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Moving to new headquarters, structural changes and rebranding with the effect of the ‘InLife’ logo are an opportunity for the Institute to open up anew and look boldly to the future, according to the Director of the Institute, Prof. Mariusz K. Piskuła, who is completing his term of office after 13 years.

The Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences has a new logo – ‘InLife’. What is behind this term?

Literally translating: ‘In’ – from institute, innovation, interdisciplinarity and internationalisation. ‘Life’, on the other hand, refers to the broad spectrum of our activities, which revolve precisely around life – after all, we deal with food, animal and human reproduction, and health.

The new logo is intended to help us show our activities in a universal way, because although we formally deal with two disciplines: food and nutrition technology and zootechnics and fisheries, our research is very often at the interface of many disciplines. For example, exploring the causes of human infertility is not de facto zootechnics, while studying food in the context of metabolic disorders is already entering medicine.

An important argument for creating a logo was also the issue of facilitating communication with other research centres and the socio-economic environment – both in Poland and abroad.

The full name of our Institute – which of course still applies – is long and complicated. Few people can repeat it correctly the first time. This is why we regularly encounter more or less distortions. For example, it has happened – and in documents! – to present us as the Institute for Animal Reproduction or the Institute for Food Reproduction Research. The abbreviation ‘InLife’ will help avoid such situations.

Does the creation of the new acronym involve any changes to the scope of the Institute’s activities?

Along with creating a whole new visual identity, we also carried out a rebranding process for our Institute. We rethought who we are, what our goals are, which direction we want to head in, how we want to be perceived and so on. ‘InLife’ thus corresponds to the profound changes within our Institute.

At this point, I would like to briefly outline our 36-year history, as it is crucial to understanding this story and directly explains the flow of my thinking.

To illustrate, I am finishing my term of office as a representative of the second generation of the Institute’s management. For the first generation, narrow specialisation was important – which is why for a long time there was a formal division of the unit into two departments: animal reproduction and food research. This resulted, among other things, in the budget for the purchase of research equipment being divided equally, 50-50, regardless of whether anyone needed more. The aftermath of this thinking has been apparent to date – each department was based in a different location in Olsztyn, and on top of that we have two medical-oriented facilities in Białystok. Eventually, after many years, we merged everything.

Shortly after I took over as director 13 years ago, we started preparations for the new headquarters. At that time, we had already reached a consensus that we should merge, and the new, shared headquarters would be an opportunity to do so. With this, we started to look at the Institute as a whole – not as two separate departments. I have gone even further, we are moving away from this division, we are abolishing the branches. The formalities in this direction are already underway.

So the move to the new premises is supposed to be a kind of opening up of the Institute for the new?

There will be a new mission for the Institute associated with the move, but I leave that to Professor Monika Kaczmarek, who will take over the leadership of the Institute from me at the beginning of January 2025. She is a representative of the ‘third generation’ of staff.

Looking further inside the Institute, you have also made structural changes. What kind of changes?

One of the biggest changes is the elimination of research departments in favour of smaller but still flexible teams – as is happening in the world. I have given a chance to those scientists who are ready to do independent research, have an idea for funding and have gathered the right human capital around them – so that they do not have a glass ceiling above them. Now they can start their own team, focusing on their chosen topic.

We currently have 18 research teams identified. There is still interest, so perhaps more will emerge. In my opinion, this is also a way for such healthy competition between researchers and a way to learn how to build consortia around a common goal with other teams/units.

We have also created specialised laboratories, or so-called core facilities, which focus on our most expensive and advanced technologies. Access to these will be open to all researchers – under the guidance of competent staff operating these laboratories, of course.

Does the proximity of the Institute’s new headquarters to the Olsztyn Science and Technology Park mean that it is more open to cooperation with business?

Definitely. This is due to two reasons.

