Michael Jakob Voldsgaard Clausen: It takes its pump – unique pump in sperm cells makes a difficult journey possible
PhD defence, Monday 23 April 2012. Michael Jakob Voldsgaard Clausen.
News-itemIn his PhD work, Michael Jakob Voldsgaard Clausen made a detailed study of a molecular pump that is essential for sperm cells and is not found in other types of cells. The job of a sperm cell is to carry genetic information from a male to a female. In order to carry out this project, the cell has to travel from the testicle to the ovary, where both the pH value and salt concentrations are drastically altered. His results show that this pump is specific to sperm cells and is adapted to be able to maintain stable activity in conditions in which there are changes to the salt concentrations and the membrane potential of the cell. In time, it is possible that his results could be used in developing a birth control pill for men.
The PhD degree was completed at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science and Technology, Aarhus University, Denmark; the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, USA; and the Department of Physiology, University of Montreal, Canada.
Time: Monday 23 April 2012 at 14.00
Place: Conference Room, Science Park, building 3131, room 303, Aarhus University
Title of dissertation: Functional studies of sodium pump isoforms
Contact information: Michael Jakob Voldsgaard Clausen, mjc@mb.au.dk, +45 6130 6486
Members of the assessment committee:
Dr Michael Pusch, Biophysics Institute (IBF), National Research Council (CNR), Genoa, Italy
Associate Professor Nanna MacAulay, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen
Associate Professor Lene Pedersen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Main supervisor:
Professor Poul Nissen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Co-supervisor:
Postdoctoral Research Associate Hanne Poulsen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Language: The dissertation will be defended in English
The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology / GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, room 112, 8000 Aarhus C.