Prince Henry’s Institute

 

Stefan Bagheri-Fam

 

Profile

Dr Bagheri-Fam received his PhD at the University of Freiburg in Germany, in the field of comparative genomics and reproduction, in 2004. In the same year, he was awarded the PHI Boylan-Burke Post-doctoral Fellowship where he joined the laboratory of Associate Professor Vincent Harley.

 

Research Interests

Dr Bagheri-Fam research focuses on the network of gene regulation in the fetal testis. By generating conditional Sox9 knockout mice, he provided the first in vivo proof that Sox9 is essential for male sex determination in mice. Subsequently, by generating conditional Fgfr2 knockout mice, he could identify Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2) as a novel player required for male sex determination.

His current research focuses on the functional analysis of the ATRX protein during testis and external genitalia development.

Together with Dr Anthony Argentaro he has recently generated a mouse model for the human ATRX-syndrome which is currently under investigation.

In collaboration with the Australian Phenomics Facility (APF) in Canberra and the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Monash University, he is also undertaking an ENU mutagenesis screen to identify novel genes involved in gonad development.

  

Expertise

Comparative genomics, identification and verification of cis-regulatory sequences, generation and analysis of mouse models of human disorders of sexual development, histology, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization.

  

Current Research

• ATR-X syndrome & gonadal development

• Genetic mechanisms underlying hypospadias

• Identification of novel genes required for gonadal development

• SOX9, Fgfr2 & testis development

  

Selected Publications

Bagheri-Fam S, Sinclair AH, Koopman P, Harley VR. Conserved regulatory modules in the Sox9 testis-specific enhancer predict roles for SOX, TCF/LEF, Forkhead, DMRT, and GATA proteins in vertebrate sex determination. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2009 Jul 15. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 19616114.

Beverdam, A., Svingen, T., Bagheri-Fam, S., Bernard, P., McClive, P., Robson, M., Khojasteh, M.B., Salehi, M., Sinclair, A.H., Harley, V.R., and Koopman, P. (2009). Sox9-dependent expression of Gstm6 in Sertoli cells during testis development in mice. Reproduction 137:481-486.

Bagheri-Fam, S., Sim, H., Bernard, P., Jayakody, I., Taketo, M.M., Scherer, G. and Harley, V.R. (2008). Loss of Fgfr2 leads to XY gonadal sex reversal. Developmental Biology 314, 71-83.

Barrionuevo, G. Naumann, A., Bagheri-Fam, S., Speth, V., Taketo, M.M., Scherer, G. and Neubüser, A. (2008). Sox9 is required for invagination of the otic placode in mice. Developmental Biology 317, 213-224.

Bagheri-Fam, S., Barrionuevo, F., Dohrmann, U., Guenther, T., Schuele, R., Kemler, R.,  Mallo, M., Kanzler, B. and Scherer, G. (2006). Long-range upstream and downstream enhancers control distinct subsets of the complex Sox9 spatiotemporal expression pattern. Developmental Biology 291, 382-397.

Barrionuevo, F., Bagheri-Fam, S., Klattig, J., Kist, R., Taketo, M.M., Englert, C. and Scherer, G. (2006). Homozygous inactivation of Sox9 causes complete XY sex reversal in mice. Biology of Reproduction 74, 195-201.

Wang, Y., Bagheri-Fam, S. and Harley V.R. (2005). SOX13 is up-regulated in the developing mouse neuroepithelium and distinguishes differentiating neurons. Developmental Brain Research 157, 201-208.