Firstly, one of the conditions for obtaining funding for the construction of the new premises from EU funds under the Regional Operational Programme for the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship 2014-2020 was that we should be open to cooperation with the wider business community and make some of the rooms available to them; this will generate additional income for us, which is an important argument.

I would like it to be clearly stated that current funding for PAS institutes from the state budget is scandalously low in comparison with how universities are treated. Therefore, in order to be able to conduct world-class research, we need to find additional funding, for example from the aforementioned cooperation with business, from national projects and from funds straight from Brussels. We have to look at our institutes as business units.

Coming to the end of your role as Director of the Institute, are you satisfied with the state you are leaving the Institute in?

Yes, I am completing my term of office with satisfaction – especially the fact that I have led the construction of a new shared headquarters and carried out an internal restructuring with the rebranding of the Institute.

And what, in your opinion, is the biggest challenge facing the Institute’s new director?

Budget, budget, budget. The subsidies received have practically come to a standstill, and expenditure continues to rise due to, among other things, the rising cost of living and statutory increases for academic staff, although we have not received additional funds, apart from incidental cash injections, for this. Well, and at least the continued success in obtaining EU funding from Brussels. I would add that our successes in this area resulted in our nomination to the  Crystal Brussels Prize, as 1 of 5 out of a total of 69 institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and we certainly beat all those doing science in the region.

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„InLife” – is the new logo of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences. It refers to the research conducted at the Institute, which focuses on life – food, animal and human reproduction, and health. It is also intended to facilitate communication both in Poland and abroad.

– This one word defines our entire activity. „In” – from the institute, innovation, interdisciplinarity and internationalization. In turn, „Life” refers to the wide spectrum of our activities, which focus precisely on life – after all, we deal with nutrition, reproduction, and broadly understood health – explains the director of the Institute, Prof. Mariusz K. Piskuła.

The reason for the creation of the „InLife” logo is the commencement of the Institute’s activity in its new headquarters – at 18 Trylińskiego St. in Olsztyn, in the neighbourhood of the Olsztyn Science and Technology Park.

– The new facility integrates all units of the Institute (the Food Sciences Division and the Reproductive Biology Division in Olsztyn and two departments in Białystok), and the “InLife” logo is to emphasize this interdisciplinary, new chapter in the Institute’s history – adds the director.

The new brand is also to facilitate communication with other research centers and the socio-economic environment – ​​both in Poland and abroad.

– The full name of our Institute, which of course is still in force, is long, complicated and difficult to remember. Hence, we regularly encounter its – greater or lesser – distortion, which is not conducive to building the visibility of our activities. The “InLife” brand will allow us to avoid such situations – says Iwona Kieda, who heads the Communication and International Affairs Office at the Institute.

The entire visual identification refers to the new logo. The logo is based on the shape of a hexagon symbolizing a cell – the basic unit of life. It is a metaphor for natural perfection, precision, cooperation and modularity – the foundations on which research on reproduction, nutrition and health is based on.

THE „HOUSEWARMING PARTY”

The presentation of the new logo and new visual identification of the „InLife” Institute was combined with a „housewarming party”, i.e. the inauguration of operations in the new headquarters. The spaces of the new Institute are filling up with equipment and furniture. Most of the scientific and administrative staff have already moved to the new location, and the laboratories are being launched.

The ceremony, which took place on 17 December, was attended by invited guests – representatives of the governmental, academic and business stakeholders from the region and beyond. They included the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Prof. Marek Konarzewski; Voivode of Warmia and Mazury, Radosław Król; Vice-President of Olsztyn, Justyna Sarna-Pezowicz; Member of Parliament, Dorota Olko; Senator of the Republic of Poland, Gustaw Marek Brzezin; Rector of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Dr. Jerzy A. Przyborowski, Prof. UWM; Rector of the European Academy of Applied Medical and Social Sciences, Dr. Agnieszka Górska, Prof. EAMiSNS; Director of the Institute of Rural Development and Agriculture of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Dr. Habil. Monika Stanny, Prof. IRWiR PAN.

