Lay summary
Ovulation is the process where a mature egg is released from the ovary and is essential for fertility. However, surprisingly little is known about a cell type integral to this process called the theca cells. This research aims to better understand how the theca cells develop and to develop tools to study this in vitro. Using this newly developed tool, we will test the hypothesis that stressors present in the ovary affect the function of theca cells and lead to ovulation failure. Ovulation failure contributes to infertility linked to aging, obesity, and conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which disproportionately affect Pacific peoples. This research will support an emerging Pacific biomedical researcher and build a lab-based model of theca cell development to identify new targets to treat ovulation failure-related infertility.