Kanak Ashokkumar Kanjani

I work at the Cambridge University IVF Clinic, where I am involved in assisted reproduction procedures like Oocyte retrieval, Embryo transfers and fertility diagnostics. My academic interests span embryology, reproductive medicine, assisted reproductive technologies, human fertility and development.

My research focused on how drug exposure during early embryogenesis leads to severe congenital defects. Thalidomide, originally developed as a sedative, led to one of the biggest medical disasters in history. It was administered to pregnant women to treat morning sickness but ended up causing severe birth defects like limb differences, organ impairments, craniofacial abnormalities and a high mortality rate in over 10,000 infants. Although thalidomide remains a valuable treatment for several conditions, including cancer and leprosy, its teratogenic effects highlight critical gaps in our understanding of how certain teratogens disrupt foetal development.

Using chick embryos as a model system, I investigated the molecular targets of thalidomide and the pathways disrupted during embryonic development. By identifying the genes and mechanisms affected, this work aimed to clarify how thalidomide causes congenital abnormalities and to support the development of safer, non teratogenic analogues. More broadly, these insights may help establish predictive markers for assessing the safety of future drugs on developing embryos.