Bioinformatics analysis, manuscript ending and discussion of ongoing projects

• Grant number: 15/00412-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: May 24, 2015
• End date: May 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Embryology
• Principal Investigator: Taiza Stumpp Teixeira
• Grantee: Taiza Stumpp Teixeira
• Visiting researcher: Ian Adams
• Visiting researcher institution: University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dr. Ian Adams group, at the Medical Research Council - Human Genetics Unit/University of Edinburgh, and our group work in a very similar research area which principal focus is the embryonic development of primordial germ cells (PGC) in mice and rats, respectively. The methods and aims of both groups are also very similar and include: epigenetic analyses of PGC (DNA methylation and histone modifications), investigation of the mechanisms that control retrotransposon expression, genome defense and pluripotency. The techniques applied in these studies include: ChIP-Seq, bisulfite sequencing, PGC purification etc. Dr. Ian Adams has extensive knowledge in this field and has been contributing with our research since 2010. From 2012 the collaboration between our groups started to be strengthened by a visit to his lab to discuss an on-going project and set up new activities for 2013. In 2013 my Ph.D student Renato Tesser spent 5 months in Ian Adams lab developing part of his thesis (Proc. FAPESP 2011/07078-0). The manuscript resultant from this research is under preparation. The results obtained originated a new project that has been recently approved by FAPESP (Proc. No. 2014/19123-8) of which Dr. Ian will also participate. Other projects that will begin next year (2015) in our group also comprise themes and techniques in which Dr. Ian has considerable expertise, such as embryonic germ cell derivation and the influence of retrotransposon sequences in PGC gene expression. Thus, the interaction between students, discussions and seminars will be very positive and helpful for the execution of the research in the group. Therefore, this visit proposal aims to get the valuable contribution of Dr. Ian Adams to at least three projects that are beginning in February 2015 in our group. This visit is important to maintain and also to improve the existing collaboration between our groups by the means of diverse activities that involve researchers and students of our group and even from other research groups. In this application we propose a workshop on bioinformatics, germ cell and epigenetics, interaction with other groups, discussions of on-going projects and of manuscripts and planning of the future activities. With this we expect to increase the participation of Dr. Ian in our research and vice-versa, as well as to increase the possibilities for students exchange between the groups involved. (AU)