My lab focuses on defining the molecules and mechanisms that control chromosome segregation during meiosis. In humans, errors in chromosome segregation during female meiosis are the leading cause of birth defects and miscarriages and these “mistakes” increase exponentially during a woman’s thirties. We are using the model system Drosophila melanogaster (the fruit fly) to delineate the molecular pathways that help ensure that chromosomes “do the right thing” during female meiosis and to understand why segregation errors increase as oocytes age.  What we learn could ultimately have a profound impact on the pregnancy outcomes of women, especially during their thirties and forties.Save