NIH-Funded Study Probes Link Between Aging and Fertility at UT Arlington
As women age, so do their reproductive systems—leading to higher risks of infertility, miscarriage, and birth defects. At The University of Texas at Arlington, bioengineer Salman Sohrabi is exploring how to separate reproductive aging from overall lifespan, a discovery that could one day help older women achieve viable pregnancies. Sohrabi, an assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering, has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study this process using C. elegans—tiny, non-parasitic worms that model human lifespan and reproductive aging. Despite their short, 15-day lifespan, these worms exhibit aging patterns similar to humans, including mid-life reproductive decline and diminished egg quality. Their transparent bodies also allow scientists to observe reproductive changes in real time, offering new insight into the biology of aging and fertility.
NIH-Funded Study Probes Link Between Aging and Fertility at UT Arlington