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Joshua B Gross

Assistant Professor
Biological Sciences - Tenure-Track Faculty
830 Rieveschl Hall
513-556-9708
joshua.gross@uc.edu
http://homepages.uc.edu/~grossja

Professional Summary

ECBR, SBBE, Evolution and development of vertebrates; Evolutionary genetics of natural populations; Cave biology; Genetic basis for phenotypic changes; Mexican cave tetra, Astyanax mexicanus

Education

Ph.D., Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2005 (Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology).

M.S. with Distinction, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, 2001 (Department of Biological Sciences).

B.A., Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 1995 (Department of Psychology).

Research Interests

The evolution of phenotypic differences between even closely-related organisms involves a complex set of genetic changes. These changes are frequently manifested as the altered expression, or structure, of gene products. To understand the genetic changes that accompany adaptation to extreme environments, we utilize a model system called the blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus). This species harbors two distinct morphotypes, a blind and depigmented cave-dwelling form and a surface-dwelling form. The surface-dwelling form resembles a typical aquarium fish with normal pigmentation and well-developed eyes. In contrast, the cave-dwelling form has no eyes whatsoever and is completely devoid of pigmentation. In addition to the traits that have been lost, cave forms have evolved a significant number of constructive changes. These phenotypes, such as an expanded sense of taste and an amplified lateral line system, facilitate food-finding ability in the complete darkness of a cave. We utilize a variety of approaches including quantitative genetics, transcriptomics, activity analysis and high-resolution phenotypic studies of both cave and surface forms. Along with an extensive historical literature characterizing these remarkable animals, our integrative approaches enable us to better understand the genetic changes accompanying colonization of a novel and extreme environment.

Published Abstracts

B.M. Carlson, Gross, J.B. (2012) Sundials in the void: Assessing circadian rhythms in a cave-adapted species. SICB Annual Meeting 2012 Program Abstracts

Gross, J.B., H. Wilkens (2012) Evolution of albinism in a captive population of cavefish. SICB Annual Meeting 2012 Program Abstracts

Gross, J.B., A. Furterer (2012) A de novo transcriptome analysis of the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus. PAG XX Annual Meeting 2012 Program Abstracts

Gross, JB, Kerney R, Hanken, J, CJ Tabin (2011) Molecular anatomy of the developing limb bud in the coquí frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui. Developmental Biology 356(1):248.

Stahl, B. & Gross, J.B. (2011). Expression analyses of Mc1r in the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus. Developmental Biology 356 (1): 253

Gross, J B, & Hanken J (2009). Embryonic derivation and segmentation of the bony skull are not conserved among vertebrates: data from amphibians [Abstract]. The FASEB Journal, 419.2.

Hanken, J., & Gross, J. (2007). Neural-crest derivation of the bony skull is not conserved among vertebrates: Data from amphibians [Abstract]. Journal of Morphology, 268(12), 1080-1081.

Gross, J B, & Hanken J (2007). Evolution of cranial development and the role of neural crest: insights from amphibians [Abstract]. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 437.

Gross, J. B., & Hanken, J. (2006). Embryonic origin of adult cranial cartilages in Xenopus: A view from the crest [Abstract]. Journal of Anatomy.

Hanken, J., & Gross, J. B. (2006). Fate maps evolve, too: Neural crest derivation of the bony skull in frogs, revealed by transgenic labeling [Abstract]. Journal of Anatomy, 207(5), 1008-1008.

