The CRU326 offered the opportunity to apply for a start-up funding for own research projects. Overall, 10 applications were granted.

The funding received six members from CRU labs. In addition, six external teams with CRU-affiliated topics were supported:

Isabella Aprea, General Pediatrics, AG Omran, and Prof. Dr. med. Astrid Jeibmann, Institute of Neuropathology

'Genetic screen in Drosophila melanogaster - deciphering the importance of motile cilia for male infertility'

Dr. rer. nat. Christoph Brenker, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, and Julian Bigge, Institute of Informatics, AG Risse, FB 10

'CASA 2.0 – A new approach towards early diagnosis of hitherto unexplained male infertility'

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Stefan Schlatt & PD Dr. rer. nat. Nina Neuhaus, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, and Dr. Sarah Sandmann, Institute of Medical Informatics

'Genomic elucidation of clonal expansion in the human male germline'

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Timo Strünker, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, and Dr. Martin Scholz & Prof. Dr. Michael Hippler, Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, FB 13

'Analysis of the assembly and composition of the CatSper-channel complex in human sperm by comparative quantitative proteomics'

Prof. Dr. Erich Bornberg-Bauer, Institute of Evolution and Biodiversity, FB 13, external

'Sperm Malfunctioning in Humans as a Collateral Damage of Evolutionary Constraints'

Priv.-Doz. Dr. rer. nat. Verena Nordhoff, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Dr. rer. nat. Julia Floehr, RWTH Aachen, Dr. rer. nat. Susanne Ledig, Insitute of Human Genetics, and Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Hermann M. Behre, UKM-Kinderwunschzentrum, external

'Male and female reproductive health - unravelling genetic causes for failed sperm-egg interaction in cases of In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF) failure'

PD Dr. Kornelius Kerl, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, external

'Primordial Germ Cells as the cellular origin of atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors of the MYC subgroup – in vivo evidence using genetically engineered mouse models'

Dr. rer. nat. Gerard W. Dougherty, General Pediatrics, AG Omran, external

'A Proteomic Survey of AMP-binding Proteins in Mammalian Sperm to Facilitate Genetic Diagnosis of Male Infertility'

Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Johannes A. Eble, Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, external

'Extracellular matrix components and integrin-mediated contacts as determinants of fate and function of Sertoli cells'

Prof. Dr. Martin Götte, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, external

'A human organoid model of endometrial receptivity'