Maintaining male fertility through RNA binding proteins
Official title: Maintenance of male fertility via RNA binding proteins
Funded at University of Massachusetts Boston · NIH-11444913 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to understand how RNA binding proteins help sperm stem cells in males stay healthy and continue producing sperm, using zebrafish as a model to inform potential fertility improvements.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 24, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $577,974 |
| NIH project number | 1R15HD123283-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11444913 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with male-factor infertility or those interested in fertility biology and potential future therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without fertility concerns may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
Fertility problems affect many couples, and this project looks at the biology behind male fertility at the level of sperm stem cells. Researchers will study how RNA binding proteins regulate the messages inside these cells to keep them growing and differentiating properly. They will use the zebrafish model to identify which RNAs interact with Adad1 and how these interactions influence germ cell maintenance. The work could reveal targets for future therapies to support healthy sperm production in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of male fertility mechanisms could lead to new treatments helping men conceive.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows Adad1 is important for germ cell maintenance, suggesting this approach could yield meaningful insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Siegfried, Kellee R — University of Massachusetts Boston
- Study coordinator: Siegfried, Kellee R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how some Amish communities maintain high birth rates in modern times
A project will build a large, time-sensitive dataset to understand why Amish families keep having many children, even as broader society has much lower birth rates.
-
Fighting fibroids with single-cell data to find new drugs
A study uses patient fibroid and normal tissue cells to find existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat fibroids, with tests in human cells and a mouse model.
-
Pesticide exposure and fertility health as people move from adolescence to adulthood
This long-term study follows people in Ecuador to see how pesticide exposure over the years relates to fertility and hormones as they become young adults.
-
CatSper and calcium signaling in sperm fertility
A study at Yale investigates how a sperm channel called CatSper helps calcium signaling to drive sperm movement and fertility in mammals.
-
How everyday cosmetic chemicals may affect women's fertility
This project looks at whether chemicals from cosmetics appear in blood and ovarian fluid and link to fertility in women trying to have children.
-
Chibby proteins' role in sperm development and male fertility
This project looks at how Chibby family proteins help sperm form and whether problems with these proteins contribute to male infertility.
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.