How BRCA2 affects egg and sperm health
Roles of BRCA2 in Mammalian Meiosis and Gamete Quality
This work looks at how the BRCA2 protein helps make healthy eggs and sperm, which is important for people worried about fertility or inherited BRCA2 changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237122 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team is creating and using new mouse models and lab-made BRCA2 protein to see where and when BRCA2 works during the cell divisions that make eggs and sperm. They will tag the natural BRCA2 protein in mice so it can be visualized, remove BRCA2 in specific germ cells at particular stages, and map BRCA2 binding across the genome. The researchers will also purify full-length human BRCA2 and partner proteins to test how they work biochemically, and use high-resolution imaging to watch recombination proteins on chromosomes. Together, these methods aim to reveal how BRCA2 supports accurate chromosome handling in gametes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with known BRCA2 gene changes, unexplained infertility, or interest in how inherited BRCA2 variants might affect reproductive health would be most relevant to these findings.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate cancer treatment or direct fertility therapies should not expect direct clinical benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify why BRCA2 changes sometimes affect gamete quality and help guide future tests or treatments for fertility and genetic counseling.
How similar studies have performed: While BRCA2's role in DNA repair and cancer is well studied, using these new mouse genetic tools, genome-wide mapping, and purified full-length human BRCA2 to study meiosis is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hunter, Neil — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Hunter, Neil
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.