Grant: Operating Grant

Globally there have been reported increases in male infertility and reproductive disorders such as testis cancer. Both these conditions are associated with changes to what is known as the epigenetic program. Epigenetics is used to describe heritable biochemical information that sits on the DNA and is attached to the DNA packaging proteins the histones. Importantly the epigenetic layer regulates whether a gene is turned on or not, and can be influenced by the food we eat, the drugs we take and the toxins we are exposed to. In the formation of sperm, the layer of epigenetic information in part controls how male germ cells develop and also packages the DNA for the safe delivery to the embryo. If this setting of the epigenome is disturbed during male germ cell development there will be negative consequences for fertility and the health of offspring. This research program will investigate how the epigenetic information carried on sperm DNA contributes to male fertility and embryo health. The information generated from these studies will contribute new information on male infertility and as to how fathers can cause disease in their offspring through heritable information outside of the DNA.