Good news and bad for dad this Father's Day

"Genes have on-and-off switches, and understanding them allows us to target them, leading to possible treatments, cures or prevention strategies," says Cairns. "That's the good news."

The study is set for publication June 14 – a week before Father's Day – in the online edition of the journal Nature. The research involved collaboration between Cairns' lab at HCI and the University of Utah's in vitro fertilization (IVF) and andrology lab led by Doug Carrell – along with their joint graduate student, Sue Hammoud.

An implication of this study is that factors such as genetic mutations, age or lifestyle may affect sperm chromosome packaging, leading to infertility. "We are hopeful that this work will soon lead to a clinical diagnostic test that will help couples with infertility problems make better informed decisions regarding their prospects for a healthy child. We will also be testing if aspects of a man's lifestyle – such as age, diet or health – affect proper packaging and fertility," says Cairns. Other future work includes how decision-making genes are packaged in eggs, which remains a major mystery.

Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah marks its 10th anniversary in 2009. HCI was founded by Jon M. Huntsman to fulfill his dream of finding a cure for cancer through genetic research. In the last 10 years, HCI has grown to become one of America's major cancer research centers. HCI is part of the University of Utah healthcare system and is ranked consistently by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top cancer hospitals in the country. For more information about HCI, please visit www.huntsmancancer.org.