Jackson Laboratory

The Bolcun-Filas Lab

Principal Investigator: Ewelina Bolcun-Filas, Ph.D.

The Jackson Laboratory
Bar Harbor, ME

Contact me at: 207-288-6985

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Researching meiosis, the mechanisms of DNA damage detection and repair during normal development of gametes, and implications for fertility of cancer patients after radiation and chemotherapy.

our research focus

Germ cells are the only cell type that must endure extensive DNA damage in the form of programmed meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs) during their normal development. Paradoxically, the absence of DSBs during meiosis as well as persisting unrepaired breaks are detrimental and typically result in meiotic arrest and infertility. Our research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms controlling the development of healthy gametes and how misregulation of these mechanisms can lead to reproductive disorders. In particular, we are interested in meiotic "quality checkpoints" operating in germ cells, which ensure that the correct and intact genetic information is transmitted to the next generation.

The same checkpoint that monitors DSB repair during meiosis is responsible for high sensitivity of oocytes to cancer treatment. Chemo and radiation therapies can cause oocyte death and lead to premature ovarian failure and infertility. Disabling the key checkpoint kinase CHK2 preserved fertility in mice exposed to ionizing radiation, thus opening a new avenue for oncofertility research. Our goal is to further dissect the DNA damage response pathway in oocytes, helping identify additional targets for fertility preservation therapies in cancer patients.

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Open Positions

Job	Job Title	Location	Description

Lab Staff

Zachary Boucher

Research Assistant

To help in the goal of discovering the genetic causes of infertility.
Ewelina Bolcun-Filas, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Researching meiosis, the mechanisms of DNA damage detection and repair during normal development of gametes, and implications for fertility of cancer patients after radiation and chemotherapy.
Ryan Kurtz

Research Assistant I
Alisha Tillman

Postbaccalaureate Intern

Investigating Chk1 Function During DNA damage in oocytes
Jennifer Wright

Research Administrative Assistant I

Providing administrative support to Research Faculty and their staff.

Selected Publications

View full list of publications

Research HighlightSeptember 20, 2019
An epigenetic eraser
The genome editing tool, Casilio, can be used to efficiently remove methyl groups from DNA and activate expression of methylation-silenced genes in experimental systems. Casilio was created by Jackson Laboratory Assistant Professor Albert Cheng.
Search MagazineSeptember 04, 2019
Computing the etiology of cancer
What if, much like screening through genetic testing, we could learn how to better treat individual patients through their unique epigenetic markers? This is the question that Assistant Professor Sheng Li, Ph.D. tackles in her lab every day.
Research HighlightAugust 21, 2019
New JAX-UConn computational tool
Online analysis tool, Protein-RNA Association Strength (PRAS), free for academic researchers.
- Neuroscience
- Cancer
Research HighlightAugust 14, 2019
JAX postdoc Frederick Varn secures Fellowship from Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund
JAX postdoctoral associate Frederick Varn, Ph.D., has received a prestigious fellowship from the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research.
- Gliomas-Glioblastomas
- Cancer

Blog PostSeptember 16, 2019
Immunotherapy - implications for patients with mismatch repair deficient tumors
Presence of MSI-H in a dMMR tumor is correlated with the formation of novel small proteins that are recognized by T cells in the tumor microenvironment.
Research HighlightAugust 21, 2019
The future of human and experimental genetics
This year, science luminaries came to Maine for an additional special symposium that celebrated the McKusick Short Course's 60th anniversary. The symposium title, “The Future of Human and Experimental Genetics,” foreshadowed the theme of the talks.
Research HighlightAugust 21, 2019
The long-term maintenance of sperm production in mammals
A research team led by Professor and Janeway Distinguished Chair Robert Braun, Ph.D., and Associate Research Scientist Manju Sharma, Ph.D., found a rare subpopulation of spermatogonial cells expressing a specific protein, EOMES, that appear to represent the elusive long-lived spermatogonial stem cells that support continued spermatogenesis.
Press ReleaseAugust 01, 2019
Preventing anaphylaxis
New research by JAX Assistant Professor Adam Williams, published in Science, points the way to more precise allergy testing as well as identifying new approaches for treating allergy.
- Immunology
- Genetics and Genomics