Scholarship
Peer-reviewed work spanning molecular reproductive physiology, single-cell phenomics, artificial intelligence, livestock fertility, and translational reproductive technologies.
Latest research
Recent studies led by the Kerns Lab, presented newest first.
Zinc-signature classification · Figure 2Kerns Lab research
Jimmerson K, Jahnke M, Keller E, Putz A, Demetrio D, Dohlman T, Kerns K*. 2026. Bovine In Vitro Fertilization Embryo Development Predicted by Capacitation-Induced Zinc Ion Flux and Acrosome Remodeling. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 27(15):6731. DOI: 10.3390/ijms27156731.
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Single-cell motility subpopulations · Figure 4Kerns Lab research
Rodriguez I, Weide T, Grote CE, Keller A, Bittencourt C, Schoelerman E, Shofner I, Keating AF, Redel BK, Kerns K*. 2026. Effects of Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting on Boar Sperm Motility Subpopulations and In Vitro Embryo Development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 93(6):e70123. DOI: 10.1002/mrd.70123.
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Ferroptosis biomarkers during storage · Figure 6Kerns Lab research
Mahmood M, Weide T, Kerns K*. 2026. Ferroptosis contributes to boar sperm deterioration during liquid semen storage. Front. Vet. Sci. 13:1816003. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1816003.
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Fresh and cryopreserved sperm phenotypes · Figure 8Kerns Lab research
Keller A, Keller E, Vorwald M, Selsby J, Perry G, Kerns K*. 2026. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Bovine Spermatozoa Before and After Cryopreservation. Front. Anim. Sci. 7:1781535. DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2026.1781535.
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Image-based sperm-quality phenotyping · Figure 1Kerns Lab research
Schoelerman E, Weide T, Kerns K*. 2026. Evaluation of milk-based and egg-based semen extenders for extended storage of ram semen at 4°C. Transl. Anim. Sci. 10:txag018. DOI: 10.1093/tas/txag018.
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Biomarker correlations with IVF cleavage · Figure 2Kerns Lab research
Rodriguez I, Keller A, Jennett L, Johnson M, Shofner I, Mahmood M, Redel B, Kerns K*. 2026. Capacitation-Induced Zinc Ion Flux and Sperm Plasma Membrane Remodeling Predict Porcine In Vitro Fertilization Cleavage Success. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 93(1):e70085. DOI: 10.1002/mrd.70085.
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Catch media and post-sort sperm recovery · Figure 1Kerns Lab research
Weide T, Steibel J, Kerns K*. 2026. Impact of Sorting and Catch Media on Porcine Sperm Motility, Capacitation, and Viability. Andrology. e70184. DOI: 10.1111/andr.70184.
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Zinc regulation of lipid remodeling · Graphical abstractKerns Lab research
Shofner I, Mills K, Weide T, Breitzman M, Kerns K*. 2026. Zinc regulation of lipidome remodeling during boar sperm capacitation. J. Anim. Sci. 104:skag009. DOI: 10.1093/jas/skag009.
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Label-free morphology classes · Figure 1Kerns Lab research
Keller A, Maus MK, Keller E, Kerns K*. 2025. Deep Learning Classification Method for Boar Sperm Morphology Analysis. Andrology. 13(6):1615-1625. DOI: 10.1111/andr.13758.
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Capacitation biomarkers and zinc signatures · Figure 1Kerns Lab research
Weide T, Mills K, Shofner I, Breitzman MW, Kerns K*. 2024. Metabolic Shift in Porcine Spermatozoa during Sperm Capacitation-induced Zinc Flux. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 25(14):7919. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147919.
Read the paper ↗Complete record
Jimmerson K, Jahnke M, Keller E, Putz A, Demetrio D, Dohlman T, Kerns K*. 2026. Bovine In Vitro Fertilization Embryo Development Predicted by Capacitation-Induced Zinc Ion Flux and Acrosome Remodeling. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 27(15):6731. DOI: 10.3390/ijms27156731.
DOI ↗Rodriguez I, Weide T, Grote CE, Keller A, Bittencourt C, Schoelerman E, Shofner I, Keating AF, Redel BK, Kerns K*. 2026. Effects of Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting on Boar Sperm Motility Subpopulations and In Vitro Embryo Development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 93(6):e70123. DOI: 10.1002/mrd.70123.
DOI ↗Mahmood M, Weide T, Kerns K*. 2026. Ferroptosis contributes to boar sperm deterioration during liquid semen storage. Front. Vet. Sci. 13:1816003. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1816003.