President of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Prof. Marek Konarzewski, congratulated us on the new headquarters and the new logo. He admitted that the official name of the Institute is complicated, and the new logo will gradually improve the communication. – From today on, I will refer to the new brand, to this new, very accurate name – said the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

– This new opening is incredibly important both for you and for the entire Polish Academy of Sciences – we are developing as an institution and this Institute is the best example of this – added Prof. Marek Konarzewski.

Participants of the „house-warming” party also had the opportunity to tour the building, including the new laboratories.

ABOUT THE NEW HEADQUARTERS

The new headquarters of the Institute has six floors (five administrative and laboratory floors and one technical floor), and its volume is over 25 thousand m3. Inside there are specialist laboratories, so called  „core facilities”, rooms for conducting biomedical research and necessary facilities typical of the Institute’s profile of activity. An animal laboratory was also created, meeting the strictest EU requirements for such units.

The facility was created as part of the project „Environmental Research Center and Innovative Food Technologies for the Quality of Life”, co-financed by the Regional Operational Program of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship for the years 2014-2020. The investment cost is over PLN 109 million, of which the subsidy amounts to over PLN 79 million, and PLN 30 million is the Institute’s own contribution.

You can read more about the construction HERE ​and HERE.

LOGO HISTORY

Work on the new logo and visual identification system lasted several months. For this purpose, the Institute announced a competition, in which 7 creative agencies from Olsztyn, Warsaw and Krakow took part 2Kropek Studio, Pigalopus, Kot Bury, Brandy Design, Renton, Gravite Design and Bury Design. A total of 10 logo proposals were submitted to the competition.

The jury evaluated the submitted works based on the criteria of aesthetics, innovativeness and respect towards the vision  behind the „InLife” brand. Points were also awarded in relation  to the cost of the proposed project. The weight of the criteria was 70/30. The jury members were employees of the Institute and Dr. Arkadiusz Karapuda, Professor of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, invited to the jury as an external expert.

The winner of the competition was „Gravite Design” from Olsztyn. In accordance with the regulations, a contract was signed with the winner of the competition to create Institute’s logo and the Visual Identity Book. The winning logo is hexagonal, elegant and simple in its form. In the basic full-color version, the hexagon is lime green and the name is navy blue.

The new visual concept will be gradually implemented in all communication channels.

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The role of dendritic cells (a special type of immune cell) in regulating the inflammatory microenvironment, investigating inter-individual differences in vitamin D-triggered immune responses, the effect of ulipristal acetate (a drug used, among other things, in emergency contraception) on liver mechanisms, analysis of the foraging ability of perch larvae and finding new ways of assessing the quality of European perch spermatozoa – these are the five topics that the Institute’s researchers will investigate as part of OPUS 27 and PRELUDIUM 23 grants from the National Science Centre (NCN).

SET THE BAR HIGH

OPUS 27 is a competition aimed at researchers at all stages of their scientific career. This year, 2255 applications were submitted, of which 357 received funding for a total of PLN 603.6 million. The success rate was 15.8 per cent.

Funding was awarded to a project entitled: “The molecular dialog between dendritic cells and endometrial microenvironment during equine endometrosis”.

The project leader is Dr Agnieszka Sadowska from the Team of Team of Reproductive Pathology and Translational Medicine.

– The information gained from the project is extremely important because of its potential to prevent and treat endometrosis in mares, as well as to improve equine breeding rates by reducing financial losses due to embryo loss. In the future, the results of the project may also point to a new direction in the search for treatment of fibrotic diseases in humans – concludes Dr Agnieszka Sadowska, awardee of the OPUS 27 competition.

Budget: PLN 3 569 232

Funding from the OPUS 27 competition has also been awarded to the project entitled: “Impact of vitamin D on the epigenetic programming of CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells derived from human cord blood”.

The project leader is Prof. Carsten Carlberg from the Nutrigenomics Team.

