Barlow Lab Profile

Research Focus: Mammalian Embryonic Development and Adult Disease

The mammalian embryo is very different from other vertebrate embryos. Its unique features allow invasive implantation of the maternal uterus and blood vessels as well as avoidance of the maternal immune response. The developing embryo is thus able to growth inside the uterus solely dependent on maternal nutrient and gaseous transfer via the embryonic placenta. These unique mammalian traits have the potential to involve molecular pathways that can also participate in adult disease. Our current focus is on the mechanism of genomic imprinting and its function in regulating growth of the mammalian embryo. It is our goal to study this process in the mouse embryo and then to assess the relevance of our findings for adult human disease.