Research in our laboratory converges on understanding human reproduction through discoveries on the cellular and molecular basis of fertilization and early development, advancing our knowledge on the mechanism of conception as well as the defects in male and female gametes leading to infertility.
Calvin Simerly, PhD
Research in Brief
My active research program is directed at understanding the cell biological basis of motility and meiotic/mitotic mechanisms during fertilization, development, and reprogramming, especially as it relates to the role of the centrosome, the cell’s major microtubule organizing center. My > 100 publications over the past 30 years have focused on the development of cloned and transgenic primates for biomedical research, motility events in a variety of cellular systems, ranging from invertebrates (sea urchins, sand dollars) to non-eutherian (opossum) and eutherian mammals (mice, domestic species, nonhuman primates, and humans), and cancer cells. I have considerable experience in stem cell derivations in mice and nonhuman primates (NHPs; baboon, rhesus), having produced the world’s first stable baboon embryonic stem cell lines and first baboon intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) births. Additionally, I have extensive training in the derivation of embryonic, epiblast, and germ stem cells in both mice and NHPs. I am well versed in Assisted Reproductive Technologies, including in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization, ICSI, intracytoplasmic nuclear injection, somatic cell nuclear transfer, cytoplasmic transfer, chimera production, transgene subzonal insertion and transgenICSI, zygote culture, embryo splitting and biopsies, and embryo transfer for pregnancy establishment in mice and nonhuman and human models. I have developed expertise in cell biology techniques (immunocytochemistry; DNA replication analysis using BrdU) and conventional/ confocal microscopy imaging technologies for both static and live cell imaging with GFP probes. My peer-reviewed research publications on fertilization, early development, stem cells, regeneration, and assisted reproductive technologies have appeared in premier journals, including Nature Medicine, Science, Molecular Biology of the Cell, and Scientific Reports.
Selected Publications
- Simerly, C, Manil-Ségalen, M, Castro, C, Hartnett, C, Kong, D, Verlhac, MH, Loncarek, J, Schatten, G. (2018). Separation and loss of centrioles from primordial germ cells to mature oocytes in the mouse. Sci Rep 8:12791. Doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-31222-x. PMID: 30143724.
- Fishman, EL, Jo, K, Nguyen, QPH, Kong,D, Royfman, R, Cekic, AR, Khanal, S, Miller,AL, Simerly,C, Schatten,G,Loncarek,J,Mennella,V, and Avidor-Reiss, T. (2018) A novel atypical sperm centriole is functional during human fertilization. Nat Commun 9(1): 2210. Doi: 10.1038/s41467-04678-8. PMID: 29880810.
- Simerly, C, Castro, C, Hartnett, C, Lin, C, Sukhawani, M, Orwig, K, and Schatten, G. (2016). Post-testicular sperm maturation: centriole pairs, found in the upper epididymis, are destroyed prior to sperm’s release at ejaculation. Sci. Rep. 6, 31816; doi: 10.1038/srep31816. PMID: 27534805
- Schatten G and Simerly, C. LEGOs® and legacies of centrioles and centrosomes. EMBO Rep. 2015 16: 1052- 1054. PMID: 26249334.
- Simerly, C., McFarland, D., Castro, CA, Lin, C-C, Redinger, C., Jacoby, E., Mich-Basso, J., Orwig, K., Mills, P., Ahrens, E., Navara, C. and Schatten, G. (2011). Interspecies Chimera Between Nonhuman Primate (NHP) Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) and Mouse Embryos: Rhesus and Baboon ESCs Engraft in Murine Morulae and Blastocysts, but Do Not Contribute to Cellular Lineages After Implantation. Stem Cell Res. 7:28-40.
- Simerly CR, Castro CA, Jacoby, Grund, K, Turpin, J, McFarland, D, Champagne, J, Jimenez, Jr, JJ, Frost, P, Bauer, C, Hewitson, L and Schatten, G. (2010). Assisted Reproductive Technologies with Baboons Generate Live Offspring: A Nonhuman Primate Model for ART and Reproductive Sciences. Repro Sci J, 17:917-930.
- Simerly, CR, Navara, CS, Castro, CA, Turpin, JC, Redinger, CJ, Mich-Basso, JD, Jacoby, E, Grund, K, McFarland, DA, Oliver, SL, Ben-Yehudah, A, Carlisle, DL, Frost, P, Hewitson, L, Schatten, G. (2009) Establishment and Characterization of Baboon Embryonic Stem Cell Lines: an Old World Primate Model for Regeneration and Transplantation Research. Stem Cell Journal (2009) 2: 178-187.
- Simerly, C., Dominko, T., Navara, C., Payne, C., Capuano, S., Gosman, G., Chong, K.Y., Takahashi, D, Chace, C., Compton, D., Hewitson, L., and Schatten, G. Molecular Correlates of Primate Nuclear Transfer Failures. Science 300: 297 (2003).