November 17, 2021

Study looking at early development and gastrulation in a human embryo

The first detailed cellular and molecular examination of a human embryo in the process of gastrulation is presented online in this week’s Nature. This is an important event in early development and the findings will be of huge interest to scientists working to better understand early human development.  Although only a single embryo was studied, the SMC invited the authors to join us for a short briefing to explain the scientific significance of the study and to answer any questions, including on whether this has implications for the current debate on the 14-day rule.

Speakers included:

Dr Antonio Scialdone, Junior Group Leader, Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Zentrum

Prof Shankar Srinivas, Professor of Developmental Biology, University of Oxford

Dr Richard Tyser, BHF Immediate Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Oxford

This Briefing was accompanied by an SMC Roundup of Comments.