How genes regulate pattern development during development is a fundamental question in biology. Our laboratory is researching the function of klf17 during lateral line development in Zebrafish. The lateral line is a sensory organ, unique to fishes and amphibians, that allows individuals to sense vibrational movements in water. Proper development of the lateral line involves specifying individual sensory organs, known as neuromasts, at specific locations in the embryo. This highly stereotyped pattern is regulated by a lateral line primordium that migrates from anterior to posterior on the body depositing neuromasts as it moves. My undergraduate thesis work has shown that klf17 mutations result in striking defects to neuromast patterning during embryogenesis. The first 3 neuromasts in klf17 mutants are completely lost, however, more posterior neuromasts are variably present across embryos. Furthermore, I have shown that loss of klf17 leads to fewer differentiated sensory hair cells and fewer stem cells within neuromasts suggesting klf17 affects either deposition of neuromasts and/or stem cell differentiation and neuromast fate. To further explore the mechanisms of klf17, I used HCR to show that the lateral line primordium loses polarity and may exhibit migration and/or deposition defects. This would mechanistically explain why klf17 mutants have fewer lateral line neuromast. Understanding the role of klf17 in development of sensory organs will inform research in cancer biology, immune system functioning, and multiple diseases.