Gabby Voit has always been fascinated by biology. As a child, her brothers frequently brought home wild frogs and snakes. “I would always make sure they were fed, had ample outdoor time, and that they were returned to the wild,” she said.
Today, Voit still works with animals — but with the goal of learning about human health. After graduating from high school in 2016, Voit studied genetics at UW-Madison. Her undergraduate studies focused on the early development of zebrafish, and how genetic mutations in the fish may explain genetic fertility issues in women.
“Because zebrafish share many genetic traits with humans, they’re a good model organism for understanding genetic activity during early human development.”
Gabby Voit
Plus, because zebrafish are transparent, scientists can easily observe gestational changes in real time.
Searching for PhD options, UWM was a natural choice. Voit grew up around the corner from UWM, and her dad taught in what is now the Lubar College of Business. But it was the Gutzman Lab — led by Professor Jennifer Gutzman, who also studies the genetics of zebrafish — that ultimately convinced Voit to return to Milwaukee in 2021.
“I knew one of the most important things about picking a grad school is who your mentor is going to be, and I had heard from previous students that Dr. Gutzman was very hands-on and enthusiastic,” Voit said.
Her graduate studies at UWM explore the first full day of development (equivalent to about four weeks gestation in humans). In her first year, Voit and another researcher discovered a specific mutation that correlates to abnormal folding in the brain.
“If one area doesn’t structure correctly, it can lead to many implications later on in life, including developmental disabilities,” she said.
These genetic discoveries, Voit added, can help scientists better understand which genes are important for human development and which genetic mutations are linked to human conditions, from autism to cancer.
Now a third-year student, Voit has been awarded a Shaw Doctoral Fellowship and Advanced Opportunity Fellowship, two merit-based awards to help fund her research. She’s currently leading research to understand physical forces that cause zebrafish’s brain tissue to fold, a crucial step in healthy brain development.
If something is awry in this process, the tissue may not fold correctly, which could lead to problems with brain function that contribute to disease in both zebrafish and people. “My goal is to discover genes that might be involved in this process so I can help lay groundwork that allows scientists to better help humans,” she said.
Voit is set to graduate from UWM with her PhD in Spring 2026. She’s not quite sure what the future will hold — whether she’ll apply the teaching skills she gained as a teaching assistant, lead a lab of her own, or combine her research interest with health care and work in clinical trials that help medical experts learn more about how to treat diseases.
No matter where she ends up, she hopes the knowledge she gains will have a lasting impact. “Understanding genetics, we’re uncovering the blueprint of life itself,” said Voit. “That can then lead to new breakthroughs in medicine, ultimately improving health outcomes.”
(Newswise/HG)
