Biomarkers For The Diagnosis And Prognostic Analysis Of Male Infertility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,370.00
Summary
Male infertility is a common condition, affecting 1 in 15 men. Although a standard semen analysis is often performed to test whether a man is infertile, it is far from definitive. We have developed a new approach, by looking at proteins that are commonly missing from infertile sperm cells. From this analysis, we can definitively diagnose male infertility and are beginning to understand why men are becoming infertile.
The Role Of Dynamin In Spermatogenesis, Sperm Maturation And Sperm-oocyte Interactions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$551,950.00
Summary
Male infertility is an extremely common condition affecting 1 in 20 Australian men. One of the major reasons for this pathology is that the spermatozoa have lost their ability to interact with the egg and penetrate its outer vestments. In this project we shall investigate the role of dynamin in the regulation of these events. This research will provide new and powerful insights into the causes of male infertility, with practical implications for diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
Investigation Of The Mechanisms Underpinning HSPA2 Dysfunction In The Spermatozoa Of Infertile Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$481,563.00
Summary
Male infertility is an extremely common condition, that is frequently associated with the production of sperm that have lost their ability to recognize the egg. We have shown that this defect is frequently associated with a deficiency in a specific protein (HSPA2). By determining the mechanisms underpinning the loss of HSPA2, this project will provide powerful insights into the causes of male infertility, with practical implications for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
Identification And Characterisation Of Phosphorylation Events Taking Place During Human Sperm Capacitation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$280,400.00
Summary
Male infertility affects one in every twenty Australian males and one third of all infertile couples worldwide. The most common cause of human infertility is not a failure to produce sperm, but a failure of these cells to express a normal capacity for fertilization. The cause of this loss of functional competence is unclear. We are going to use our technical expertise in proteomics to characterize the molecular pathways responsible for the defective sperm function seen in infertile patients.
Targeting To Mitochondria Of Tail-Anchored Proteins. Defining The Molecular Apparatus Of Targeting.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$254,751.00
Summary
The cells of the body have an intricate and dynamic internal architecture, with the components (proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids) of the cell carefully arranged. It is widely viewed that just how each component finds its place in the cell, the cellular adressing system, is of critical importance. This was recognized this year by the award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Dr. Gunter Blobel for his work on the signals that direct different proteins to their correct destination. One such destin ....The cells of the body have an intricate and dynamic internal architecture, with the components (proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids) of the cell carefully arranged. It is widely viewed that just how each component finds its place in the cell, the cellular adressing system, is of critical importance. This was recognized this year by the award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Dr. Gunter Blobel for his work on the signals that direct different proteins to their correct destination. One such destination is the mitochnondria, the particles in the cell that produce chemical energy. The work in this proposal is designed to define precisely the molecular apparatus that targets a group of proteins to mitochondria. This group, proteins that are inserted into the mitochondria at one end of the protein, includes a variety of critical proteins, including those that determine the life or death of a cell. We will define both the address contained within those proteins, and the machinery on the mitochondria that recognizes that address, and ensures that those proteins will become part of the mitochondria. This research has two applications. By understanding the address, we will be able to decode the vast amount genomic data that is being produced, to predict exactly which proteins are delivered to mitochondria. Secondly, by understanding the targeting machinery, we may begin to design molecules that can inhibit its function, and thus manipulate the delivery of those proteins that affect cell life and death.Read moreRead less