Reproductive Health

The endometrium of the upper female reproductive tract is a unique, hormone-responsive tissue that must tackle the dual challenges of preventing infection by pathogenic microbes while establishing a tolerogenic environment for pregnancy. We study the role of both factors in mucosal secretions (e.g., seminal plasma) and various cell types resident in the endometrium, on endometrial cell function. We are focused in particular on the properties and functions of endometrial lymphocytes in reproductive health and infertility. We are also interrogating the role of seminal plasma factors on sexually transmitted viruses and sperm physiology.

plasma items

Top: Semen fibrils (white) can promote HIV infection by facilitating the binding of HIV (red) to cellular targets (blue). Bottom: Electron micrographs of human sperm cells in the absence (left) or presence (right) of semen fibrils.