When sperm fall by the wayside

Masters student Ines Ansmann appraises a high-res analysis of human sperm © WWU - MünsterView In fairy tales, the king's son usually has to solve three tasks in order to win the princess's hand. This, however, is nothing compared to the challenges which await sperm on its way to the egg - or, increasingly, which spell failure. According to a number of studies and reports in the media, male fertility is in danger. In spite of this, there are only a few institutes which are investigating the genetic and molecular causes of sperm defects - but one of the most important institutes is in Münster. The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology (CeRA) is part of Münster University Hospital (UKM) and Münster University and focuses above all on translation, i.e. the transfer of research findings to practical applications. "We have a long tradition and nowadays we're a kind of flagship,' says Prof. Stefan Schlatt, who heads the Center. "What we're concerned with are specific questions in the field of reproductive medicine and our patients' desire to have children.