Grant MacGregor, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

2042 Hewitt Hall
University of California Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697

Tel: (949) 824-8253
Fax: (949) 824-6388
Email: gmacg@uci.edu

Molecular basis of mammalian spermatogenesis - Gametogenesis involves production of male and female germ cells required for maintenance of a species. In addition to its inherent interest, study of gametogenesis is also useful to investigate a wide range of important cell biology processes found in most organs including cell-cell communication, stem cell biology, meiosis, cellular differentiation and cellular adhesion. Gametogenesis is also important from an applied research perspective as approximately 15% of couples are infertile. New information about the gene products required for gametogenesis could be applied to diagnosis and treatment of infertility. In addition, such information may provide opportunities for development of new drugs that could be used for non-hormonal female and male contraceptives. There are four current areas of research in the lab. The first involves the function of a novel family of proteins (FNDC3) in mammalian development and reproduction. The second project concerns investigating of the function of post-translational modification of tubulin in spermatogenesis. The third area, is a long-term collaboration with the Wallace lab to investigate the function of mitochondrial-localized proteins in mammalian development and reproduction. Each of these projects uses the mouse as a model system. Lastly, a new project concerns development of methods to produce oocytes form human ES cells.

Recent Publications