- Professor
Biography
Dr. Cynthia Cooper is a cell and developmental biologist. Her lab, located on the WSU Vancouver campus, studies the biology of skin color using model organism zebrafish. Dedicated to supporting underrepresented students in science, she has served on the Diversity Council, co-founded the Black, Brown, Indigenous and People of Color Recruitment Fund and is the faculty advisor for Black Scholars Association and African Student Association Clubs.
Affiliate and Adjunct Appointments
- Affiliate, School of Biological Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences
Education
- PhD, Public Health-Pathobiology, University of Washington, 2002
Research Interest
- Cell biology
- Developmental biology
- Pigmentation
- Zebrafish
Dr. Cynthia Cooper is a cell and developmental biologist. Her lab, located on the WSU Vancouver campus, studies the biology of skin color in zebrafish. Using her unique collection of hypopigmentation or albinism models, Dr. Cooper’s team works to understand the mechanisms required for black pigment cell (melanocyte) development and function. While the inability to produce black pigment, melanin, is not lethal to most organisms, individuals with albinism are more susceptible to developing skin cancer, including melanoma. Additionally, individuals with albinism often present with pleiotropic or “unexpected” symptoms, including hearing loss and decreased visual acuity. Along with offering a biologically relevant model system to clarify melanocyte biology, zebrafish also provide an excellent system for screening new treatment options for hypopigmentation diseases and clarifying the biology behind pleiotropic effects. Support for Dr. Cooper’s research has been provided by the National Institutes of Health, the Melanoma Research Foundation, Washington State University (WSU) Vancouver, WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the PanAmerican Society for Pigment Cell Research.