"Modeling early human pregnancy with stem cells"is the topic addressed by Nicolas Rivron in the seminar to be held at the Human Technopole auditorium on October 13 at 4 p.m.
Nicolas Rivron is Group Leader at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Vienna, Austria). He led the development of the first complete embryonic model. It reflects the blastocyst in mice and humans and is called a blastoide. Blastoids are unique in two respects: they are complete and represent the pre-implantation stage, thus enabling implantation in the uterus.
Using blastoids, Rivron's laboratory explores (1) the conserved principles of embryonic self-organization, particularly the coordination and modulation of molecular and mechanical signaling, and (2) the evolution of human genetic traits that have led to our low fertility compared to other primates (50% of fertilized oocytes never develop).
This fundamental research aims to uncover the constraints and evolutionary vulnerabilities of human embryogenesis, knowledge of which is necessary for the development of new therapeutic approaches to global health challenges such as family planning, declining fertility, and prenatal preventive medicine.
HT host: Oliver Harschnitz
