms in animals.” Nat Rev Genet 11, no. 10 (October 2010): 710–22. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg2879.
- Kikuchi, Kazu, Jennifer E. Holdway, Andreas A. Werdich, Ryan M. Anderson, Yi Fang, Gregory F. Egnaczyk, Todd Evans, Calum A. Macrae, Didier Y. R. Stainier, and Kenneth D. Poss. “Primary contribution to zebrafish heart regeneration by gata4(+) cardiomyocytes.” Nature 464, no. 7288 (March 25, 2010): 601–5. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08804.
- Yin, Viravuth P., J Michael Thomson, Ryan Thummel, David R. Hyde, Scott M. Hammond, and Kenneth D. Poss. “Fgf-dependent depletion of microRNA-133 promotes appendage regeneration in zebrafish.” Genes Dev 22, no. 6 (March 15, 2008): 728–33. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.1641808.
- Wills, Airon A., Jennifer E. Holdway, Robert J. Major, and Kenneth D. Poss. “Regulated addition of new myocardial and epicardial cells fosters homeostatic cardiac growth and maintenance in adult zebrafish.” Development 135, no. 1 (January 2008): 183–92. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.010363.