Dr John Huntriss
Lecturer, Reproduction and Early Development Research Group
Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics,
The LIGHT Laboratories, Clarendon Way, University of Leeds, Leeds,
United Kingdom. LS2 9JT.
email: j.huntriss@leeds.ac.uk
Research Interests:
I have a research pedigree that includes the
use of single cell-sensitive techniques for assessing the molecular
biology of human oocytes and preimplantation embryos.
My main research interests are the regulation of epigenetic events during human oogenesis and preimplantation development and how these may be affected by assisted reproductive technology (ART). This work involves the analysis of allelic expression of imprinted genes in the human preimplantation embryo, analysis of methylation of imprinted genes, and assessment of their expression as markers of epigenetic disruption. Also, included is the analysis of expression of epigenetic regulators in the human female germline and during preimplantation development.
Figure: Assessment of genomic imprinting in human preimplantation embryos. Left Panel) Genotyping a single human blastocyst for a transcribed polymorphism in the PEG1/MEST imprinted gene and analysis of imprinted expressionof PEG1/MEST in cDNA from the same embryo. Right Panel) Using the human imprinted genes on a focussed gene expression microarray as biomarkers of epigenetic disruption in single human preimplantation embryos conceived after assisted reproduction.
Understanding the regulation of genomic imprinting in early human development is required in order to potentially minimize ART-induced epigenetic defects and is also becoming increasingly important in order to assess the stability of imprinting in embryonic stem (ES) cells.
The molecular regulation of oogenesis/folliculogenesis and the implications thereof for human fertility is also a main research interest. This focuses upon the isolation and characterisation of known and novel genes that are specifically expressed in the oocyte. These are genes that are typically known to be essential for oogenesis (FIGLA, NOBOX for example) or are implicated in the process. The gene expression events that drive folliculogenesis in the human ovary, and preimplantation development are also currently being investigated.
Selected Recent References2008.Huntriss, J., Picton,
H.M. Stability of Genomic Imprinting in Embryonic Stem Cells: Lessons
from Assisted Reproductive Technology. Review. Current Stem Cell Research
and Therapy. In press.
2008. Huntriss J, Picton, H.M. Epigenetic Consequences of Assisted
Reproduction and Infertility on the Human Preimplantation Embryo.
Human Fertility. In press.
2006 Huntriss, J, Hinkins, M, Picton, H.M. cDNA cloning and expression
of the human NOBOX gene in oocytes and ovarian follicles. Molecular
Human Reproduction. 12(5):283-9.
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