Thesis supervisor: Gábor Kovács L.
Location of studies (in Hungarian): PTE ÁOK Szigeti u. 12. Abbreviation of location of studies: ÁOK
Description of the research topic:
The ability to noninvasively and reliably predict which embryos have the potential to healthily develop to the blastocyst stage and to reach full-term once transferred would be invaluable for human in vitro fertilization. Chromosomal defects, gene interactions, and individual genes can all contribute to developmental failure. During the past decade, small non-coding RNA molecules including the micro-RNAs (miRNA) have been recognized to be key posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. The regulatory role of miRNAs has recently begun to be explored in the human reproductive system and have been shown to play an important role in control of reproductive functions, especially in the processes of implantation, and early embryonic development. Successful embryo implantation requires synchronous development and communication between the blastocyst and the endometrium; however the mechanisms of communication in humans are unknown. Recent studies have revealed that miRNAs are present in bodily fluids and secreted by cells in culture. Human blastocysts differentially secrete miRs in a pattern associated with their implantation outcome. The aim of our research is to identify and confirm DNA-mRNA-miRNA functional modules from spent embryonic culture media which are specific for aneuploidity or major genetic defects of the human embryo. Methodology includes quantitative real-time PCR, bidirectional Sanger sequencing and NG sequencing techniques.