The Lab
We study how social signals exchanged by animals alter their development and physiology. In particular, we focus on the roles of pheromones on reproduction, sexual maturation, and aging. We use C. elegans as a supremely powerful model system in which to dissect the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and hope to translate our findings to other organisms.
We actively seek talented and motivated researchers (postdocs, technicians and undergraduates) to join our effort.
If interested, contact Ilya directly.
Cook Hall at Northwestern University
The News
Effects of a male pheromone on hermaphrodites
Our Mol. Biol. Evol. paper shows that, judging by the transcriptomic response, C. elegans male pheromone ascr#10 feminizes hermaphrodite germline. Unfortunately for the recipient that’s not all…
Serotonin and germline quality
Our Developmental Biology paper reports that pharmacological stimulation of serotonin signaling improves oocyte quality in C. elegans and D. melanogaster. Click on the title for press release....
Sex-specificity of the C. elegans metabolome
The effort led by the Schroeder Lab (Cornell) is now published in Nature Communications. In collaboration with the Lee (Cornell) and Portman (Rochester) Labs, we documented hundreds of male-specific metabolites in C. elegans males.
Serotonergic circuit regulates reproductive behavior and germline development
Our Proc. Biol. Sci. paper elaborated the serotonergic circuit that regulates several reproductive behaviors and germline proliferation.
Male-specific metabolites in C. elegans
We collaborated with the Schroeder lab (Cornell) effort to characterize all male-specific metabolites in C. elegans (see the bioRxiv preprint).