Gross, J.B., N. Marsh-Armstrong & J. Hanken (2005) Use of a transgenic line of Xenopus laevis in the development of a fate map of the osteogenic cranial neural crest in amphibians. Journal of Anatomy, 206:508

Gross, J.B., R. Kerney & J. Hanken (2003) Assessing the expression of major bone extracellular matrix proteins in the anuran skull vault. Developmental Biology 2003 Annual Meeting Program & Abstracts

Gross, J.B. & J. Hanken (2003) Assessing the long-term contributions of neural crest cells to the postmetamorphic anuran skull. The Neural Crest: New Perspectives on Lineage and Morphogenesis Abstract Prospectus

Gross, J.B.& L.A. Barlow (2001) In vitro co-culture reveals two phases of target-derived neurite growth by placodally derived sensory neurons. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting Abstracts, 2001

Gross, J.B.& L.A. Barlow (2001) Placodally derived sensory neurites grow preferentially, but not exclusively, towards the oropharyngeal endoderm. Chemical Senses Annual Meeting Program & Abstracts (2001)

Gross, J.B.& L.A. Barlow (2000) Development of placodal neurons in vitro. Chemical Senses Annual Meeting Program & Abstracts (2000)

Gross, J.B.& L.A. Barlow (2000) Development of epibranchial placodes in Ambystoma mexicanum. Developmental Biology 222: 193

B.A. Stahl, Gross, J.B. (2012) “Expression analyses of Mc1r in the blind Mexican cavefish
Astyanax mexicanus.” Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference (MEEC) Abstracts.

A. Furterer, Gross, J.B. (2012) “Next-generation sequencing analyses in the blind Mexican cavefish” Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference (MEEC) Abstracts.

D. Berning, Gross, J.B. (2012) “Phenotypic consequences of constant darkness on the freshwater fish, Astyanax mexicanus” University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Spring Research Conference.

A. Furterer, Gross, J.B. (2012) “Next-generation sequencing analyses in the blind Mexican cavefish” University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Spring Research Conference.

K. B. Dougherty, A. J. Krutzler, Gross, J.B. (2012) “Eye degeneration and neuromast expansion in the cave fish, Astyanax mexicanus” University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Spring Research Conference. *Awarded “Great Research” designation by UC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

A. Furterer, B. M. Carlson, B. A. Stahl, Gross, J.B. (2013) “An integrated transcriptome-wide analysis of cave and surface dwelling Astyanax mexicanus.” Poster presentation. AIM2013, Astyanax International Meeting, Ciudad Valles, Mexico, March 2013

A. J. Krutzler, L. E. Bruns, Gross, J.B. (2013) “Fragmentation, fusion and asymmetry in the craniofacial skeleton of Astyanax mexicanus.” Poster presentation. AIM2013, Astyanax International Meeting, Ciudad Valles, Mexico, March 2013

A. L. Stahl, B. A. Stahl, E. Buschbeck, Gross, J.B. (2013) “An evaluation of eyelessness in cave-dwelling Astyanax mexicanus using RNA-seq technology.” Poster presentation. AIM2013, Astyanax International Meeting, Ciudad Valles, Mexico, March 2013

B. A. Stahl, Gross, J.B. (2013) “Pigmentation loss in cave animals: A highresolution study of destructive genetic mutations.” Oral presentation. AIM2013, Astyanax International Meeting, Ciudad Valles, Mexico, March 2013

Gross, J.B., A. J. Krutzler, L. Espinasa (2013) “An analysis of structural mutations in the gene Mc1r in surface and Granadas cave-dwelling Astyanax aeneus.” Poster presentation. AIM2013, Astyanax International Meeting, Ciudad Valles, Mexico, March 2013

Gross, J.B., M. Matthews (2013) “An analysis of gene expression level changes across development in surface and cave-dwelling fish.” Oral presentation. AIM2013, Astyanax International Meeting, Ciudad Valles, Mexico, March 2013

B.M. Carlson, Gross, J.B. (2013) “Assessing the Effect of Eye Regression on Light-Mediated Activity in a Model Fish Species.” American Association of Anatomists Annual Meeting at EB 2013, Boston, MA, April 2013

Gross, J.B., A. J. Krutzler, L. E. Bruns (2013) “Genetic analysis of dermal bone fragmentation in a natural model system.” American Association of Anatomists Annual Meeting at EB 2013, Boston, MA, April 2013

Peer Reviewed Publications

J.B. Gross & H. Wilkens (2013) Albinism in phylogenetically and geographically distinct populations of Astyanax cavefish arises through the same loss-of-function Oca2 allele. Heredity In Press.

