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Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

 
Read more at: Self-renewable killer cells could be key to making cancer immunotherapy work
Self-renewable killer cells could be key to making cancer immunotherapy work

Self-renewable killer cells could be key to making cancer immunotherapy work

26 October 2016

New research from Randall Johnson's team, published on Nature, reveals how a small molecule turns short-lived ‘killer T-cells’ into long-lived, renewable cells that can last in the body for longer, and could help make cell-based immunotherapy a realistic prospect to treat cancer.


Read more at: Neurons feel the force – physical interactions control brain development
Neurons feel the force – physical interactions control brain development

Neurons feel the force – physical interactions control brain development

20 September 2016

Researchers have identified a new mechanism controlling brain development: that neurons not only ‘smell’ chemicals in their environment, but also ‘feel’ their way through the developing brain.


Read more at: Placenta plays pivotal “umpire” role to influence pregnancy outcomes
Placenta plays pivotal “umpire” role to influence pregnancy outcomes

Placenta plays pivotal “umpire” role to influence pregnancy outcomes

18 September 2016

New research provides the first clear evidence that the amount of nutrients transported to the foetus by the placenta adjusts according to both the foetal drive for growth, and the mother’s physical ability to provide.


Read more at: Scientists develop human embryos beyond implantation stage for first time
Scientists develop human embryos beyond implantation stage for first time

Scientists develop human embryos beyond implantation stage for first time

8 July 2016

A new technique that allows embryos to develop in vitro beyond the implantation stage (when the embryo would normally implant into the womb) has been developed by Zernicka-Goetz's lab, allowing them to analyse for the first time key stages of human embryo development up to 13 days after fertilisation. The technique could open up new avenues of research aimed at helping improve the chances of success of IVF.


Read more at: Early-stage embryos with abnormalities may still develop into healthy babies
Early-stage embryos with abnormalities may still develop into healthy babies

Early-stage embryos with abnormalities may still develop into healthy babies

8 July 2016

Abnormal cells in the early embryo are not necessarily a sign that a baby will be born with a birth defect such as Down’s syndrome, suggests new research by Zernicka-Goetz's lab. In a study published in Nature Communications, scientists show that abnormal cells are eliminated and replaced by healthy cells, repairing – and in some cases completely fixing – the embryo.


Read more at: Embryo development: Some cells are more equal than others even at four-cell stage
Embryo development: Some cells are more equal than others even at four-cell stage

Embryo development: Some cells are more equal than others even at four-cell stage

8 July 2016

Genetic ‘signatures’ of early-stage embryos confirm that our development begins to take shape as early as the second day after conception, when we are a mere four cells in size, according to new research led by Magda Zernicka-Goetz's lab and EMBL-EBI. Although they seem to be identical, the cells of the two day-old embryo are already beginning to display subtle differences.


Read more at: Old before your time: Study suggests that ageing begins in the womb
Old before your time: Study suggests that ageing begins in the womb

Old before your time: Study suggests that ageing begins in the womb

8 July 2016

The process of ageing begins even before we are born, according to an international team of researchers led by Dino Giussani. In a study using rats to model pregnancy and fetal development, the researchers also found that providing mothers with antioxidants during pregnancy meant that their offspring aged more slowly in adulthood.