– Our immune system protects us against various types of microbes that may cause infectious diseases. However, in order to fulfill this function perfectly, the cells forming the immune system need to be trained as good as possible. This training takes place during hematopoiesis, which is a differentiation process happing inside our large bones. In this project, we aim to understand how hematopoiesis is influenced by vitamin D and its receptor VDR – concludes Prof. Carlberg.

Budget: PLN 3 351 340

ON THE RIGHT TRACK

A further three projects received funding through a competition aimed at researchers at a very early stage of their career. For PRELUDIUM 23, 2104 proposals were submitted, of which 362 received funding. The success rate in this case was 17.2%.

Funding was awarded to a project entitled: “Molecular mechanisms underlying the liver injury induced by ulipristal acetate treatment”.

The project leader is Aleksandra Natalia Łupińska, M.Sc., from the Biology and Pathology of Human Reproduction Team.

– In clinical trials, patients treated with ulipristal acetate (UA) were observed to have reduced uterine myoma volume, less heavy bleeding and significant improvements in well-being. These studies showed no significant side effects, but some patients treated with UA were diagnosed with severe liver damage. The causes regarding drug-induced liver damage remain unclear – explains Aleksandra Łupińska, M.Sc.

Budget: PLN 210 000

Another project implemented at our Institute within the PRELUDIUM 23 competition is entitled “To eat or not to eat? Zootechnical and transcriptomic exploration of foraging performance in Eurasian perch larvae”.

The project leader is Rossella Debernardis from the Fish Development and Reproduction Team.

– During the first few days of their independent life, the larvae do not need to take food from the external environment; the necessary nutrients are provided by an internal storehouse – the yolk sac. As they grow, these stored nutrients become depleted, forcing the larvae to actively begin searching for food (called foraging – ed.). Unfortunately, a high percentage of the larvae, never begin to take up food, which eventually leads to them dying of starvation – explains Rosella Debernardis.

Budget: PLN 140 000

The third PRELUDIUM 23 awarded project is entitled “Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs): Novel biomarkers for assessing sperm fertilizing ability in Eurasian perch”.

The project leader is Abhipsa Panda from the Fish Development and Reproduction Team.

– Currently, numerous morphological, biochemical and physiological parameters are taken into account when assessing semen quality, including motility, viability, sperm concentration and the integrity of their DNA. In our study, we have shown that none of these parameters correlate directly with fertilisation success in European perch (Perca fluviatilis), hence the need to identify new indicators of sperm fertilisation capacity in this species – concludes Abhipsa Panda.

Budget: PLN 70 000

Congratulations to all the laureates!

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14 November is World Diabetes Day. Diabetes is an increasing health and social problem and is associated with insulin resistance, i.e. reduced sensitivity of tissues to the effects of insulin. Researchers at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn are investigating the pathogenesis of this condition. In their recent research, they looked at NFAT genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue that may regulate insulin sensitivity.

– Subcutaneous adipose tissue, as the main ‘storehouse’ of lipids, can protect other tissues from the harmful effects of excess lipids (i.e. from lipotoxicity) and thus protect against the development of insulin resistance. Necessary for this action is adipogenesis, i.e. the process of forming new fat cells (adipocytes). Proteins of the NFAT family are involved in this process and may therefore be important in the regulation of insulin sensitivity – explains Professor Marek Strączkowski, head of the Prophylaxis of Metabolic Diseases Team at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn (IAR&FR PAS).

The specific aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) family genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue in normal-weight and overweight or obese subjects, and to assess the effect of weight reduction under a low-calorie diet on NFAT gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue in overweight or obese subjects.

In other words, it is about investigating what the expression of these genes is in normal-weight people and those who are overweight or obese, and also whether and what role weight reduction plays in this.

