Male Contraception Research Center Grant

描述(申请人提供)：世界人口继续以 可怕的速度，特别是在发展中国家。按照1990年的生育率(全世界每个妇女大约有4个孩子)，到2100年，地球人口将超过750亿，而目前为60亿。即使按照每个妇女2.5个孩子的非常乐观的预测，到2100年，全球人口也将增长到190亿。此外，约四分之一的怀孕是意外怀孕，导致数百万人堕胎(美国每年有150万例外科或内科堕胎)，全世界每年约有10万名原本健康的年轻妇女死于堕胎并发症。众所周知，男性将使用避孕药(美国目前约有30%的避孕方法是通过男性方法完成的)。因此，开发新型、有效、安全、可逆的男性避孕药是一个极其重要的社会目标。 这项申请中提出的工作旨在增加我们对男性生殖过程的基础和临床知识，特别是与避孕相关的知识。我们致力于从基础分子生物学和生物化学到人类生理学和直接应用于避孕开发的所有研究领域的卓越。我们有四个研究项目：1)男性荷尔蒙避孕研究(W.Bremner，Pi博士)，2)小鼠精子发生控制的遗传学研究(R.Braun，PL)，3)磷酸二酯酶及其抑制剂在睾丸中的作用研究(J.Beavo，PL)，以及4)睾丸中特定细胞的基因表达模式及其控制(M.Griswold，PL)。我们还提出了一个男性避孕研究员和新调查人员的计划和一个管理核心单位。我们的建议将具有不同背景和专业培训的优秀研究人员的人才纳入生殖生物学的互动研究计划。我们建立了这个中心，将精湛的科学与尽快应用新的基础知识的实际目标相结合，以 对人类的研究。我们希望，通过这种方式，我们的工作将满足社会的迫切需要。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): World population continues to increase at a frightening rate, particularly in developing countries. At the 1990 fertility rate (approximately 4 children per woman world-wide) there would be over 75 billion people on earth in the year 2100, compared to 6 billion at the present time. Even at the very optimistic projection of 2.5 children per woman, global population will grow to 19 billion by the year 2100. In addition, approximately one-quarter of all pregnancies are unwanted, leading to millions of abortions (1.5 million surgical or medical abortions annually in the United States) and approximately 100,000 deaths worldwide per year of otherwise healthy young women due to the complications of abortion. It is well established that men will use contraceptives (approximately 30% of all contraception in the U.S. now is accomplished with male methods). Therefore, the development of new, effective, safe, reversible male contraceptives is an extremely important societal goal. The work proposed in this application is designed to increase our basic and clinical knowledge of reproductive processes in the male with particular relevance to contraception. We are committed to excellence across the spectrum of studies proposed, from basic molecular biology and biochemistry through human physiology with direct application to contraceptive development. We have four research projects: 1) hormonal contraceptive studies in men (Dr. W. Bremner, PI), 2) genetic studies of the control of spermatogenesis in mice (Dr. R. Braun, PL), 3) studies of the roles of phosphodiesterases and their inhibitors in the testis (Dr. J. Beavo, PL), and 4) the cell-specific patterns of gene expression and their control in the testis (Dr. M. Griswold, PL). We also propose a Program for Fellows and New Investigators in Male Contraception and an Administration Core Unit. Our proposal incorporates the talents of outstanding investigators of varied backgrounds and professional training into an interactive research program in reproductive biology. We have structured this Center to meld superb science with the practical goal of applying new basic knowledge as quickly as possible to studies in human beings. We hope that, in this way, our work will address critical needs of society.