J.B. Gross, A. Furterer, B.M. Carlson, B.A. Stahl (2013) An integrated transcriptome-wide analysis of cave and surface dwelling Astyanax mexicanus. PLoS ONE 8: e55659. [Link]

Gross J.B. (2012) Cave Evolution. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences (eLS; Wiley Press). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0023628

J.B. Gross (2012) The complex origin of Astyanax cavefish. BMC Evolutionary Biology 12:105. [Link]

Gross, J.B., Kerney, R., Hanken, J., C.J. Tabin (2011) Molecular anatomy of the developing limb bud in the coquí frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui. Evolution and Development 13:415-426.

Kerney R, Gross JB, Hanken J (2010) Early cranial patterning in the direct-developing frog Eleutherodactylus coqui revealed through gene expression. Evolution & Development 12(4) 373-382.

Gross, J B, Borowsky, R, & Tabin, C J (2009). A novel role for Mc1r in the parallel evolution of depigmentation in independent populations of the cavefish Astyanax mexicanus. PLoS Genetics, 5(1), e1000326.

Gross, J. B., & Hanken, J. (2008). Segmentation of the vertebrate skull: neural-crest derivation of adult cartilages in the clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 304B(2), 681-696.

Protas, M, Tabansky, I, Conrad, M, Gross, J B, Vidal, O, Tabin, C J, & Borowsky, R (2008). Multi-trait evolution in a cave fish, Astyanax mexicanus. Evolution & Development, 10(2), 196-209.

Gross, J B, Protas, M, Conrad, M, Scheid, P E, Vidal, O, Jeffery, W R, Borowsky, R, & Tabin, C J (2008). Synteny and candidate gene prediction using an anchored linkage map of Astyanax mexicanus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 105(51), 20106-11.

Gross, J B, & Hanken, J (2008). Review of fate-mapping studies of osteogenic cranial neural crest in vertebrates. Developmental Biology, 317(2), 389-400.

Kerney, R, Gross, J B, & Hanken, J (2007). Runx2 is essential for larval hyobranchial cartilage formation in Xenopus laevis. Developmental Dynamics, 236(6), 1650-62.

Protas, M, Conrad, M, Gross, J B, Tabin, C, & Borowsky, R (2007). Regressive evolution in the Mexican cave tetra, Astyanax mexicanus. Current Biology 17(5), 452-4.

Gross, J B, Hanken, J, Oglesby, E, & Marsh-Armstrong, N (2006). Use of a ROSA26:GFP transgenic line for long-term Xenopus fate-mapping studies. Journal of Anatomy, 209(3), 401-13.

Hanken, J, & Gross, J B (2005). Evolution of cranial development and the role of neural crest: insights from amphibians. Journal of Anatomy, 207(5), 437-46.

Gross, J B, & Hanken, J (2005). Cranial neural crest contributes to the bony skull vault in adult Xenopus laevis: insights from cell labeling studies. Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part B, Molecular and Developmental Evolution, 304(2), 169-76.

Gross, J B, & Hanken, J (2004). Use of fluorescent dextran conjugates as a long-term marker of osteogenic neural crest in frogs. Developmental Dynamics, 230(1), 100-6.

Gross, J B, Gottlieb, A A, & Barlow, L A (2003). Gustatory neurons derived from epibranchial placodes are attracted to, and trophically supported by, taste bud-bearing endoderm in vitro. Developmental Biology, 264(2), 467-81.

Book Chapters

Gross J.B., C.J. Tabin (2010) Evolutionary genetics of pigmentation loss in the blind Mexican cavefish. In: In search of the causes of evolution. From field observations to mechanisms. Eds: Peter R Grant and Rosemary Grant.

Invited Presentations

Joshua B. Gross (05-2012). Illuminating the dark: Genetic analyses in the blind Mexican cavefish. University of Kentucky Biology Seminar Series, Lexington, KY.

