Re-energising The Preimplantation Embryo To Extend Lifetime Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,156,936.00
Summary
Diseases of aging are associated with shortening at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres. The length of an individual’s telomeres is established during embryo development, and in situations where embryo development is compromised such as with maternal obesity the normal process of telomere lengthening may not occur. We will determine how such disruptions in embryo telomere lengthening contribute to poor health in adulthood and test ways to restore the natural process.
Modulation Of Telomere Length And Subtelomeric DNA Methylation In Response To Oxidative Stress In The Male Germ Line; Implications For Tumorigenesis In The Offspring
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$310,684.00
Summary
This research project is designed to elucidate how the quality of a father’s spermatozoa can impact upon the health and wellbeing of his children. We hypothesize that factors, such as infertility, heavy smoking or age create a state of oxidative stress in the testes and that this stress influences the genetic structure of spermatozoa in such a way that the incidence of spontaneous mutations and susceptibility-to-cancer are significantly elevated in the offspring.