Congratulations to Cassandra Extavour selected as one of 33 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigators. Extavour is investigating the ancient origins of germ cells, which are the only cells in the body to pass on their genes, making germ cells central to the process of evolution. Extavour studies the evolutionary processes that led to the formation of the first egg cell. “While my research program is devoted to understanding the fundamentals of germline evolution,” Extavour says, “these factors are also highly relevant to infertility and other pathologies of human reproduction.”
Extavour will join a community of Investigators who are tackling some of the most challenging problems in biomedical research. Through its flagship Investigator Program, HHMI helps to advance biomedical research and science education in the United States. This prestigious honor provides the flexible support necessary to move an investigator's research in creative new directions over time and encourages risk taking.