Dr Wolfram Gruhn

The epigenome is a critical regulatory layer for transcription and chromatin architecture, essential for defining cellular identity and developmental potential. In mammals, germline development involves an extensive remodelling of the epigenome, a process essential for enabling sperm and egg to give rise to a normal embryo. A major unresolved question in human germ cell biology is the extent to which environmental factors influence germline development, potentially altering heritable information or contributing to diseases such as infertility, which now affects ~17% of the global population.

My research focuses on the mechanisms governing the development of human primordial germ cells (hPGCs), which are formed in weeks 2-3 of embryogenesis. In particular, my team is interested in epigenetic resetting, a process through which hPGCs erase a substantial part of their epigenetic memory to establish the foundation for gametogenesis and embryonic development. Using genetically engineered human embryonic stem cell models, we are optimising the in vitro recapitulation of this process to elucidate its molecular regulation and to identify maternal or environmental cues that may modulate it.

Ultimately, our goal is to uncover mechanisms driving human germline development and to identify risk factors for germ cell-associated diseases, including infertility and germ cell tumours.