Zak Swartz, Ph.D.

Research

My lab will explore how female sea stars continue to produce eggs throughout their decades-long lifespan. Human females are born with all of the oocytes they will ever have, and this stockpile of eggs declines in number and quality as women age. The sea star Patiria miniata is much more reproductively prolific: These creatures produce millions of fresh oocytes, without ceasing, over the course of their lifetime. The secret to their reproductive longevity may lie in a reserve of ovarian stem cells that continuously gives rise to new eggs. But how is this stem-cell stockpile maintained? Using a suite of advanced techniques in single-cell genomics, gene editing, tissue culture, and microscopy, we will assess how cell signaling pathways and interactions with neighboring ovarian cells establish a balance between stem-cell renewal and egg production. My group will also explore whether any of these mechanisms are present in mammalian ovaries—work that could identify novel therapies for extending or restoring human fertility or improving the effectiveness of assisted reproductive strategies.