ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ

Cristian O'Flaherty

Academic title(s): 

Professor, Dep. Surgery (Urology), ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ
Associate member, Dep. Pharmacology and Therapeutics, ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ
Associate member, Dep. Anatomy and Cell Biology, ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ
Associate member, Dep. Medicine (Experimental Medicine Division)

Cristian O'Flaherty
Contact Information
Address: 

The Research Institute-MUHC
1001 Decarie Blvd, Block E, room: EM03212

Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, CANADA
Phone: 514-934-1934 ext. 35410

Fax: 514-933-4149

Email address: 
cristian.oflaherty [at] mcgill.ca
Position: 
Professor, Department of Surgery (Urology Division)
Degree(s): 

D.V.M.; Ph.D.

Areas of interest: 

• Redox signaling in spermatogenesis, epididymal maturation and sperm activation
• Regulation of apoptosis in the testis
• Phosphorylation events involved in sperm activation
• Male infertility
• Toxicology of male reproduction

Current research: 

Molecular mechanisms of sperm capacitation.

Lipid signaling in spermatozoa.

Novel strategies to diagnose and treat male infertility.

Selected publications: 

Bumanlag E, Scarlata E, O’Flaherty C. Peroxiredoxin 6 Peroxidase and Ca2+-Independent Phospholipase A2 Activities Are Essential to Support Male Mouse Fertility, Antioxidants 11(2):226-243, 2022.

Serafini S, O’Flaherty C. Redox Regulation to Modulate Phosphorylation Events in Human Spermatozoa. Invited review, Antioxid Redox Signaling 37:437-450, 2022.

Scarlata E, Fernandez MC, O’Flaherty C. A novel combination of gamma-tocopherol-rich mixture of tocopherols and ascorbic acid restores fertility in cases of tyrosine nitration-associated male infertility in mice. Antioxidants (7), 613:1-13, 2020.

Fernandez M, Yu A, Moawad A, O’Flaherty C. Peroxiredoxin 6 regulates the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT pathway to maintain human sperm viability. Mol Hum Reprod 25:787-796, 2019.

Fernandez MC, O’Flaherty C. Peroxiredoxin 6 is the primary antioxidant enzyme for the maintenance of viability and DNA integrity in human spermatozoa. Hum Reprod 33(8):1394-1407, 2018.

Moawad AR, Fernandez MC, Scarlata E, Dodia C, Feinstein SI, Fisher AB, O’Flaherty C. Deficiency of peroxiredoxin 6 or inhibition of its phospholipase A2Ìýactivity impair the in vitro sperm fertilizing competence in mice.ÌýSci Reports 7(1):12994, 2017.

Lee D, Moawad A, Morielli T, Fernandez, MC, O’Flaherty C. Peroxiredoxins prevent oxidative stress during human sperm capacitation. Mol Hum Reprod 23:106-111, 2017.

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Biography: 

Dr. Cristian O’Flaherty is a professor in the Department of Surgery (Division of Urology) at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University and a medical scientist at the Research Institute of the ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University Health Centre. He is also an associate member of the Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Experimental Medicine at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University. Dr. O’Flaherty was Co-Director of the ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Centre for Research in Reproduction and Development during 2018-2021. He is an associate editor of Andrology, Human Reproduction, and Antioxidants Journal and a member of the Editorial Board of the Biology of Reproduction.

With a background in the biology of reproduction, he holds a D.V.M and Ph.D. in animal physiology and biochemistry degrees from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He completed his postdoctoral studies in sperm physiology and toxicology at the Urology Division and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University. He was awarded the Chercheur-boursier Junior 1 and 2 awards from the Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ), and his research program has been and is currently funded by different agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, FRQS and the Fonds de Recherche Nature et technologies.

Dr. O’Flaherty’s research program focuses on male reproduction, particularly on the molecular mechanisms involved in the production and function of healthy spermatozoa and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in sperm physiology and toxicology. Through mouse models and human spermatozoa, Dr. O’Flaherty aims to elucidate the role of the reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes in regulating sperm function using genomic, proteomic and biochemical approaches. Dr. O’Flaherty was the first to identify the primary role of peroxiredoxin 6 in protecting the spermatozoa against oxidative stress and the participation of peroxiredoxins in regulating ROS during sperm capacitation. He is also dedicated to deciphering the molecular mechanisms that drive the spermatozoon to achieve the fertilizing ability to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for male infertility.Ìý

Courses: 

INDS211,ÌýEXSU684,ÌýPHAR201,ÌýEXMD503,ÌýEXMD401,ÌýPATH652

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