How heat harms sperm chromosome structures linked to male infertility
Official title: Defining the Mechanisms of Temperature Sensitive Meiotic Chromosome Structures in Male Infertility
Funded at Colorado State University · NIH-11310215 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how warmer-than-normal temperatures change the protein structures that organize chromosomes during sperm production, which could help men with heat-related infertility.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $243,891 |
| NIH project number | 5R00HD109505-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310215 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This work is most relevant to men with unexplained infertility who have a history of heat exposure (for example frequent fevers, occupational heat, or elevated scrotal temperature).
✕Less likely to help
People whose infertility is clearly due to non-heat causes such as obstructive blockages, certain hormonal disorders, or unrelated chromosomal conditions are less likely to benefit directly from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will use the small roundworm C. elegans because its sperm and egg formation processes can be observed and manipulated easily in the lab. They will raise worms at different temperatures and use high-resolution imaging to see how the synaptonemal complex (a chromosome-organizing protein structure) changes in sperm compared with eggs. The team will track which proteins are present and how quickly they turn over in spermatocytes, and test genetic or molecular factors that make the male structures temperature-sensitive. Findings from the worm model will be interpreted with an eye toward mechanisms that may operate in human sperm and potential protective strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal why heat causes sperm damage and point to targets to diagnose, prevent, or treat heat-related male infertility.
How similar studies have gone: Previous lab and animal studies have linked heat to sperm DNA damage and fertility problems, but using C. elegans to dissect sex-specific changes in the synaptonemal complex is a relatively new and more detailed approach.
Where this research is happening
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Colorado State University
Fort Collins, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cahoon, Cori K — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Cahoon, Cori K
Related research
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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.