Research One goal of research in my lab is to uncover the mechanisms involved in sperm-egg fusion and the signaling that initiates mammalian development. A second goal of research in the lab is to develop novel contraceptive methods based on new knowledge in the cell biology of fertilization. The major focus is development of a birth control vaccine that induces an antibody response to sperm that blocks fertilization. My research program involves a major collaboration with Professor Diana Myles in the Section for Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Fertilization defects in sperm from mice lacking fertilin beta.
Zhu GZ, Lin Y, Myles DG, Primakoff P. Identification of four novel ADAMs with potential roles in spermatogenesis and fertilization. The frequency of calcium oscillations in mouse eggs at fertilization is modulated by the number of fused sperm.