How reproductive cells copy and pass on genes to make healthy eggs and sperm
Structural and functional principles underlying germline genome transmission
Researchers are learning how the machinery that cuts and repairs DNA during egg and sperm formation works, to help reduce errors that can cause miscarriage or developmental problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321652 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, scientists are studying the proteins that create and fix DNA breaks when eggs and sperm form, because mistakes there can lead to miscarriages or birth defects. They will purify these proteins and study their structures in the lab, watch single molecules in action with sensitive biophysical tools, and run experiments in yeast and mice to see how changes affect cells. By combining detailed biochemical work with organism experiments, they hope to find the key steps that keep chromosome copying accurate. This work focuses on processes conserved across species to learn what likely matters in human reproduction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by unexplained infertility, recurrent miscarriage, or chromosomal disorders in children may find this research relevant to future advances.
Not a fit: Patients seeking an immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly because this is laboratory-based basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could clarify causes of infertility, miscarriage, and genetic errors and eventually guide better diagnostics or treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Related biochemical and yeast/mouse studies have previously revealed important meiotic mechanisms, and this project builds on recent breakthroughs that now allow detailed structural and single-molecule analysis.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keeney, Scott — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Keeney, Scott
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.