Reproductive Biology Unit
Contact: Ann Van Soom
Research topics
Most topics cover several domestic species such as cattle, horses, pigs, dogs and cats:
- Cryopreservation and liquid preservation of semen
- Deep intrauterine insemination
- Embryo quality assessment
- Embryo-pathogen interaction
- In vitro fertilization
- Sperm quality assessment
- Sperm-oviduct reservoir
- Stem cells
Current research
- Paracrine effects during group culture of bovine embryos as a model for human embryo culture (Leen Vandaele)
- Genetic control of bovine blastocyst formation (Karen Goossens)
- The role of fibronectin and vitronectin during bovine in vitro fertilization (Mirjan Thys)
- Functional proteomics and in vitro maturation of pig oocytes (Jo Bijttebier)
- Heat stress in Egyptian dairy cattle and the consequences for oocyte and embryo quality (Mohamed Shehab-El-Deen)
- Deep intrauterine insemination in horses with low insemination doses (Jan Govaere)
- Isolation, preservation and culture of equine umbilical cord stem cells (Catharina De Schauwer)
- Liquid and frozen semen preservation in horses (Maarten Hoogewijs)
- Differentiation and pluripotency in the cat embryo (Muriel Filliers)
- Extra-embryonic investments in horse embryos: identification of genes involved in formation of the capsule (Katrien Smits)
- The function of proteases during in vitro fertilisation in pigs (Josine Beek)
Past research
- Epididymal fluid as a model for diluting fresh bovine semen (Ingrid De Pauw)
- Development of a new insemination device in cattle and prolonged preservation of fresh bovine semen in a new CEP diluent (Steven Verberckmoes)
- Molecular and cellular interactions during bovine in vitro fertilization (Sofie Tanghe)
- Gene transcription profiling at different developmental stages of bovine in vitro produced embryos (Yuan YuQing)
- Canine sperm quality assessment and sperm distribution in the female reproductive tract (Tom Rijsselaere)
- Quality of oocytes, follicles and embryos in high-yielding dairy cattle (Jo Leroy)
- The role of the ovary in the pathogenesis of cystic ovarian disease in high-yielding dairy cattle (Tom Vanholder)
- (In)fertility in Belgian Blue bulls (Geert Hoflack)
- Interaction of major viral pathogens with porcine embryos (Bart Mateusen)
- The influence of zygote quality and embryo culture method on development and incidence of apoptosis in bovine embryos (Leen Vandaele)
