How bridges between developing egg cells grow during fruit fly egg formation
Official title: The growth of the germline ring canals during Drosophila melanogaster oogenesis
Funded at Butler University · NIH-11124348 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying tiny bridges that connect developing egg cells in fruit flies to learn what controls their formation and growth, with the goal of informing infertility research.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Butler University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2016 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $516,934 |
| NIH project number | 2R15HD084243-03A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11124348 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant does not enroll patients, but people with unexplained infertility or those following basic fertility research may find the results most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment options or clinical therapies are unlikely to benefit directly because the research is basic laboratory work in fruit flies.
What this research studies
This project uses the fruit fly as a model to explore how intercellular bridges called ring canals form and enlarge during egg development. The team manipulates key proteins (including the Misshapen and Tao kinases) and examines effects on the actin cytoskeleton and cell–cell junctions using genetics and microscopy. Results will be integrated into a model of the molecular pathways that control ring canal formation, stability, and growth. Although the work is done in flies, these structures are conserved and the findings aim to shed light on mechanisms relevant to human fertility.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve scientific understanding of how eggs form and identify molecular targets that someday inform diagnosis or treatment of some forms of infertility.
How similar studies have gone: Previous fruit fly research has uncovered many structural proteins of germline bridges and informed fertility biology, but applying Misshapen/Tao signaling specifically to ring canal growth in the germline is a newer direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Butler University
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lewellyn, Lindsay Kyle — Butler University
- Study coordinator: Lewellyn, Lindsay Kyle
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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.