Mary Ann Handel, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Investigates the genetic regulation of meiosis and the mechanisms of male fertility to understand how errors in meiosis can lead to developmental abnormalities.
The Handel laboratory investigates the genetic regulation of meiosis and spermatogenesis and male fertility. Meiosis is the specialized cell division, unique to germ cells, that reduces the number of chromosome sets from two (diploid) to one(haploid), thus producing the egg and sperm gametes that come together during sexual reproduction. Appropriate dynamics and behavior of chromosomes during meiosis are essential to genetic integrity and reproductive success. Our investigations focus on factors extrinsic and intrinsic to meiotic chromosomes that establish meiotic chromosome structural transitions in both male and female germ cells and identify sexually dimorphic events. From our endeavors, significant new information is emerging about how germ cells program meiotic events, and ultimately this will help us understand how errors in meiotic mechanisms lead to aneuploidy, or inappropriate chromosome number, producing developmental abnormalities in offspring.
Grants, Honors, and Accomplishments
2010 - AAAS Fellow
2009 – 2014 - Faculty, Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Frontiers in Reproduction
2008- 2015 - Director, Cooperative Predoctoral Program, The Jackson Laboratory
2011 - Professor, Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine
2005 - Adjunct Professor, Graduate Faculty, University of Maine
2003 - Senior Research Scientist, The Jackson Laboratory
2003 - Professor Emeritus, University of Tennessee
1989 – 2002 - University of Tennessee Distinguished Service Professor
1998 - 2003 - Faculty, University of Tennessee - Oak Ridge National Laboratory School of Genome Science and Technology
1995 - 2003 - Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee
1973 - 1995 - Assistant, Associate, Full Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Tennessee
Ongoing NIH-funded projects
- Cell Cycle Regulation during Spermatogenesis
- Selective Translational Regulation of Male Fertility
- Molecular Regulation of Meiosis: PRDM9 and Control of Meiotic Progression
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Research HighlightMarch 08, 2019Breaking up is hard to do
New research shows that proteins work together to enable DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis. -
Press ReleaseMarch 07, 2018A reproductive biologist's second act
JAX Professor Mary Ann Handel has been recognized by her peers for a career of science and service. -
Press ReleaseJune 07, 2016JAX receives NIH award to train next generation of biologists
Alex Fine is one of eight predoctoral students who are receiving their Ph.D. training in mammalian genetics and genomic medicine in partnership with degree-granting programs at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Tufts University, and The University of Maine.
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Research HighlightFebruary 06, 2019JAX collaboration yields important implications for data science
A paper published in Molecular Biology of the Cell leads to important implications for both reproductive biology and data science. -
Research HighlightOctober 11, 2016Ultra-high resolution 3-D imaging of whole cells
Scientists have developed and implemented a new microscopy method that allows resolution of three-dimensional structures to 10-20 nm throughout entire cells, in samples up to 10 microns thick.