Author: europeanplacenta

The BREED unit is a large research unit (>90 people) gathering researchers specializing in biomedical, veterinary and fundamental fields. It is primarily attached to the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) but also to Paris-Saclay university (UPSAY), Versailles-Saint Quentin university (UVSQ), and The National Veterinary School of Alfort (ENVA). Its research focuses on the development of the mammalian embryo from the formation of the egg cell to birth and development to adulthood. Projects range from fundamental studies on the functioning of the genome during embryo and fetal growth to applied research on the effects of the environment at large on development in the agronomic, veterinary and biomedical fields. The scientific objective is to understand and control the mechanisms of epigenetic programming during prenatal life, leading to the birth of a healthy, fertile and robust individual, able to adapt to changes in his environment.

The unit is organized into 5 research teams supported by an administrative team and shared services and platforms. One team is specialised in placental research.

The Placenta, Environment and Programming of Phenonypes (PEPPS) team is particularly dedicated to placental function. It is composed of 10 permanent staff members, with expertise in placental and animal physiology, medical imaging, histology, morphometry, lipidology, endocrinology and cellular and molecular biology. In addition, the team develops original approaches in gestation microscopy and imaging.

Unit members working on placenta

EPG gathers many groups working in research or in clinics or both, on human placenta but also on various animal and cellular models. The placenta of domestic and wild animals is also studied, both for veterinary purposes and to understand why this temporary organ is so variable in shape and organisation between species.

Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Germany

www.placenta-labor.de

Main Placenta-Related Topics:

We are a group of international scientists with diverse backgrounds and interests who perform research in several areas of human reproduction and pregnancy. Four group leaders and their teams constitute the Placenta Lab.

Our research focuses on different aspects of human reproduction: Physiology of the human placenta, function and regulation of placental trophoblast and immune cells, regulation of placental angiogenesis, pathological pregnancies and placentas, communication of placenta with maternal immune and neural cells via extracellular vesicles and non-coding RNA, effects of pollutants on maternal health and pregnancy outcome, aspects of preparation of the uterus for embryo implantation and placentation with emphasis on immunological factors and cells, physiology of the female reproductive tract, placenta toxicology and animal testing alternatives.

Head of the Lab

Prof. Udo Markert, MD