每日大瓜

Dr. Margarita Vigodner

Dr. Margarita Vigodner, associate professor of biology, has co-authored an article with 每日大瓜 students, 鈥�,鈥� that was published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communication (Sept. 29, 2021). Her co-authors are Tania Kiesel 鈥�23S and Kayla Perlmutter 鈥�22S and Manveet Nanda and Shanza Baseer Tariq (both currently enrolled in the Biotechnology Management and Entrepreneurship at the Katz School of Science and Health) along with Dr. Amitabha Sengupta, research associate. The core focus of the study, according to Kiesel, a biology major who hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was to work on 鈥渢he unknown causes of male infertility,鈥� an important research challenge because, as Perlmutter, also a bio major, from Baltimore, Maryland, points out, 鈥渋nfertility affects 8-12% of the couples in the United States, and half of these cases can be attributed to the male partner,鈥� likely due to damage caused during spermatogenesis, the process in which male sperm are formed. 鈥淪o we studied male infertility,鈥� said Nanda, who calls Jalandhar, India, home, 鈥渁t the proteomic level (that is, the level of proteins) and worked on how slowing down the effect of a particular protein can affect male infertility.鈥� For Kiesel, having her name appear on the publication 鈥渇elt like a huge accomplishment,鈥� and it fit perfectly into the pre-med student鈥檚 career plans to become an OB-GYN. Perlmutter was equally excited to see her name listed as a co-author and 鈥渇elt honored to be a part of the research striving to help couples create families.鈥� Nanda, who aims to pursue a Ph.D. in cancer biology, was grateful for the chance 鈥渢o have made a scientific contribution to my field鈥� that will help her with her applications and add to her research experience.