Administrative Duties: Director of Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity

Contact Information: 718-405-3393, james.fabrizio@mountsaintvincent.edu

Dr. Fabrizio’s professional interests currently center on the development and maturation of spermatozoa in Drosophila melanogaster; including intercellular signaling and membrane/cytoskeleton dynamics during gamete development. His professional affiliations include the Genetics Society of America.

Research Areas of Interest:
Our lab seeks to uncover genes involved in the maturation of spermatozoa in Drosophila.  To this end, we are screening a large collection of GFP-tagged protein traps and enhancer traps for gene expression in the late stages of spermatogenesis.  When a gene is found, it is isolated and sequenced using molecular biology techniques, and mutants are obtained in order to ascertain the function of the gene.  This work will result in the genetic dissection of sperm morphogenesis.  Moreover, given the genetic similarity (65–70 percent) between Drosophila and humans, this work also has implications for human male fertility.

External Research Support:
Dr. Fabrizio received a National Institutes of Health grant for $200,000 as principal investigator. He will be incorporating methods and knowledge of genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, and genomics to study sperm development in the fruit fly, or Drosophila melanogaster. Dr. Fabrizio’s research began in March 2005 and will continue for two years. He will be assisted by a team of research students.

Recent Publications:
Fabrizio, J. J., M. Boyle, and S. DiNardo. 2003. A somatic role for eyes absent (eya) and sine oculis (so) in Drosophila spermatocyte development.  Developmental Biology 258: 117–28.

Fabrizio, J. J., G. Hime, S.K. Lemmon, and C. Bazinet. 1998. Genetic dissection of sperm individualization in Drosophila melanogaster.  Development 125: 1833–43.

Courses Taught:
Molecular Biology (BIOL 321)
Developmental Biology (BIOL 302)
Genetics (BIOL 217)
General Biology Laboratory (BIOL 113)
 
Education:
B.S., Manhattan College
Ph.D., St. John's University
Post-doctoral training, University of Pennsylvania