DOI ↗Keller A, Keller E, Vorwald M, Selsby J, Perry G, Kerns K*. 2026. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Bovine Spermatozoa Before and After Cryopreservation. Front. Anim. Sci. 7:1781535. DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2026.1781535.
DOI ↗Schoelerman E, Weide T, Kerns K*. 2026. Evaluation of milk-based and egg-based semen extenders for extended storage of ram semen at 4°C. Transl. Anim. Sci. 10:txag018. DOI: 10.1093/tas/txag018.
DOI ↗Rodriguez I, Keller A, Jennett L, Johnson M, Shofner I, Mahmood M, Redel B, Kerns K*. 2026. Capacitation-Induced Zinc Ion Flux and Sperm Plasma Membrane Remodeling Predict Porcine In Vitro Fertilization Cleavage Success. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 93(1):e70085. DOI: 10.1002/mrd.70085.
DOI ↗Weide T, Steibel J, Kerns K*. 2026. Impact of Sorting and Catch Media on Porcine Sperm Motility, Capacitation, and Viability. Andrology. e70184. DOI: 10.1111/andr.70184.
DOI ↗Shofner I, Mills K, Weide T, Breitzman M, Kerns K*. 2026. Zinc regulation of lipidome remodeling during boar sperm capacitation. J. Anim. Sci. 104:skag009. DOI: 10.1093/jas/skag009.
DOI ↗Fontes PLP*, Davis DB, Melo-Gonçalves L, Burato S, Smith MS, Stelzleni A, Fluharty FF, Stewart RL, Cooke RF, Bromfield JJ, Else-Keller A, Kerns K, Strickland L, Zoca SM. 2026. Overnutrition induced metabolic dysregulation and partially decreased semen quality in young beef bulls. J. Anim. Sci. 104:skag004. DOI: 10.1093/jas/skag004.
DOI ↗Garcia-Oliveros LN, Bozzi AR, Silva TOC, Nascimento FB, Oliveira TR, Miguel EL, Alves MBR, Rangel RB, Andrade AFC, Arruda RP, Kerns K, Celeghini ECC*. 2025. Phosphatidylserine translocation, cholesterol spatial distribution, and acrosome reaction reliably distinguish sperm capacitation from cryoinjury in bovine sperm. Cryobiology. 121:105302. DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2025.105302.
DOI ↗Keller A, Maus MK, Keller E, Kerns K*. 2025. Deep Learning Classification Method for Boar Sperm Morphology Analysis. Andrology. 13(6):1615-1625. DOI: 10.1111/andr.13758.
DOI ↗Weide T, Mills K, Shofner I, Breitzman MW, Kerns K*. 2024. Metabolic Shift in Porcine Spermatozoa during Sperm Capacitation-induced Zinc Flux. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 25(14):7919. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147919.
DOI ↗Zigo M, Netherton J, Zelenková N, Kerns K, Kraus V, Postlerová P, Sutovsky P*. 2024. Bottom-up Approach to Deciphering the Targets of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System in Porcine Sperm Capacitation. Sci. Rep. 14(1):20159.
Rishi JK, Timme K, White HE, Kerns KC, Keating AF*. 2024. Trajectory of Primordial Follicle Depletion is Accelerated in Obese Mice in Response to 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene Exposure. Biol. Reprod. 111(2):483-495. DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae059.
DOI ↗Sutovsky P, Hamilton LE, Zigo M, Ortiz D'Avila Assumpção ME, Jones A, Tirpak F, Agca Y, Kerns K, Sutovsky M. 2024. Biomarker-based human and animal sperm phenotyping: the good, the bad and the ugly. Biol. Reprod. DOI: ioae061.
DOI ↗Keller A, Kerns K. 2023. Sperm Capacitation as a Predictor of Boar Fertility. Mol. Reprod. Dev. DOI:10.1002/mrd.23690
DOI ↗Rishi JK, Timme K, White HE, Kerns KC, Keating AF. 2023. Altered histone abundance as a mode of ovotoxicity during 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure with additive influence of obesity. Biol. Reprod. DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad140. Published: 19 October 2023.
