Washington University in St Louis · BiologyThe Sperm Dynamics Lab
Polina V Lishko · Saint Louis, Missouri
Research Focus
Dr. Polina Lishko's lab at Washington University focuses on understanding how sperm function is regulated, particularly through a calcium channel called CatSper, which is critical for male fertility. The lab studies how environmental factors like temperature and certain chemicals influence sperm motility and capacitation—the process that enables sperm to fertilize an egg. Their research has important implications for addressing male infertility issues, such as those associated with varicocele, a condition that can impair sperm function.
sperm fertilityCatSpermale infertilitycapacitationion channelstemperature regulationvaricocelecalcium signalingseminal plasma
Research Aims
3AIM 01Define the mechanism by which temperature regulates CatSper in human sperm.
AIM 02Determine the impact of pH, temperature, polyamines, and progesterone on sperm motility and calcium concentrations.
AIM 03Investigate the molecular mechanisms contributing to infertility in patients with varicocele.
Skills the Lab Values
electrophysiologycalcium imagingsperm motility analysismouse modelshuman sperm studiesbiochemical assaysdata interpretationmolecular biology techniquesexperimental design
Output against the department
Publications106bottom 37% of dept.652nd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.1kbottom 44% of dept.579th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.