Tuesday, December 2, 2025 12/2/2025

Sperm Ca2+ signaling and energy pathways in basic science and ART

Award Number: R01HD038082
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2026

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Sperm Ca2+ signaling and energy pathways in basic science and ART - Project Summary Infertility and subfertility are critical health problems affecting about 9 % of couples worldwide. Since the first successful “Test-Tube” baby in 1978, over 5 million babies were born using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). ART includes such techniques as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and embryo transfer techniques. ART is used in humans, and in animals of economic relevance. In humans alone, IVF and ICSI are used ~ 800,000 times per year. In all species, the limiting factor for successful pregnancies to occur is obtaining good quality preimplantation embryos which have a direct influence in implantation and pregnancy rates. Capacitation involves crosstalk between metabolic and signaling pathways. In the previous period, we showed that a short incubation with the Ca2+ ionophore A23187[7] can induce in vitro fertilizing capacity in sperm from sterile knock-out (KO) genetic models. We hypothesized that, at least, in part, A23187's effects were due to changes in metabolism. When sperm metabolism was changed using starvation and rescue protocols, we observed that intracellular Ca2+ was elevated. In addition, we found that, similar to A23187, sperm incubated in the absence of nutrients become immotile. Once nutrients are added back to the incubation media, sperm motility is rescued and those sperm depict higher percentage of hyperactivation and enhanced in vitro fertilization (IVF) rates. Unexpectedly, eggs fertilized with sperm incubated in metabolic enhanced conditions were more efficient in producing blastocysts and those blastocysts generated more implantation sites and produced more pups when transferred to pseudo-pregnant females. This proposal has basic and applied goals. The basic science objective is to understand the molecular basis of these methods with particular emphasis on the crosstalk between calcium and metabolic pathways. At the translational level, our goal is to use novel sperm incubation conditions to improve ART.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $429,132 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	101 COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	21	8/19/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$429,132
														Subtotal = $429,132

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $531,387 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	101 COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	20	5/4/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$423,754
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	101 COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	002	20	8/21/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$0
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	101 COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	20	5/6/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$107,633
														Subtotal = $531,387

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $537,517 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	19	5/24/2023	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$108,385
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	19	4/17/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$429,132
														Subtotal = $537,517

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $429,132 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	18	5/13/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$429,132
														Subtotal = $429,132

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $444,007 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	17	4/28/2021	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$444,007
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	17	5/3/2021	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $444,007

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2020	2018	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	16	9/19/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $300,527 )
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	16	4/20/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$30,053
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	COMMONWEALTH AVE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	16	4/1/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$270,474
														Subtotal = $300,527

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $300,527 )
2017	2017	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	70 BUTTERFIELD TERRACE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	15	3/16/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$270,474
2017	2017	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	70 BUTTERFIELD TERRACE	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	15	6/13/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$30,053
														Subtotal = $300,527

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $297,520 )
2016	2016	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	14	3/19/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$297,520
														Subtotal = $297,520

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $293,013 )
2015	2015	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	13	3/18/2015	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$293,013
														Subtotal = $293,013

Issue Date FY: 2014 ( Subtotal = $312,770 )
2014	2014	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	12	6/2/2014	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$312,770
														Subtotal = $312,770

Issue Date FY: 2011 ( Subtotal = $271,690 )
2011	2011	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	11	7/25/2011	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$271,690
														Subtotal = $271,690

Issue Date FY: 2010 ( Subtotal = $356,385 )
2010	2010	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Trans-NIH Recovery Act Research Support	000	9	7/19/2010	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$73,220
2010	2010	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	10	8/5/2010	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$283,165
														Subtotal = $356,385

Issue Date FY: 2009 ( Subtotal = $286,174 )
2009	2009	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Population Research	000	9	8/3/2009	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$286,174
														Subtotal = $286,174

Issue Date FY: 2008 ( Subtotal = $286,316 )
2008	2008	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Population Research	000	8	8/22/2008	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$286,316
														Subtotal = $286,316

Issue Date FY: 2007 ( Subtotal = $304,410 )
2007	2007	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Population Research	000	7	9/7/2007	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$304,410
														Subtotal = $304,410

Issue Date FY: 2004 ( Subtotal = $244,125 )
2004	2004	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	6	5/13/2004	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$244,125
														Subtotal = $244,125

Issue Date FY: 2003 ( Subtotal = $244,125 )
2003	2003	UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS	406C-1 GOODELL BUILDING	AMHERST	MA	01003	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Population Research	000	5	7/16/2003	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$244,125
														Subtotal = $244,125

Issue Date FY: 2002 ( Subtotal = $233,100 )
2002	2002	UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA	PO BOX 9003	CHARLOTTESVILLE	VA	22906	CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY	USA	Population Research	000	3	6/14/2002	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$233,100
														Subtotal = $233,100

Issue Date FY: 2001 ( Subtotal = $233,100 )
2001	2001	UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA	PO BOX 9003	CHARLOTTESVILLE	VA	22906	CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY	USA	Population Research	000	2	6/11/2001	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$233,100
														Subtotal = $233,100

Issue Date FY: 2000 ( Subtotal = $227,484 )
2000	2000	UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA	PO BOX 400195	CHARLOTTESVILLE	VA	22904	CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY	USA	Population Research	000	1	6/28/2000	NEW	$227,484
														Subtotal = $227,484

Grand Total All Awards = $6,562,441

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Sperm Ca2+ signaling and energy pathways in basic science and ART

Award Number: R01HD038082

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2026

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