IU Axolotl Colony Moving to The University of Kentucky
Topic: Hoosier Oddities
Posted: Wed, Jun 1, 2005 
I just found out today that the IU Axolotl Colony is moving to the University of Kentucky. I worked at the Colony during my undergrad days and also again when I returned to IU for grad school.
Never heard of an Axolotl? Most people haven't either.
Axolotls are aquatic salamanders native to a single lake near Mexico City. They are a close relative to our local Tiger Salamander. Developmental biologists have a special affinity for these creatures because they have large eggs and they breed readily in captivity. This combination is great for anyone studying any sort of early embryo development.
The Colony has been at IU since 1957. The function of the Colony is to supply researchers with eggs (predominantly) and live animals. While at the Colony, I would see shipments of 2000-4000 eggs go out each week. These shipments would go all over the world. One researcher we shipped to was actually very allergic to any sort of animal dander and choose to work with salamanders to avoid a reaction.
The Colony is moving now after almost 50 years at IU because the Colony's Director, Dr. George Malacinski, is retiring.
Good luck to the Colony in its new home and to George in his retirement!
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Comments
1. Jun 2, 05 01:04 PM | Rachel Wolfe said:
Hey, I took Malacinski's Molecular Bio and Developmental Bio + Lab classes! We worked with axolotls in the lab, it was fun. (Well, fun for us; not so much fun for them.) That's too bad that they couldn't find a caretaker to keep the colony at IU.
2. Oct 24, 06 09:02 AM | Kathryn Cullum said:
I didn't realize that they were moving.. its the end of an era. I worked there for a while too, and have done research with these animals. They are a valuable resource wherever they are. Prof M was definitely a one of a kind instructor as well. Good luck to him!