An ambitious EC-funded research initiative on epigenetics advancing towards systems biology

The process of germ line differentiation allows the production of mature gametes that carry both genetic and epigenetic information. Epigenetic modifications that occur during mammalian germ cell development have immediate effects on gametic identity, genome integrity through the protection against transposable elements, and sex-specific programming. Our current projects are aimed at understanding 1) how DNA methylation patterns are shaped in germ cells, 2) how they prepare the sperm and the egg for the process of fertilization, 3) how they provide the gametes with the potential to promote an entire new organism and faithfully perpetuate the hereditary material and 4) how they can impact on the embryo but also, on a longer term, on the adult individual and eventually, on the next generations. We combine genetic, cellular and developmental approaches with genome-wide and biochemical strategies, and rely on mouse models of deficiency in DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications.

People :

• PhD students:
  • Sophie Ajjan
  • Rachel Duffié
  • Marius Walter
• Post-doc fellows
  • Max Greenberg
  • Natasha Zamudio
• Assistant Engineer
  • Julian Iranzo