Courses:
Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology Lecture & Lab (BIOL161/171)
Genetics (BIOL240)
Molecular Genetics (BIOL440)

Research:

Fertilization is the earliest stage of development and encompasses the period from the entrance of the sperm into the egg through the first embryonic division. During that relatively short interval, the sperm nucleus must be de-condensed as it is dissociated from sperm-specific chromosome packaging proteins and then repackaged and re-condensed using proteins provided by the egg, the egg and sperm chromosomes must be replicated, and the two chromosome sets synchronized to come together in the first mitotic division. Although specific details differ between organisms, this stage is essentially conserved in animal development and is regulated by parental products in all animals.

Working with Dr. Barbara Wakimoto at the University of Washington, we have taken a genetic approach and identified several “paternal-effect genes’ that identify sperm products that are needed for early development in the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster. With these mutations as a starting point, we are employing a combination of genetic, molecular, biochemical and cell biology methods, to study the contribution of sperm products to this earliest stage in animal development.