Developmental Biology

Most organisms consist of a one single cell at least once in a life time. This is also true for us, where life starts as a single cell, the zygote, which forms the basis for more than 300 different cell types present in our body. Information required to be able to build these cell types, tissues, and complex organs, is located in our DNA. Although this DNA is identical in every cell the instructions are read differently to allow embryonic development to proceed. Differential reading of the DNA is aided by complex ‘epigenetic’ mechanisms that involve chromatin modifications to allow the cell to remember the decisions made and to maintain its identity. Prior to the start of new life, during the formation of egg and sperm and just after fertilization, all this information needs to be erased to be able to start with a clean slate. It is essential that the one cell embryo, the zygote, starts life and proceeds through embryonic development with both an intact genome, and a correctly marked epigenome. Erasure of old, and setting of new epigenetic information is influenced by the environment in which our gametes and embryos mature. Exposure to environmental factors and conditions, or genetic mutations, may lead to unscheduled changes in epigenetic memory of cells and tissues, impacting on health, fertility, and aging.

Visiting address
Erasmus MC - dept of Developmental Biology
Dr. Molewaterplein 40
3015 GD Rotterdam
The Netherlands

phone +31-10-7043169 
fax +31-10-7044743 
email j.gribnau@erasmusmc.nl

Postal addres
Erasmus MC - dept of Developmental Biology
PO Box 2040
3000 CA  Rotterdam
The Netherlands

The department of Developmental Biology aims to unravel the epigenetic mechanisms regulating cell fate decisions in the cycle of life, and to translate this knowledge to understand deregulations that may occur in X-linked diseases, cancer, infertility, and aging. 

Wij onderzoeken en behandelen GEEN patiënten! Bent u patiënt? Neemt u dan, afhankelijk van de zorgvraag, contact op met een van de volgende poliklinieken: 

Postdocs:
Joana Carvalho Mereira de Mello
Catherine Dupont
Cristina Gontan Pardo
Sarra Merzouk
Hegias Mira Bontenbal

Technicians:
Eveline Rentmeester, Esther Sleddens-Linkels, Erica Timmers, Evelyne Wassenaar 

PhD Students:
Tatiana Blokhina, Jeffrey Boeren, Joachim Boers, Ruben Boers, Lieke Koornneef, Marieke van Leeuwen, Beatrice Tan

MSc Molecular Medicine
Tweejarige onderzoeksmaster voor medische en biomedische studenten

The Biomedical Sciences PhD program is embedded in the Graduate School Medical Genetics Center South West Netherlands. The additional requirements, courses, and modules of this program are aimed at further improving education, training and technical expertise of PhD students at Erasmus MC. In addition, the Biomedical Sciences PhD program incorporates obligatory courses offered by the Erasmus MC.

More information can be found at  PhD program Biomedical Sciences.