15 Feb
16 Feb

the Humanities Theatre, Uppsala University , Uppsala

CRU Conference: From Gametes to (Epi)Genomics: The Symphony of Reproduction

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Please feel free to spread the invitation to colleagues who might be interested.

Registration and abstract submission

The abstract submission deadline is now extended until 15 December, 2023. Register early before the limited slots get filled. For questions, please contact Richelle Duque Björvang (richelle.duque_bjorvang@kbh.uu.se).

Important dates

  • Abstract submission: December 1, 2023 (extended to 15 December, 2023)
  • Notification of oral and poster presentations: Early January 2024
  • Registration deadline: First come, first served basis for 60 slots

Programme

Scroll down for programme.

Cost

Free of charge.

Facts

Time: 2024-02-15 09:00 - 2024-02-16 16:15
City: Uppsala
Location: the Humanities Theatre, Uppsala University
Organiser: CRU, Uppsala University & SLU
Additional info:

Venue

The Humanities Theatre (Humanistiska teatern), Uppsala University (Thunbergsvägen 3C, 752 38 Uppsala - entrance 3C from the park).

Organizing committee

Martin Johnsson, Associate Professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

His research interests concern genetic variation and the genetic basis of complex traits, working especially with chickens, pigs and cattle.

Sofia Mikko, Researcher, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Her research specialization is to combine molecular and population genetic/genomic approach to study physiology, morphology, development, diseases and other traits primarily in the horse but also other animals.

Carlos Guerrero Bosagna, Associate Professor, Uppsala University

The general research interest within his group is to investigate how environmental exposures of a variety of sources (nutrition, contaminants, stress) interfere with developmental and epigenetic mechanisms, and can consequently be involved in phenotypic and epigenetic variation later in life. Additionally, he is interested in how environmental exposures can induce epigenetic modifications in the germ line, as well as the ability of these to be transmitted transgenerationally and influence genetic variability in subsequent generations.

Richelle Duque Björvang, Deputy Director, Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala

She is a physician scientist currently investigating the biological markers of perinatal mental health such as peripartum depression. She is well-versed in reproductive toxicology, especially the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in female reproductive health. Her research interests lie in reproductive medicine, particularly infertility, as well as -omics and big data analysis.


Programme

Febuary 15, 2024

9:00-9:05 Welcome and introduction (organizing committee)

Session 1: Sex determination

9:00-9:35 Keynote speaker: Amir Fallahshahroudi - Evolutionary dynamics of chromatin and gene expression landscapes during mammalian gonad development

Amir Fallahshahroudi is a junior scientist at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University in Sweden, where his research, mainly focuses on studying dosage compensation and sex determination in birds using chicken as a model species. During his international postdoctoral research, he utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin (ATAC-seq) to study sex determination and gonad development in primates.

9:35-9:45 Questions and discussion

9:45-10:15 Fika break

10:15-10:50 Carl-Johan Rubin (Researcher, Uppsala University, Sweden) – Sex Determination in Flatfish (tentative title)

10:50-11:25 Nima Rafati (Bioinformatician, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden) – Deciphering the Genetic Underpinnings of Sex Determination in Atlantic Herring

11:25-11:50 Round table discussion

11:50-12:00 Sponsor presentation (ActiveMotif)

12:00-13:00 Lunch

Session 2: Epigenetic programming

13:00-13:30 Keynote speaker: Rosalind John - Placental programming of anxiety across generations

Rosalind John is a Professor at Cardiff University (UK). Ros’ research seeks to understand the mechanisms by which the environment early in life modulates the developing epigenome to cause disease, with a focus on imprinted genes. Using experimental models, her team showed that imprinted genes function to regulate placenta hormones and, through this function, influence birth weight and the behaviour of both mothers and their offspring. Her recent work suggests that these findings may have relevance to perinatal depression and anxiety which are highly common in human pregnancy.

13:30-13:45 Questions and discussion

13:45-14:15 Fika break

14:15-14:40 Arild Husby (Associate Professor, Uppsala University, Sweden) – Rapid DNA methylation changes associated with seasonal timing in a wild passerine

14:40–15:00 Michela Di Criscio (PhD Student, Uppsala University, Sweden) – Exposure to a human-relevant mixture of endocrine disrupting chemicals induces changes in hippocampal DNA methylation correlating with hyperactive behavior in male mice

15:00-15:25 John Lees (Researcher, Uppsala University, Sweden) – Stressing the symbionts: Exposure to developmental stress exerts lasting impacts upon the mitochondrial epigenome, mitochondrial physiology and the adult phenotype

15:25-16:00 Round Table Discussion

18:00-20:00 Dinner and drinks: Williams pub (Åsgränd 5c, 753 10 Uppsala). Sponsored by BioNordika and Active Motif

February 16, 2024

Session 3: Sex chromosome aneuploidy

9:00-9:35 Keynote speaker: Anna Murray - Phenotypic effects of sex chromosome aneuploidies in an adult population-based cohort

Anna Murray is a Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Exeter Medical School (UK). She has expertise in the genomics of multifactorial reproductive traits and single gene causes of conditions such as premature ovarian insufficiency. Her early work in this field led to some of the first publications that reported an association between FMR1 premutation alleles and ovarian function.

9:35-9:45 Questions and discussion

9:45-10:15 Fika break

10:15-10:50 Dominic Wright (Professor, Linköping University, Sweden) – Regulation of methylation on the Z chromosome of chickens (tentative title)

10:50-11:25 Lars Forsberg (Associate Professor, Uppsala University, Sweden) – Hematopoietic loss of chromosome Y (LOY) and higher mortality in men

11:25-11:50 Round table discussion

11:50-12:00 Sponsor presentation (BioNordika)

12:00-13:00 Lunch

Session 4: Inheritance patterns

13:00-13:30 Keynote speaker: Ramji Bhandari  - An intergenerational transfer of altered DNA methylation profiles and associated phenotypes in fish

Ramji Bhandari is an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri (USA). Ramji graduated with a Ph. D. in Comparative Endocrinology from Hokkaido University and postdoctoral training in developmental biology, environmental inheritance, and epigenetics at Washington State University and the University of Missouri. He is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia, United States.  His research program aims to understand how gene-environment interactions lead to adaptive or maladaptive phenotypic traits at the intra, inter, and transgenerational levels. They are developing strategies to correct the inherited epigenetic memories to restore phenotypic normalcy.

13:30-13:45 Questions and discussion

13:45-14:15 Fika break

14:15-14:40 Aleksandra Łukasiewicz (Assistant Professor, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland) – Condition-dependent mechanisms of gamete-level mate choice in humans

14:40-15:00 Violeta de Anca Prado (PhD Student, Uppsala University, Sweden) – Genetic and germ line methylomic consequences following a multigenerational exposure related to metabolic diseases in mouse

15:00-15:25 Khrystyna Kurta (Researcher, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden) – Dynamics and potential improvements in the Swedish Arctic charr male fertility

15:25-15:50 Fábio Pèrtille (Researcher, Uppsala University, Sweden) – Epigenetic Footprints in Germline Evolution: Tracing Fear Behavior in Red Jungle Fowl

15:50-16:10 Round Table Discussion

16:10-16:15 Closing message


Contact

Centre for Reproductive Biology in Uppsala, CRU
P.O. Box 7054, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Phone: +46 18-67 21 74
www.slu.se/cru | cru@slu.se