The results of the study have just been published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases. The authors of the publication are: Magdalena Danowska (PhD student, IAR&FR PAS), Dr Magdalena Stefanowicz (Medical University of Białystok) and Prof. Marek Strączkowski (IAR&FR PAS).

The main result is the demonstration that NFAT gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue is associated with insulin sensitivity and adipogenic gene expression.

– This suggests that NFAT genes may play a role in maintaining normal subcutaneous adipose tissue function. By maintaining the capacity for adipogenesis (i.e. the formation of new adipocytes), they protect against the development of lipotoxicity (i.e. against the detrimental effects of free fatty acids on other organs and tissues, e.g. liver, skeletal muscle, heart). This way, they may contribute to an improvement in insulin sensitivity, also under the influence of weight reduction – explains Professor Marek Strączkowski, who is involved in research into the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in people at risk of type 2 diabetes.

The researchers also showed that reduced NFAT gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue in overweight and obese individuals is partially reversible under weight reduction.

– The results suggest new mechanisms for improving insulin sensitivity and thus reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, occurring under the influence of weight reduction. They also point to potential new handle points for drugs that could play a role in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with insulin resistance, concludes Prof Marek Strączkowski.

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Insulin resistance is a reduced sensitivity of tissues to insulin, a hormone that increases the transport of glucose into cells, which in turn lowers blood glucose levels.

Insulin resistance is not a disease, but it is a condition that can lead to the development of many diseases: first and foremost type 2 diabetes, but also cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers or neurodegenerative diseases.

According to recent estimates by the National Health Fund, around 3 million people in Poland suffer from diabetes, and it is expected that by 2030, one in ten Poles will be affected by the disease.

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Read about our research around the topic of insulin resistance:

Biological clock genes, insulin and obesity – what do they have in common?

Structures around skeletal muscle linked to insulin resistance

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Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is widely recognized as a key marker of ovarian reserve, used to assess a woman’s fertility, especially before undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, AMH is also gaining attention in oncology due to its potential role in diagnosing and treating various cancers.

A recent review article, published in Frontiers in Endocrinology by an international team of researchers, focusses into the biology of AMH and its multifaceted roles in both endocrinology and oncology. The senior author, Prof. Carsten Carlberg, who leads the Nutrigenomics Team at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, contributed to this comprehensive analysis. However, major contributions came from the first author, Dr. Marek Gowkielewicz, a gynecologist from the School of Medicine of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.

The review organizes current knowledge about AMH, examining its roles across different life stages: from fetal development, childhood, and adolescence, to its involvement in the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovarian function, and menopause. The researchers also explore AMH’s relevance in reproductive technologies, such as ovarian tissue cryopreservation, and its implications for the cell cycle and cancer biology.

According to Prof. Carlberg, “AMH has complex effects on the development and function of various human tissues.”

Currently, AMH is most commonly used to measure ovarian reserve, which indicates a woman’s reproductive potential by assessing the ovaries’ ability to provide viable eggs. This is particularly relevant in fertility treatments like IVF, where AMH levels are checked to optimize the chances of success.

However, AMH’s ability to inhibit the cell cycle and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) has sparked growing interest in its oncological applications.

„One promising area of research focuses on antibodies targeting the AMH receptor, AMHR2, which plays a key role in signaling and modulating the expression of hundreds of genes,” explains Prof. Carlberg. „In animal models, antibodies conjugated with radioactive isotopes that target AMHR2 have shown potential in destroying cancer cells.”

AMH may also have a protective effect on the ovarian reserve during chemotherapy, which is known to be toxic to ovarian tissue. „By stabilizing the pool of primary ovarian follicles, AMH could help enhance the resistance of ovarian tissue to cryopreservation, a procedure used to preserve fertility,” notes Prof. Carlberg.

In addition to its reproductive functions, AMH is present in motor neurons, where it acts as a protective growth factor, potentially influencing learning and memory processes. This has led to speculation that AMH might support treatments for neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

AMH has also been linked to ovarian and endometrial cancers, though much remains to be discovered.

