Early in the development of sperm the X and Y chromosomes condense into tight packages and are sequestered away from the other 44 human chromosomes. If any part of this process goes awry, the cells cannot mature into sperm.
Mariel Vazquez, an internationally recognized applied mathematician who held a joint appointment as a professor in the Departments of Mathematics, and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG), passed away on July 5, 2026, at the age of 55. She is survived by her husband Javier Arsuaga, a professor of mathematics and molecular and cellular biology, and their children Eithne and Cedric Arsuaga-Vazquez, as well as her parents Maria Elena and Rolando Antonio Vazquez and a large extended family.
Sad news that Ichiro Amitani, a Research Associate in Steve Kowalczykowski’s lab, passed away this past Tuesday, October 26, 2021 after an optimistic struggle with pancreatic cancer.
Satoshi Namekawa, a professor of microbiology and molecular genetics whose research has advanced our understanding of fertility, epigenetics and genome organization, has been named chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG). He will begin serving in the role on July 1, 2026.
New work from researchers at the University of California, Davis College of Biological Sciences answers a key question about how E. coli fixes damage to DNA in the middle of duplicating it.
Shining Light on the Social Lives of Viruses. Scientists know viruses are contagious and can spread quickly, but how do they interact with each other? [Article]
In a new study published in Nature Communications, Satoshi Namekawa and his colleagues, define the epigenetic machinery that governs the establishment and function of the mammalian ovarian reserve.