The mechanistic basis of heat induced fertility loss in males

Recent research highlights heat stress-related fertility loss, especially in males, as a major threat to wild and domestic animals under climate change.

To counteract fertility loss, a detailed understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying the heat sensitivity of spermatogenesis is needed.

I propose fruit fly experiments in the Snook lab at Stockholm University (months 1-9 and 33-36) and zebrafish experiments in the Immler lab at the University of East Anglia (months 10-32) to fill this gap.

I will use a novel approach combining Single cell RNA-sequencing of spermatogenic cells from experimental heat treatments to unravel the molecular underpinnings of heat-induced fertility loss and potential recovery after heat exposure.

To identify genes responsible for heat-induced fertility loss and recovery, I will develop a bioinformatic pipeline integrating gene expression trajectories throughout spermatogenesis with data on the spermatogenesis stage(s) that fail and the topography of a gene regulatory network.

Using two species provides data on shared vs unique cellular responses to heat stress and ensures transferability of the developed analysis workflow.

Thus, this project provides a novel understanding of temperature-dependent processes affecting spermatogenesis, which can lay the foundation for clinical remedies for heat-induced infertility and generates a flexible, publicly available analytical pipeline to investigate abnormalities during spermatogenesis.