„Despite significant progress, further research is needed to fully understand the potential of AMH,” concludes Prof. Carlberg. „While today’s knowledge primarily benefits fertility specialists, AMH holds promise for future applications in oncology.”

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Prof. Carsten Carlberg is the ERA Chair of the WELCOME2 project, „Creating the Centre of Excellence in Nutrigenomics to Optimize Health and Well-Being,” at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research PAS in Olsztyn.

Read more: WELCOME2 Project.

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Determining the relationship between native and non-native species of free-living fauna in a given habitat in the context of biodiversity protection is one of the challenges of modern science. This issue is being investigated by our scientists.

This issue was also a major topic of the 6th Symposium: Perspectives in Biodiversity Conservation, held on 22-23 October at the House of Creative Work of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Wierzba.

– Each edition of the symposium is our scientific response to current topics concerning the protection of biodiversity and the relationship between humans and free-living fauna, its protection and, on the other hand, its use as a research model. Therefore, this year was dominated by the issue of balance in biodiversity protection – says Professor Anna Korzekwa, leader of the Biodiversity Protection Team of the IARFR PAS, who initiated and organises the annual symposium.

As she points out, studying the impact of non-native species on native species requires long-term and complex observations. – An example is the relationship between the red deer, known as the king of the forest (native species) and the sika deer – eastern (non-native species). The sika deer was brought to Europe for hunting purposes at the end of the 19th century and has also spread to Poland, making it a habitat competitor to the red deer. Currently, more than 280 000 red deer are recorded in Poland, while sika deer number around 350. It may seem that the difference is significant, but we do not know how this non-native species will spread over the next decades and to what extent it threatens our native species – explains Professor Anna Korzekwa.

ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM

The aim of the annual Symposium: Perspectives in Biodiversity Protection is to exchange scientific and practical experiences and to integrate the community of researchers and practitioners – specialists from various institutions nationally and internationally.

The organisers of the meeting were the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Branch Office of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn and Białystok, and the Mazury Landscape Park. The two-day symposium featured lectures that were divided into three sessions. The first was led by Krzysztof Wittbrodt, director of the Mazury Landscape Park, the second by Prof. Anna Korzekwa, leader of the Biodiversity Protection Team at IARFR PAS, and the third by Prof. Małgorzata Kotula-Balak from the University of Agriculture in Kraków.

This year, the event brought together 70 participants from Poland and Lithuania. Nineteen presentations were given during the symposium. The opening lecture concerned the natural heritage of Masuria as an element of Masurian identity. There was also a field session on the Popielno Peninsula, led by representatives of the Mazury Landscape Park.

On the basis of the lectures delivered, a monograph is planned to be published.

ABOUT THE BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION TEAM

The Biodiversity Protection Team of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences has its headquarters in Popielno, together with the IARFR Research Station. It is a place situated among the picturesque grounds of the Popielno Peninsula, surrounded by four lakes: Śniardwy, Bełdany, Mikołajskie and Warnołty.

The team conducts interdisciplinary research focusing on the topic of biodiversity protection.

One example of a research interest is the use of stem cells from deer antlers to treat, among other things, disorders of cartilage formation or defects in various tissues. – Our research focuses on stem cells in terms of their use in the treatment of osteoporosis – points out Prof. Anna Korzekwa.

Other research concerns the potential of cervid meat as an alternative to commonly consumed meat species – popular on Polish tables: beef and pork. We have written more about it here.

Scientists are also carrying out research focusing on the European roe deer, which lives in three types of habitat: field, forest and mosaic (mountainous and urban). – It turns out that roe deer condition, body shape and reproductive potential differ between habitats – we are analysing this. We are also investigating the phenomenon of so-called gestational diapause, i.e. the arrest of the embryo at the blastocyst stage in the uterus, the genesis of which is under study – says Prof Anna Korzekwa.

You can read more about the team’s work here.

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