EMBO Member
Kikuë Tachibana
EMBO 2018
Former EMBO Young Investigator (2017)
MPI für Biochemie, Martinsried, Germany
Mechanisms of zygotic reprogramming to totipotency
Our research focuses on how chromatin is epigenetically reprogrammed to a totipotent state in mammalian zygotes. We use mechanistic cell biology, spatial genome organization, genomics and genetics to study the conversion of female germ cells by fertilization into embryos, the oocyte-to-zygote transition. Our insights into meiotic chromosome segregation in oocytes are also relevant for egg aneuploidy at advanced maternal age.
Keywords
Totipotency / zygotes / epigenetic reprogramming / chromatin / genome organization / meiosis / oocytes