Congratulations to Rexxi Prasasya, PhD, who has been awarded a K99 Pathway to Independence Award. Dr. Prasasya, a Research Associate in the Bartolomei Lab, received this award for her project titled “Molecular determinants of sex-specific DNA methylation signature acquisition in the mammalian germline.”
She plans to use this award to continue her research into elucidating how the most sexually dimorphic epigenetic marks, DNA methylation, is established in the germ cells. Aberrant DNA methylation in gametes is associated with idiopathic infertility, poorer outcomes during fertility treatment, and can be deleterious to early embryonic development. Using various mouse genetic models, Dr. Prasasya will be investigating intracellular and extracellular cues that instruct the patterning of DNA methylation in oocytes and sperm.