University of Manchester

In Conjunction with St Mary's Hospital, Manchester and Manchester Fertility Services

Licence holder: Dr Daniel Brison and Dr Sue Kimber

Lay summary:

In spite of the fact that clinical in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has been used as a treatment for infertility for more than 20 years, human embryos created by IVF continue to develop poorly in the laboratory, and the success rate of IVF is low.  Only one in every 5 or 10 embryos goes on to form a baby after transfer to the womb. 

The aim of this research is to investigate the way normal human embryos develop in the laboratory, and compare them to embryos which develop abnormally.  This will help us to improve laboratory conditions to allow normal embryo development, which will increase success rates of IVF. 

We are looking particularly at genes and proteins which control cell death in embryos, and the ability of cells in the embryo to stick to one another, and make contact to the wall of the womb, in order to implant and develop. 

We are also studying master genes which control other genes, particularly those which are involved in giving cells in the embryo the ability to go on to form any cell in the adult body.