Robert Braun

Research/Areas of Interest

My lab is driven by a passion to understand the cell biological basis of gamete (sperm and egg) development. We study how germline stem cells balance self-renewal with differentiation. Stem cell self-renewal at the expense of differentiation can cause germ cell tumors while differentiation at the expense of self-renewal can cause sterility. Our long-term goal is to understand the mechanisms that regulate germline stem cell fate. In other work, we are studying the molecular function of the hormone testosterone in spermatogenesis with a focus on how the tight junctions between Sertoli cells are regulated by testosterone. Lastly, we are investigating molecular mechanisms of translational regulation, a major form of gene regulation in both male and female germ cells, during spermatogenesis.