DOI ↗Silva CS, da Costa-e-Silva EV, Dode MAN, Cunha ATM, Garcia WR, Sampaio BFB, Silva JCB, Vaz FEM, Kerns K, Sutovsky P, Nogueira E. 2023. Semen quality of Nellore and Angus bulls classified by fertility indices and relations with field fertility in fixed-time artificial insemination. Theriogenology. 2023 Dec;212:148-156. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.09.001
DOI ↗Zoca SM, Geary TW, Zezeski AL, Kerns K, Dalton JC, Harstine BR, Utt MD, Cushman RA, Walker JA, Perry GA. 2023. Bull field fertility differences can be estimated with in vitro sperm capacitation and flow cytometry. Front. Anim. Sci. 2023 May 2;4. DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2023.1180975
DOI ↗Zigo M, Kerns K, Sutovsky P. 2023. The Ubiquitin-Proteasome System Participates in Sperm Surface Subproteome Remodeling during Boar Sperm Capacitation. Biomolecules. 2023 Jun 15;13(6):996. DOI: 10.3390/biom13060996
DOI ↗Rishi JK, Timme K, White HE, Kerns KC, Keating AF. 2023. Obesity partially potentiates dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-exposed ovotoxicity by altering the DNA damage repair response in mice. Biol. Reprod. DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac218
DOI ↗Spooner-Harris M, Kerns K, Zigo M, Sutovsky P, Balboula A, Patterson A. 2022. A re‑appraisal of mesenchymal‑epithelial transition (MET) in endometrial epithelial remodeling. Cell Tissue Res. DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03711-z
DOI ↗Lawlor M, Zigo M, Kerns K, Cho IK, Easley CA, Sutovsky P. 2022. Spermatozoan Metabolism as a Non-Traditional Model for the Study of Huntington’s Disease. Intl J of Molc Sci. DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137163
DOI ↗Zigo M, Kerns K, Sen S, Essien C, Oko R, Xu D, Sutovsky P. 2022. Zinc is a master-regulator of sperm function associated with binding, motility, and metabolic modulation during porcine sperm capacitation. Commun. Biol. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03485-8
DOI ↗Sharif M, Hickl V, Juarez G, Di X, Kerns K, Sutovsky P, Bovin N, Miller DJ. 2022. Hyperactivation is sufficient to release porcine sperm from immobilized oviduct glycans. Sci. Rep. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10390-x
DOI ↗Ortega MS, Rizo J, Drum J, O'Neil E, Pohler K, Kerns K, Schmelze A, Green J, Spencer T. 2022. Development of an Improved in vitro Model of Bovine Trophectoderm Differentiation. Anim. Front. DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.898808
DOI ↗Nogueira E, Tirpák F, Hamilton L, Zigo M, Kerns K, Sutovsky M, Kim J, Volkmann D, Jovine L, Taylor J, Schnabel R, Sutovsky P. 2022. A Non-Synonymous Point Mutation in a WD-40 Domain Repeat of EML5 Leads to Decreased Bovine Sperm Quality and Fertility. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.872740
DOI ↗Zuidema D, Kerns K, Sutovsky P. 2021. An Exploration of Current and Perspective Semen Analysis and Sperm Selection for Livestock Artificial Insemination. Animals. DOI: 10.3390/ani11123563.
DOI ↗Chen P, Redel B, Kerns K, Spate L, Prather R. 2021. Challenges and Considerations during In Vitro Production of Porcine Embryos. Cells. DOI:10.3390/cells10102770
DOI ↗Momal S, Kerns K, Sutovsky P, Bovin N, Miller D. 2021. Progesterone Induces Porcine Sperm Release from Oviduct Glycans in a Proteasome-dependent Manner. Reproduction. DOI:10.1530/REP-20-0474
DOI ↗Kerns K, Jankovitz J, Robinson J, Minton A, Kuster C, Sutovsky P. 2020. Relationship between the length of sperm tail mitochondrial sheath and fertility traits in boars used for artificial insemination. Antioxidants. 9(11), 1033, DOI:10.3390/antiox9111033
DOI ↗Kerns K, Sharif M, Zigo M, Xu W, Hamilton LE, Sutovsky M, Ellersieck M, Drobnis EZ, Bovin N, Oko R, Miller D, Sutovsky P. 2020. Sperm Cohort-Specific Zinc Signature Acquisition and Capacitation-Induced Zinc Flux Regulate Sperm-Oviduct and Sperm-Zona Pellucida Interactions. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 21(6), 2121; DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062121
DOI ↗Zigo M, Maňásková-Postlerová P, Zuidema D, Kerns K, Jonáková V, Tůmová L, Bubeníčková F, Sutovsky P. 2020. Porcine model for the study of sperm capacitation, fertilization, and male fertility. Cell Tissue Res. 380(2):237-262. DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03181-1.
