Honours Project Book - Faculty of Health Sciences - University of ...

Gamete and Embryo Biology Laboratory
Contact Person
Dr Michelle Lane
Phone: 8313 8176
michelle.lane@adelaide.edu.au
PROJECT: (Basic) Making old eggs young.
R. O&G.
Project Backgound
An increasing number of women seek IVF treatment
as a result of declining fertility, associated with
advanced maternal age. However, despite popular
misconceptions that IVF can cure all infertility, IVF
cannot cure aged eggs. It is currently this group of
patients who often do not reach their goal of a baby
without repeated treatment with its emotional and
financial toll. Mitochondrial function is the
powerhouse of the cell and mitochondrial activity
has been shown to reduce with age resulting in a
significant reduction in egg and embryo viability. The
aim of this study is to examine the ability of novel
mitochondrial nutrients for their ability to rescue
mitochondrial function in aged eggs and embryos to
improve pregnancy rates.
This study will investigate embryo development and
viability after culture in different media formulations
of mitochondrial nutrients. Techniques will involve
general embryology, assessment of metabolism, epi-
and confocal microscopy, general molecular
methods such as q-PCR.
Information from this study will assist in developing
new media to improve IVF procedures.
Supervisors
Dr Michelle Lane
Dr Deirdre Zander-Fox
Dr Tod Fullston
Dr Hassan Bakos
PROJECT: (Basic) Interaction of male obesity and
molecular function of human sperm on IVF outcomes.
R. O&G.
Project Backgound
There is increasing awareness that male obesity has a
negative impact on sperm quality. Male obesity is
now known to be associated with reduced success
rates after IVF treatment as well as increases in
miscarriage and pregnancy loss. However, the
mechanism for this impact on pregnancy health is
largely unknown. The aim of this study is to examine
the impact of paternal obesity at the time of
conception on the molecular structure of the sperm
and how this impacts on fertilization, embryo
development and pregnancy after IVF treatment.
This study will investigate sperm motility, count,
reactive oxygen species, methylation and
acetylation of sperm in relation to fertilization, sperm
binding and embryo development. Techniques will
involve general andrology methods as well as
immunohistochemistry, epi- and confocal
microscopy, mitochondrial measurement and cell
culture.
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