The research group Genetics, Reproduction and Development (GRAD) brings together researchers from the field of genetics, reproduction and developmental biology. The group is built around seven specialty teams:
The Beta Cell Neogenesis (BENE) team is dedicated to regenerate beta cells for innovative cell therapies in diabetes. Our research tackles critical questions: Where do new beta cells originate from in adult organisms? Do they proliferate from existing cells, differentiate from progenitor cells, or transdifferentiate from non-beta cells into beta-like cells? How can we enhance beta cell resilience in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and improve the efficacy of cell therapies?
The aims of the Follicle Biology (FOBI) Laboratory are the design and validation of new culture systems for ovarian follicles and immature oocytes to establish practical, applicable strategies for fertility clinics.
The Reproduction and Immunology (REIM) team studies human reproduction, focusing on infertility causes like fertilization failure and implantation issues. They use donated embryos to investigate early development and interactions with the endometrium, utilizing 3D endometrium models for co-culture studies.
The Biology of the Testis (BITE) team studies spermatogenesis with a special focus on spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Our research entails (1) patient follow-up after childhood gonadotoxic treatment; (2) the development and implementation of methods to cryopreserve and transplant SSCs or testicular tissue; (3) the generation of sperm cells in-vitro; (4) the search for causes of Klinefelter Syndrome-related infertility.
The Neurogenetics (NEGE) team studies how the development of the brain can be disturbed and lead to severe congenital defects.
The research team Reproduction and Genetics (REGE) carries out research in the interface between developmental biology and genetics. We study, amongst others, the genetic basis of infertility and poor embryonic development, as well as the genomic regulators of cell fate acquisition. Our lab works on human preimplantation embryos as well as embryonic stem cells, and stem-cell derived models such as blastoids and organoids.
