Projects

Ongoing Projects

TRaitor - Tracking TRAnsgenerational epigenetic Inheritance of metabolic diseases Transmitted via overweight or obese fathers

(PTDC/MEC-AND/28691/2017) - Total funding: 239.187€. PI: Marco G. Alves

Ended Projects

Transgenerational biomarkers of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: fiction or action needed?

(Grant "Nuno Castel-Branco" from The Portuguese Society of Diabetology (SPD))

Obesitility – Gut hormones and testicular metabolism: mechanisms associated with obesity-related male infertility (FCT - PTDC/BIM-MET/4712/2014) - PI: Marco G. Alves

Aquaporins as molecular partners of CFTR in the Blood-Testis Barrier: a crossroad between human male infertility and cystic fibrosis?(FCT - PTDC/BBB-BQB/1368/2014) - PI: Pedro F. Oliveira

"Can Hormonal (De)regulation of Ion Transporters in Human Sertoli Cells be Responsible for Infertility?"(FCT - PTDC/QUI-BIQ/121446/2010) - PI: Pedro F. Oliveira

Using primary Sertoli cell cultures we aim to elucidate if estrogens influence the expression of the most relevant ion membrane transporters described in Sertoli cells. Understanding these regulatory processes is fundamental for the clarification of the pathophysiologic mechanisms and for the eventual treatment of male infertility associated with dysfunctions in the estrogen levels. For that reason, we will also address our study over a pathological syndrome associated with increased levels of estrogens, expressing clinical correlation with this research project. We aim to establish the link between high levels of estrogens, ionic (de)regulation in Sertoli cells and the infertility associated to the pathology.