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Tricia Rowlison is a research specialist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Center for Species Survival. Rowlison’s research focuses on investigating sperm maturation in the domestic cat model. Specifically, she is analyzing the secretion of small vesicles within the male’s reproductive tract, termed "epididymosomes."
Through her work, she has characterized the protein content of these vesicles and identified key proteins that are transferred to the transiting sperm cell population. She has also demonstrated a beneficial effect of the epididymosomes on sperm ability to successfully complete fertilization. Rowlison continues to investigate the potential use of these vesicles to improve assisted reproductive techniques for wild felids.