Studying factors supporting in vitro human embryo development - v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A research study to investigate factors supporting in vitro human embryo implantation and development
IRAS ID
295229
Contact name
Peter Rugg-Gunn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Babraham Institute
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
0370, HFEA Centre Number
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Our research project aims to characterise the cellular and molecular factors underlying human embryo development during the transition from pre-implantation to early post-implantation. The period spanning the first two weeks following fertilisation is primarily concerned with forming all of the cell types that contribute to the embryo and to the extraembryonic tissues, which ensure successful implantation and help instruct the future body plan. During this developmental period, important patterns of epigenetic marks are established that are inherited by all of the subsequent foetal and adult cells. Errors that arise during this early stage are hypothesised to be involved in the onset of certain disorders later in life. However, we lack a detailed understanding of how these events occur during human embryo development, including the signals that are involved and how the activity of different genes is controlled correctly. To address these knowledge gaps, our goal is to understand how cell identities are established and maintained as the human embryo develops. We aim to optimise culture conditions to promote implantation in vitro and sustain accurate development of the human embryo up until the day 14 limit. We aim to define the molecular crosstalk established at implantation between the embryo and the maternal environment that is necessary to support healthy embryo development. We will achieve this by using advanced molecular methods that we have optimised in order to characterise the changes in gene activity and epigenetic marks that are established as the embryo develops. The successful completion of our research will help to identify key events and signals that are required for successful embryo development. This knowledge should be informative for improving IVF outcomes and help identify causes of infertility in patients, and also to better understand how long-lasting epigenetic patterns are established early in development.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0194
Date of REC Opinion
4 Aug 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion