Coordination Funds

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Frank Tüttelmann
• Subject Area: Reproductive Medicine, Urology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 329621271

Infertility affects 10-15% of couples worldwide. Male and female (co-)factors contribute in similar scale to couple infertility. In about 70% of infertile men, the andrological workup reveals an impaired sperm production – without, though, providing a causal diagnosis. The pathophysiology and also consequences of male infertility are poorly understood. This precludes evidence-based treatment decisions, estimating and counselling about risks, and potential preventive measures concerning general health risks.To address this gap of knowledge, we set up this CRU. Within this framework, eight multidisciplinary, translational projects investigated human male germ cell function from complete germ cell loss to sperm dysfunction at the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular level. This work led to measurable scientific advances with direct consequences for the clinical diagnostics. As a hallmark, we more than doubled the diagnostic yield in infertile men from 4% to 8.5% of identified genetic causes.We build on these achievements and further develop this CRU in the second funding period – 2020+. We aim to broaden and deepen our understanding of male germ cells. Consequently, the composition of research foci and projects moves from identifying novel genes to understanding their molecular function – perfectly in line with our CRU’s subtitle ‘from Genes to Function’.We will address basic, translational and clinical topics driven by the concept of improving patient’s phenotypic characterisation and thereby diagnostic specificity. We estimate to again double the diagnostic yield till 2023 after completion of this CRU – a major contribution to Andrology and Reproductive Genetics.

• DFG Programme: Clinical Research Units
• Subproject of: KFO 326: Male Germ Cells: from Genes to Function
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Jörg Gromoll