EP 48: The Calcium Code—SSR Research Award Interview with Dr. Carmen Williams
In this highly insightful episode of The Future Conceived, host Cam Schmidt talks with Dr. Carmen Williams, Senior Investigator at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the 2025 winner of the SSR Research Award.Dr. Williams, whose lab investigates the critical events of fertilization, shares groundbreaking findings on calcium signaling during egg activation. You will learn:Why the simple components of in vitro culture media, specifically calcium and magnesium ratios, dramatically control the frequency of calcium oscillations and influence the quality and development of the resulting embryo.New, compelling evidence linking these early calcium signals to metabolism (TCA cycle) and ribosomal RNA synthesis in the early embryo.The continued importance of research into endocrine disruptors, particularly plant estrogens, and their impact on reproductive tract differentiation.Dr. Williams also discusses her journey from electrical engineering to clinical medicine to basic science, and closes with a powerful message acknowledging the essential role of trainees in driving scientific success.
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EP47: Egg Activation: Molecular Mechanisms with Dr. Mariana Wolfner
Join host Cameron A. Schmidt, PhD, as he kicks off a new series celebrating the vital role of the egg in sexual reproduction. This episode features a conversation with pioneering developmental biologist Dr. Mariana Wolfner of Cornell University.Dr. Wolfner has spent nearly fifty years utilizing the powerful genetics of the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to dissect the fundamental mechanisms guiding sex determination and development, spanning from genetics and molecular biology to evolutionary development.Key Topics in this Episode:The Power of Model Organisms: Discover why Drosophila is an indispensable tool for uncovering conserved biological mechanisms shared across diverse species, including mammals.Defining Conservation: Dr. Wolfner explores the difference between biochemical functional conservation and developmental functional conservation in evolutionary biology.The Mystery of Egg Activation: Learn about this critical, yet poorly understood, process where a terminally differentiated egg transitions into a totipotent cell capable of creating an entire organism.The Calcium Signal: Discuss the pivotal role of calcium in triggering activation and how the initiating impulse differs between organisms like mammals (sperm-delivered enzyme) and insects (mechanical/environmental cues upon ovulation).Sexual Conflict and Cooperation: An updated perspective on the role of male accessory gland secretions (seminal fluid) and how molecules transferred during mating influence female physiology and behavior, challenging older interpretations of sexual conflict in favor of a more nuanced view of cooperation and cross-talk between the sexes.This discussion offers a fascinating look at how small-scale molecular events ultimately inform large-scale developmental and evolutionary phenomena.
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1:09:14
EP46: Fuller W. Bazer Award with Marcella Pecora Milazzotto
In this episode of The Future Conceived, Dr. Fei Zhao, University of Wisconsin-Madison, sits down with Dr. Marcella Pecora Milazzotto, Federal University of ABC. Dr. Pecora Milazzotto is the 2025 Fuller W. Bazer SSR International Scientist Award. Listen in as Dr. Pecora Milazzotto discusses her relationship with SSR, her research and career development stories, and her advice to trainees.
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EP45: Sperm Capacitation: Intelligent Motion with Dr. Meisam Zaferani
This episode, the conclusion of our mini-series on sperm capacitation, features physicist Dr. Meisam Zaferani discussing sperm motility through the lens of search theory and active matter physics. Dr. Zaferani explains how the sperm, which he calls an "autonomous natural robot," overcomes the massive challenges of movement at the microscopic scale, where movement is dominated by fluid viscosity rather than inertia. To maximize their chance of reaching the egg, sperm constantly adapt their swimming strategies—a process physically evident as hyperactivation—to the geometrically complex and viscoelastic environment of the female reproductive tract.
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EP44: Alternative Careers in Reproductive Biology: Dr. Eglė Ortega, Senior Embryologist at Fertility Institute of Hawaii
In this episode of The Future Conceived we begin a new series, Alternative Careers in Reproductive Biology, which explores jobs for reproductive biologist outside of academia. Dr. Victor Ruthig from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus interviews Dr. Eglė Ortega about Dr. Ortega’s non-academic career as a reproductive biologist. Dr. Ortega is a Senior Embryologist on the In Vitro Fertilization team in Advanced Reproductive Medicine & Gynecology at the Fertility Institute of Hawaii.
The Future Conceived podcast is the official podcast for the Society for the Study of Reproduction. In this podcast, you'll hear about emerging scientists, new techniques, investigators from around the world, untold stories about our annual conference, and so much more! For more information about the Society for the Study of Reproduction and all things reproductive biology related please visit: https://www.ssr.org. Enjoy!
Brasil