[Jan. 19] 132nd IRCMS Seminar

January 7 2026

We would like to inform you that the 132nd IRCMS seminar has been scheduled as below.
* This IRCMS seminar is open to everyone.

Date      : January 19, 2026 (Mon)

Time      : 16:00-17:00

ZOOM　: Meeting ID: 947 8945 5090

　　　　　Passcode: Sem19Jan

Speaker : Dr. Margherita Yayoi Turco (Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Switzerland)

Title        : Organoid systems to study human pregnancy

Abstract:

The key to a successful pregnancy is the fascinating yet ill-understood dialogue between the maternal decidua (pregnant lining of the uterus) and fetal placental cells. Major pregnancy disorders are due to the abnormal development and interactions of the placenta with the decidua. However, the complexity and inaccessibility of the maternal-fetal interface during early human development pose significant challenges to studying these interactions. To address this, we have developed tissue-derived organoid culture systems of the human placenta and uterus that faithfully recapitulate their morphology, transcriptomic profiles and functional characteristics. These organoid models provide powerful tools for investigating the biology of these tissues and their dynamic interactions.

     In this presentation, I will discuss how we are using uterine endometrial organoids to study the menstrual cycle and placental trophoblast organoids to explore the formation of invasive trophoblast cells. Our overarching goal is to elucidate the fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the normal menstrual cycle and the establishment of pregnancy. This knowledge will guide the development of therapeutic strategies to optimize endometrial receptivity, improve implantation success and enhance pregnancy outcomes.

Major papers:

1. Li Q, Sharkey A, Sheridan M, Magistrati E, Arutyunyan A, Huhn O, Sancho-Serra C, Anderson H, McGovern N, Esposito L, Fernando R, Gardner L, Vento-Tormo R, Turco MY*, Moffett A*. Human uterine natural killer cells regulate differentiation of extravillous trophoblast early in pregnancy. Cell Stem Cell. 2024 Feb 1;31(2):181-195.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.12.013. Epub 2024 Jan 17. PMID: 38237587.
2. Turco MY, Gardner L, Kay RG, Hamilton RS, Prater M, Hollinshead MS, McWhinnie A, Esposito L, Fernando R, Skelton H, Reimann F, Gribble FM, Sharkey A, Marsh SGE, O'Rahilly S, Hemberger M, Burton GJ, Moffett A. Trophoblast organoids as a model for maternal-fetal interactions during human placentation. Nature. 2018 Dec;564(7735):263-267. doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0753-3. Epub 2018 Nov 28. PMID: 30487605; PMCID: PMC7220805.
3. Turco MY, Gardner L, Hughes J, Cindrova-Davies T, Gomez MJ, Farrell L, Hollinshead M, Marsh SGE, Brosens JJ, Critchley HO, Simons BD, Hemberger M, Koo BK, Moffett A, Burton GJ. Long-term, hormone-responsive organoid cultures of human endometrium in a chemically defined medium. Nat Cell Biol. 2017 May;19(5):568-577. doi: 10.1038/ncb3516. Epub 2017 Apr 10. PMID: 28394884; PMCID: PMC5410172.