Krista Maye Crow, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Environmental Health Science, will defend her doctoral dissertation – “Fast Relief, Future Consequences: Assessing the Impact of Over-the-counter Pain Medications on Male Reproductive Health” –  on Friday, April 7, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. in Room 1501 of Miller Plant Sciences on South Campus. All are welcome to attend!

Krista is a PhD Candidate in Environmental Health Science with a research focus on reproductive toxicology. Her doctoral research focused on assessing the impact of common over-the-counter medications on human sperm development and the nonhuman primate (NHP) somatic cell niche to determine whether non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) therapy affects male fertility in vitro and its potential role in the global sperm count decline. Her research employed a unique combination of cell-based models to evaluate ibuprofen and naproxen, two common NSAIDs, on human sperm development and the functionality of the NHP blood-testis barrier. Krista also had a pivotal role in the development of a multicolor platform for analyzing in vitro human spermatogenic cell populations. She graduated from Robert Morris University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology/ Pre-Med and a minor in Chemistry.

Dissertation Committee:
Charles Easley, Ph.D. (Major Professor)
Erin Lipp, Ph.D.
Franklin West Ph.D.
Anne Marie Zimeri Ph.D.