I have been a graduate student in Dr. Miller's lab since 1997 and my research is focused on the molecular interactions between the sperm and egg during fertilization. In many mammalian species, the first interactions between the sperm and egg occur at the zona pellucida, a protective extracellular coat that surrounds the egg. Inability of sperm to interact with the zona pellucida is associated with infertility and in vitro fertilization failure. I am using fluorescence microscopy and genetic screens to better understand sperm-zona interactions.