Arne Klungland - Reprogramming in meiosis and the preimplantation embryo - and CRESCO

Some of the most profound events in the life of an organism, with far-reaching consequences for development and health, happen during the very early stages of existence. These include completion of meiosis, merging of parental genomes at fertilization, and reprogramming of the genome during early embryo development.

We have designed gene-targeted models and use single-cell analysis to gain insight on the reprogramming of the genome from early stages of germ cells to mature oocytes and during the first few cell divisions of the embryo. While we study several important chemical modifications on histones, DNA and RNA, we have a particular focus on the most frequent modified base in mRNA, 6-methyladenine (m6A).

In CRESCO, Centre for Embryology and Healthy Development, an overarching goal of the PIs is to understand the role of epigenetic and epitranscriptomic information in the passing of life from one generation to the next in a One-Health perspective. CRESCO combine complementary expertise on epigenetic and epitranscriptomic modifications, DNA repair and genome (in)stability, single-cell and single-nucleotide analysis, embryology and healthy development.

Arne Klungland is a professor and the director of Centre for Embryology and Healthy Development at Department of Clinical Medicine, UiO and Oslo University Hospital.