Rising Stars Webinar #3
Join us on March 19, 2025 at 12:00PM ET for the third SSR Rising Stars Webinar moderated by Pamela Monahan with speakers Diana Monsivais an Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine and Maria Agustina Battistone an Assistant Professor at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Title: “Characterizing Aldh1a1+ stem cells in the endometrium and endometriosis”
Description: The regenerative potential of the endometrium is attributed to the presence of stem cells which are required to rapidly repopulate the endometrium after menstruation and throughout the reproductive lifespan. Despite their critical roles, the identity, location, and growth factors controlling endometrial stem cells are unknown. Using lineage tracing studies, organoid formation assays and DT-mediated ablation in mouse models, we show that ALDH1A1+ cells are long-term progenitors of the endometrial epithelium and are required for epithelial organoid proliferation and growth. We have also used organoid and transcriptomic studies show that ALDHHI cells are more proliferative and give rise to larger organoids with stem-like transcriptomic profiles in the human eutopic and ectopic endometrium.
Title: “The Epididymal Mucosa: An Immune Niche Shaping Male Fertility”
Description: The epididymal mucosa plays a crucial role in shaping the immune environment necessary for sperm maturation and storage. It maintains a delicate balance between immune tolerance and defense, ensuring sperm acquire the fertilizing ability while preventing infections. Clear cells, specialized proton-secreting epithelial cells, and mononuclear phagocytes create a distinct epididymal niche that regulates inflammation and controls sperm antigen exposure. Understanding these mechanisms offers valuable insights for developing targeted therapies for infertility and advancing novel male contraception strategies.