Thursday June 5, 2025
PhysOrg —
During a tour of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Corey Allard noticed something strange: fish using six leg-like appendages to “walk” around the bottom of their tank.
Allard was intrigued to learn that scientists suspect the appendages are sensory organs that help the fish—called sea robins—feel around in the sand for prey. His intrigue deepened upon discovering that almost nothing was known about sea robins beyond a couple of papers from the 1970s.
Soon, he was studying the bizarre-looking fish.
The encounter started Allard on a research journey that culminated in becoming an assistant professor of cell biology in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School. Allard, who launched his lab last fall, takes a curiosity-driven approach to studying a range of species, seeking to reveal basic biological principles—some of which may ultimately have applications for medicine or industry.