Researchers from The University of Osaka in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine have developed a new therapy for a severe form of male infertility called non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver specific mRNA into the testes of infertile mice, they were able to restart sperm production. The sperm produced were then used in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to successfully generate healthy and fertile offspring. The findings provide a crucial proof-of-concept for treating male infertility caused by genetic defects.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected Salk neuroscientist Terrence Sejnowski, PhD, to receive a 2025 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award. The NIH award will provide $3.5 million over the next five years to support his lab’s latest project, which will use advanced computational techniques to analyze and model the neural circuit dynamics of working memory. The findings will help neuroscientists better understand and treat memory issues in mental disorders such as schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).