How early embryo cells change before and during implantation
Understanding the mechanism of pre- to naïve- to formative- pluripotency transitions
This project looks at how very early embryo cells change before and during implantation to help people affected by early pregnancy loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11312675 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use lab-grown embryonic stem cell models that mimic the inner cell mass and the transitions those cells undergo before implantation. They will map DNA accessibility and protein binding using techniques such as ATAC-seq and CUT&RUN to track how gene regulation shifts between pre-, naïve-, and formative pluripotent states. By comparing these molecular patterns, the team aims to identify events that may lead to embryos failing to implant or develop. The work relies on mouse and cell-based systems to get around the scarcity of human peri-implantation embryos and to test molecular mechanisms in detail.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have experienced recurrent early pregnancy loss or repeated implantation failure would be most interested in following or taking part in related future studies.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment for a current pregnancy or those with unrelated health issues are unlikely to get direct benefit from this laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal molecular causes of early pregnancy loss and point to new tests or treatments to prevent implantation failure.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab studies using stem-cell models and methods like ATAC-seq have uncovered important regulatory patterns, but applying these tools specifically to peri-implantation pluripotency transitions is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Yi — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Yi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.