Joshua B. Gross (05-2012). Evolutionary genetics and genomics in the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Center Seminar Series, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Joshua B. Gross (10-2012). Genetic and genomic analyses of cave adaptation using the blind Mexican cavefish. Wayne State Unniversity, Biological Sciences Seminar Series., Detroit, Michigan.

Joshua B. Gross (04-2013). Genetic and genomic analyses of cave adaptation in the blind Mexican cavefish. University of Nevada, Reno, Department of Biology Seminar Series, Reno, Nevada.

Poster Presentations

Brian Carlson and Joshua Gross (01-2012). Sundials in the void: Assessing the fate and function of circadian rhythms in the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus.. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Charleston, .

Joshua B Gross (07-2011). Molecular anatomy of the developing limb bud in the coquí frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui. . Society for Developmental Biology, Chicago, IL.

Bethany Stahl and Joshua Gross (07-2011). Expression analyses of Mc1r in the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus.. Society for Developmental Biology, Chicago, IL.

Gross, J.B., N. Marsh-Armstrong & J. Hanken (2005). Use of a transgenic line of Xenopus laevis in the development of a fate map of the osteogenic cranial neural crest in amphibians. . Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland Annual Meeting, Oxford, England.

Joshua Gross, Ph.D. (2005). Towards a fate map of the osteogenic cranial neural crest in Xenopus laevis. Experimental Biology and XXXV International Congress of Physiological Science, San Diego, CA.

Joshua Gross, Ph.D. (2004). Neural crest derivation of the osteocranium in recent anurans. International Society of Vertebrate Morphologists 7th International Congress. , Boca Raton, FL.

Gross, J.B. & J. Hanken (2003). Assessing the long-term contributions of neural crest cells to the postmetamorphic anuran skull. . The Neural Crest: New Perspectives on Lineage and Morphogenesis, Mt. Hood, OR.

Gross, J.B. & J. Hanken (2003). Assessing the expression of major bone extracellular matrix proteins in the anuran skull vault. . Society for Developmental Biology Annual Meeting, Madison, WI.

Gross, J.B. & L.A. Barlow (2001). Placodally derived sensory neurites grow preferentially, but not exclusively, towards the oropharyngeal endoderm. . AChems Annual Meeting, Sarasota, FL.

Gross, J.B. & L.A. Barlow (2000). Development of placodal neurons in vitro.. Chemical Senses Annual Meeting Program & Abstracts , .

Gross, J.B. & L.A. Barlow (2000). Development of epibranchial placodes in Ambystoma mexicanum. Society for Developmental Biology Annual Meeting, Boulder, CO.

Joshua Gross, Ph.D. (2000). In vitro analysis of placodal fiber growth in relation to target tissue. Sigma Xi Annual Regional Meeting, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado.

Joshua Gross, Ph.D. (2000). Quantitative analysis of placodal fiber growth. RMRNG Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado.

Post Graduate Training & Education

2005-2007, NIH/NRSA Cancer Genetics Training Fellow, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA.

2007-2008, NIH/NRSA Independent Fellow, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA.

2005-2010, Research Fellow in Genetics, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA.

Other Experience and Professional Memberships

American Association of Anatomists, AAA.

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, FASEB.

International Society of Vertebrate Morphologists, ICVM.

Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS.

The Society for Developmental Biology, SDB.

The Association for Chemoreception Sciences, AChemS.

The Rocky Mountain Taste and Smell Center (RMTSC), University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Rocky Mountain Regional Neuroscience Group, RMRNG.

Courses Taught

15-BIOL-955 RESEARCH PROG BIOL.

15-BIOL-901 SEM INTEGRATVE BIO.

15-BIOL-902 SEM INTEGRATVE BIO .

15-BIOL-800 GRAD TOPICS BIOLOGY Genes & Adaptation.

15-BIOL-302 GENETICS.

15-BIOL-903 SEM INTEGRATVE BIO .

15-BIOL-901 SEM INTEGRATVE BIO.

15-BIOL-902 SEM INTEGRATVE BIO .

15-BIOL-903 SEM INTEGRATVE BIO .