Origin and specification of the epiblast lineage in mammalian embryo

To understand the causes of early pregnancy pathologies and miscarriages we need to increase our understanding of early mammalian development. Moreover, knowledge about how the first lineages in the mammalian embryo are formed is elemental for defining the optimal conditions for maintaining pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells in a stable undifferentiated state and inducing them to differentiate. This in turn is critical to provide safe and effective cell therapies in regenerative medicine.
This project aims to understand when and how the epiblast – a pluripotent cell lineage that gives rise to the whole fetus (and is a source of ES cells) – arises within the developing preimplantation embryo. In particular we want to determine whether the signals initiating epiblast specification come from cell-cell and cell-environment interactions or whether the process remains under the genetic control of transcriptional factors. We also want to clarify what factors are crucial for the stabilisation of the epiblast lineage during development.
In this project a student will have chance to learn basic molecular biology methods as well as more advance methods used in experimental embryology and IVF clinics, such as embryo handling and culture, microinjection and micromanipulation.