Research Interests

Our laboratory advances the study of molecular regulation of Ca²+ signaling pathways during egg cell (oocyte) maturation. Because oocyte maturation is a limiting factor in infertility treatments, this line of investigation has the potential to improve human infertility treatments. Furthermore, given the ubiquitous role that Ca2+ signals play in a variety of cellular signaling pathways, these studies are likely to have wide-ranging implications in a variety of human diseases.

Additional studies in our lab are targeted at elucidating signaling and cellular mechanisms that regulate the meiotic cell cycle. Given the similar regulation of meiosis and mitosis, insights gained from these experiments will impact the understanding of cellular growth and regulation and hence cancer treatment.