Norman B Hecht
William Shippen Jr. Professor of Human Reproduction

Developmental Biology Program

Address

1310 Biomedical Rsch Bldg (BRB) II/III
421 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6140

Office tel.: 215 898-0144
Lab tel.: 215 898-0142
Fax: 215 573-7627
E-mail: nhecht@mail.med.upenn.edu

Education

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, B.S. (Biology), 1962

University of Illinois, Ph.D. (Microbiology), 1967

Research Interests

• Molecular biology of spermatogenesis, mRNA transport and storage in germ cells

Key words: Spermatogenesis, DNA/RNA-binding proteins, meiosis, oogenesis.

Description of Research

The major research interest of the laboratory has been the regulation of gene expression in germ cells. Using transgenic and gene targeting methodologies, our current research focuses on the regulatory roles of non-coding RNAs (piRNAs and miRNAs) and RNA-binding proteins ( Translin, MSY2, polypyrimidine binding protein 2, and a novel isoform of KH type splicing protein) in transcription, mRNA stabilization and localization, and translation during spermatogenesis. Other projects are attempting to understand the molecular bases of human male infertility and using structure based drug design to develop new non-hormonal male contraceptives

Selected Publications

Iguchi, N., Tobias, J. and Hecht, N.B. 2006. Expression Profiling Reveals Meiotic Male Germ Cell mRNAs That Are Translationally Up- and Down-Regulated, Proc Nat Acad Science, USA, 103: 7712-7717.

Mellon, S.H., Bair, S.R., Depoix, C., Vigne, J.-L., Hecht, N.B. and Brake, P.B. 2007. Translin Co-Activates SF-1-Stimulated Transcription, Mol Endo, 21:89-105.

Yang, J., Morales, C., Medvedev, S., Schultz, R.M., and Hecht, N.B. 2007. In the Absence of the Mouse DNA/RNA-binding Protein MSY2 mRNA Instability Leads to Spermatogenic Arrest, Biol Reprod 76:48-54.

Xu, M., and Hecht, N.B. 2007. Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein 2 Stabilizes Phosphoglycerate Kinase 2 Messenger RNA in Murine Male Germ Cells by Binding to Its 3'UTR, Biol Reprod, 76:1025-1033.

Xu, M., You, Y., Hunsicker, P., Hori, T., Small, C. Griswold, M.D. and Hecht, N.B. 2008. Mice deficient for a small cluster of piRNAs implicate piRNAs in transposon control, Biol. Reprod., 79:51-57.

Search PubMed for more articles

Lab

Rotation Projects

Characterizing knockout and transgenic models for several DNA/RNA-binding and motor proteins from male germ cells and the brain

Lab personnel:

J.Yang., post doc
M. Xu,post doc
N. Iguchi , post doc
T. Hori, post doc
Z.Hu, post doc