Current Members
Jeremy Egbert
Assistant Professor (In Residence)
Phone: 860-679-2677
Email: egbert@uchc.edu
Rachael Norris
Assistant Professor (In Residence)
Phone: 860-679-3476
Email: norris@uchc.edu
Corie Owen
Postdoctoral Fellow
Phone: 860-679-3476
Email: coowen@uchc.edu
I am a postdoctoral researcher in Cell Biology. My work in Dr. Jaffe’s lab focuses on luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) localization in mouse ovarian follicles. We previously determined that prior to the LH surge, the LHR is expressed heterogeneously in the outer mural granulosa cells. Using confocal microscopy of fixed and live ovarian follicles, I have determined that LHR expressing cells migrate inwards in response to LH. Currently, we are investigating the function of this migration and how it contributes to ovulation.
Immunofluorescent images of HA-LHR in fixed cryosections of ovarian follicles at different time points after kisspeptin injection to stimulate an endogenous LH surge. Mice were injected 44 hours previously with eCG to stimulate follicle growth. Before LH, the LHR expressing cells are in the outer mural granulosa cells. At 6 hours after kisspeptin injection, LHR expressing cells have migrated into the interior of the follicle, and at 10 hours after kisspeptin injection, the LHR expressing cells have migrated out of the apical region where ovulation will occur (white arrow). At 10 hours, the apical region has become much thinner, while the basal region has contracted. By 12 hours after kisspeptin injection, ovulation has occurred. Images are maximum projections of 10 confocal images taken at 1 µm intervals. Scale bar = 100 µm.
Recent Publications
Owen, C.M., Jaffe, L.A. 2023. Luteinizing hormone stimulates ingression of mural granulosa cells within the mouse preovulatory follicle. Biology of Reproduction (in press)
(2021) Kisspeptin-54 injection induces a physiological LH surge and ovulation in mice. Biol Reprod. 104 (6), 1181-1183.
Baena, V., Owen, C.M., Uliasz, T.F., Lowther, K.M., Yee, S.-P., Terasaski, M., Egbert, J.E., and Jaffe, L.A. (2020). Cellular heterogeneity of the LH receptor and its significance for cyclic GMP signaling in mouse preovulatory follicles. Endocrinology 161 (7):bqaa074.
Egbert, J.R., Fahey, P.G., Reimer, J., Owen, C.M, Evsikov, A.V., Nikolaev, V.O., Griesbeck, O., Ray, R.S., Tolias, A.S., and Jaffe, L.A. (2019) Follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone increase Ca2+ in the granulosa cells of mouse ovarian follicles.pdf. Biol. Reprod., 101(2), 433–444.
Iris Nakashima
Ph.D. Biomedical Science Student
Phone: 860-679-3476
Email: inakashima@uchc.edu
I am a third-year graduate student in the Ph.D. in Biomedical Science program. In the Jaffe lab, my work focuses on Hapless2/generative cell specific 1 (HAP2/GCS1), a sperm-specific transmembrane fusion protein found in plants and some invertebrates. I am interested in determining the mechanism of HAP2/GCS1 mediated fusion, and determining if egg plasma membrane depolarization and ion channels play a role in that process.
Tracy Uliasz
Research Associate 1
Phone: 860-679-3476
Email: tuliasz@uchc.edu
I am a research associate in the Department of Cell Biology working jointly in the labs of Dr. Laurinda Jaffe and Dr. Lisa Mehlmann. Both labs are interested in the signaling pathways that regulate meiotic cell cycling. In the Jaffe lab, I have been involved in the study of the regulation and activity of guanylyl cyclase (NPR2) and its ligand CNP, which function to maintain high levels of cGMP in the ovarian follicle and meiotic arrest of the oocyte. We are investigating how luteinizing hormone regulates this system to cause meiosis to resume. In the Mehlmann lab the work I am involved in is focused on how the signaling pathway of the constitutively active GPR3 receptor regulates cAMP levels which is also involved in the maintenance of meiotic arrest.
Past Lab Members
- Seth Lapuk (Postbac, 1982-1983), Pediatric Cardiologist, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT, and Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics UConn School of Medicine
- Ana Iglesias (Postbac, 1983-1984), Professor, Universidad Politechnica de Madrid, Spain
- Lyanne Schlichter (Postdoc, 1983-1984), Professor, University of Toronto, Canada
- Lavinia (Muncy) Ross (Research Assistant, 1984-1990, 2001-2003), Musician, Sweet Home, OR
- Doug Kline (Postdoc, 1985-1988), Emeritus Professor, Kent State University
- Paul Turner (Ph.D., 1987), Field Applications Specialist, Affymetrics
- Kazuyoshi Chiba (Postdoc, 1988-1989), Professor, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan
- Fraser Shilling (Postdoc, 1991-1993), Co-Director, Road Ecology Center, University of California, Davis
- Chris Gallo (Postdoc, 1991-1995), Director, BioProcess Research and Development, Pfizer, Andover, MA
- David Carroll (Ph.D., 1996), Assistant Professor, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ
- David Serwanski (Research Assistant, 1995-2002), Retired
- Linda Runft (Ph.D., 2000), Medical Writing Senior Manager, Amgen Inc.
- Lisa Mehlmann (Postdoc, 1996-2001), Associate Professor, UConn Health Center, CT
- Andrew Giusti (Postdoc, 2000-2002), Deceased
- Rebecca Kalinowski (Ph.D., 2004), Director at Expense Reduction Analysts, Hartford. Specializing in Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Laboratory Cost Reduction
- Leon Freudzon (Postbac, 2004-2005), Assistant Professor and Associate Fellowship Program Director, Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine
- Marina Freudzon (Undergraduate Honors Student and Postbac, 2005-2007), Dermatologist, Kaiser Permanente, Atlanta GA
- Mikhail Tsesis (Postbac, 2009-10), Dentist, Putnam, CT
- Rachael Norris (Ph.D., 2009), Assistant professor, UConn Health Center, CT
- William Ratzan (Ph.D., 2011), Research Scientist, Harvard Medical School
- Valentina Baena (Postbac, 2013-2015), Research Scientist, National Institute of Health
- Leia Shuhaibar (Ph.D., 2015; Postdoc 2015-2017), Manager, Medical Science Liaison – Reproductive Medicine, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc, Houston, TX
- Giulia Vigone (Postdoc 2015-2020), Lecturer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
- Luisa Lestz (Postbac 2019-2020), Nursing Student, Vanderbilt University