Dr. Pei-Li Yao
Postdoctoral Fellow
email: dalen@mail.utexas.edu
512-471-9171

Project:
Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples in the United States and 40% of these fertility issues are due to male associated factors. It has recently been appreciated that exposure to environmental chemicals can impact male fertility. A better understanding of the physiological impact of environmental toxicants on testicular development will provide insights into human reproductive disorders, and further enhance the development of useful therapeutic strategies. My current research project explores how disruption of critical cell-to-cell interactions among Sertoli cells and the germ cells of the testis can cause premature loss of germ cells during their developmental phase and, ultimately, lead to infertility.

See also Dr. Yao's CV (PDF format).

See also Dr. Yao's Publications (PDF format).

Education:
B.S.: Forestry - Silviculture (National Taiwan University, Taiwan)
M.S.: Botany - Plant physiology and molecular biology (National Taiwan University, Taiwan, Dr. Kai-Wun Yeh)
Ph.D.: Cell and Molecular Biology (The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, Dr. John H. Richburg)

Yichen Lin
Graduate Student
yichen.lin@mail.utexas.edu
512-471-9171

Project:
Functional spermatogenesis relies heavily on the maintenance of dynamic interactions between Sertoli cells and germ cells of the seminiferous epithelium. Although only a low basal level of germ cell apoptosis occurs in adult animals under physiological conditions, widespread apoptosis occurs during the first round of spermatogenesis during the peri-pubertal period. My project is focus on investigating the functional significance of death ligand/receptor systems in the testis during this critical developmental time period.

See also Yichin Lin's Publications (PDF format).

Education:
B.S.: Agronomy (National Chung-Hsing University, Taiwan)
M.S.: Botany -- Plant physiology and molecular biology (National Taiwan University, Taiwan, Dr. Yih-Ming Chen)

Project: Cisplatin is a common and effective treatment for various tumors; though not without side effects. One of which is prolonged infertility in male patients. The mechanisms of this toxicity are not fully understood, and a critical need exists to determine the biology involved so that patients might maintain fertility while still achieving effective tumor elimination. It is known that exposure to cisplatin induces widespread germ cell apoptosis; however, this well characterized cell death does account for the protracted period of infertility. My research examines the possible implications of cisplatin-induced damage to spermatogonial stem cells and Sertoli cells in patient infertility.

Education: B.S.: Biology (The University of Texas at Arlington)