Graduate Student, Department of Cell Biology Mentor: Roberto Pezza, Ph.D.
Monika-Gilliland@ou.edu
My research focuses on understanding how chromatin remodeling regulates meiotic chromosome architecture and genome stability during male meiosis. Using mouse models, I study the role of SMARCA5, an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler, in establishing meiotic chromosome axes, loop-axis organization, and homologous chromosome pairing. Specifically, my work investigates how SMARCA5 modulates chromatin to facilitate the formation, processing, and repair of meiotic DNA double-strand breaks through homologous recombination. Using fluorescence microscopy of meiotic chromosome spreads alongside CUT&RUN mapping of axis and recombination proteins, I examine how SMARCA5 influences the spatial localization and dynamics. Ultimately, this work aims to uncover the chromatin-based mechanisms that maintain genomic integrity and drive crossover formation during meiotic progression, providing key insights into male infertility.