DOI ↗Kelsey KM, Zigo M, Thompson WE, Kerns K, Manandhar G, Sutovsky M, Sutovsky P. 2020. Reciprocal Surface Expression of Arylsulfatase A and Ubiquitin in Normal and Defective Mammalian Spermatozoa. Cell Tissue Res. 379, 561-576. DOI: 10.1007/s00441-019-03144-1
DOI ↗Mordhorst BR, Kerns KC, Schauflinger M, Murphy SL, Ross RM, Samuel MS, Wells KD, Green JA, Sutovsky P, Prather RS. 2019. Pharmacologic reprogramming designed to induce a Warburg Effect in porcine fetal fibroblasts decreases mitochondrial membrane potential and increases the quantity of autolysosomes, without impacting the overall quantity or size mitochondria. Scientific Reports. DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-45850-4
DOI ↗Sutovsky P, Kerns K, Zigo M, Zuidema D. 2019. Boar Semen Improvement through Sperm Capacitation Management, With Emphasis on Zinc Ion Homeostasis. Theriogenology. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.05.037
DOI ↗Zigo M, Manaskova-Postlerova P, Jonakova V, Kerns K, Sutovsky P. 2019. Compartmentalization of the proteasome-interacting proteins during sperm capacitation. Scientific Reports. DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-49024-0
DOI ↗Zigo M, Manaskova-Postlerova P, Jonakova V, Kerns K, Sutovsky P. 2019. Ubiquitin-proteasome system participates in the de-aggregation of spermadhesion and DQH protein during boar sperm capacitation. Reprod. DOI: 10.1530/REP-18-0413
DOI ↗Zigo M, Kerns K, Sutovsky M, Sutovsky P. 2018. Modifications of the 26S proteasome during boar sperm capacitation. Cell Tissue Res. DOI:10.1007/s00441-017-2786-6
DOI ↗Kerns K, Zigo M, Sutovsky M, Drobnis E, Sutovsky P. 2018. Zinc Ion Flux of Mammalian Spermatozoa Capacitation. Nature Communications. DOI:10.1038/s41467-018-04523-y
DOI ↗Kerns K, Zigo M, Sutovsky P. 2018. Zinc: A Necessary Ion for Mammalian Sperm Fertilization Competency. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 19 (12), 4097. DOI:10.3390/ijms19124097
DOI ↗Chinchilla-Vargas J, Kerns K, Rothschild MF. 2017. Climatic and lunar effects on boar semen traits. Anim Reprod Sci. DOI:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2018.04.006
DOI ↗Walters EM, Kerns K, Burlak C. 2017. Xenotransplantation literature update, May/June 2017. Xenotransplantation 24(4): e12323. DOI: 10.1111/xen.12323
DOI ↗Kerns K, Hua A, Burlak C. 2017. Xenotransplantation literature update, January/February 2017. Xenotransplantation 24(2): e12304. DOI: 10.1111/xen.12304
DOI ↗Kerns K, Morales P, Sutovsky P. 2016. Regulation of Sperm Capacitation by the 26S proteasome: An emerging New Paradigm in Spermatology. Biol Reprod 94(5):117. DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.115.136622
DOI ↗Burlak C and Kerns KC. 2015. Xenotransplantation literature update, January-February 2015. Xenotransplantation 22(2): 155-157. DOI: 10.111/xen.12168
DOI ↗Burlak C, Kerns KC, Taylor RT. 2015. Xenotransplantation literature update, March-April 2015. Xenotransplantation 22(3): 236-238. DOI: 10.111/xen.12171
DOI ↗Conference scholarship
Kerns K* & Shofner I. 2026. Next-Generation Fertility Assessment in Boars and Bulls Using Single-Cell Phenotyping and Artificial Intelligence. Proceedings of the Brazilian Association of Animal Andrology Annual Meeting. Rev. Bras. Reprod. Anim. 50(1):117-122.
Kerns K*. 2024. Sperm Attributes: Label-free and Image-based Flow Cytometry. National Association of Animal Breeders. Madison, Wisconsin.
Kerns K* & Sutovsky P. 2021. Bull Sperm Zinc Ion Flux as a Marker for the Acquisition of Fertilization Competency. Proceedings of the Brazilian Association of Animal Andrology Annual Meeting. Indaiatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.