Leslie L. Heckert, Ph.D.

Research in the Heckert laboratory focuses on understanding events regulating gene expression in the testis, in hopes to provide insight on vital processes controlling testis differentiation and sex determination and enhance our understanding of male development and fertility.  To accomplish this, we employ molecular approaches and animal models to probe transcriptional mechanisms and functions of three proteins; each important to testis differentiation, but acting at different developmental stages.  These are;  1) Dmrt1, an evolutionarily conserved protein that regulates testis differentiation, 2) SF-1, a nuclear hormone receptor important for normal development and steroid hormone production, and 3) the receptor for follicle stimulating hormone, a critical component of the endocrine axis that controls gonad function, gametogenesis, and fertility.