Berna Sozen, PhD
Assistant Professor of GeneticsCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Genetics
Assistant Professor, Reproductive Sciences
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Genetics
Assistant Professor, Reproductive Sciences
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Genetics
Assistant Professor, Reproductive Sciences
Contact Info
About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Genetics
Assistant Professor, Genetics; Assistant Professor, Reproductive Sciences
Biography
Dr. Berna Sozen is a developmental biologist whose research focuses on early mammalian embryogenesis and stem cell-based models of human development.
Berna earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at Akdeniz University, Turkey in 2009. She obtained a MSc in Reproductive Biology in 2013 and a PhD in Developmental Biology in 2018 at Akdeniz University School of Medicine. During her MSc she worked with Prof. Tom P. Fleming at the University of Southampton, UK (2012), and during her PhD she worked with Prof. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz at the University of Cambridge, UK (2015-2018). She then undertook her post-doctoral research first at Cambridge (2018-2019), and later at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (2019-2020) with Prof. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz. In 2020, Berna joined the Yale faculty as an Assistant Professor to establish her independent research group at Yale Department of Genetics.
She is recognized for pioneering work that has advanced our understanding of lineage specification, tissue morphogenesis, and the self-organization of embryonic structures. Her lab's studies integrate cutting-edge stem cell technologies, multi-omics profiling, and imaging to uncover the mechanisms guiding early human development. Dr. Sozen's contributions have not only provided critical insights into human embryo biology but have also helped establish stem cell-derived embryo models as a powerful system for developmental and biomedical research.
Appointments
Genetics
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Associate
- California Institute of Technology (CalTech) (2020)
- Postdoctoral Associate
- University of Cambridge (2019)
- PhD
- Akdeniz University, Developmental Biology (2018)
- PhD Research Fellow
- University of Cambridge (2018)
- MSc
- Akdeniz University, Reproductive Biology (2013)
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
ORCID
0000-0001-5834-5819- View Lab Website
modelling development & disease
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Emre Seli, MD
Liangwen Zhong, PhD
Hugh Taylor, MD
Jason Hou
Jenna Bergmann
Murat Basar, PhD
Pluripotent Stem Cells
Stem Cells
Bioengineering
Publications
2025
From genes to geometry: Controlling embryo models by programming genomic activation
McNamara H, Sozen B. From genes to geometry: Controlling embryo models by programming genomic activation. Cell Stem Cell 2025, 32: 857-858. PMID: 40480203, DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2025.04.013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsFrom Single Stem Cells to an In Vitro Model of the Post-implantation Human Embryo: A Step-by-Step Guide
Gassaloglu S, Pedroza M, Sozen B. From Single Stem Cells to an In Vitro Model of the Post-implantation Human Embryo: A Step-by-Step Guide. Methods In Molecular Biology 2025, 1-16. PMID: 40397281, DOI: 10.1007/7651_2025_647.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPluripotent cell states and fates in human embryo models.
Sozen B, Tam P, Pera M. Pluripotent cell states and fates in human embryo models. Development 2025, 152 PMID: 40171916, PMCID: PMC11993252, DOI: 10.1242/dev.204565.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsHuman embryo modelsStem cell-based modelsPluripotent stateEmbryo modelEpiblast cellsHuman embryonic developmentPost-implantation mammalian embryosCultured pluripotent cellsMammalian embryosEpiblast in vivoPluripotent cellsPluripotent statusStem cellsPluripotent cell stateEmbryonic lineagesModels of pre-Pluripotent epiblastPrimate developmentExtra-embryonicPluripotency
2024
Navigating human embryogenesis through tailored model selection
Sozen B. Navigating human embryogenesis through tailored model selection. Nature Cell Biology 2024, 26: 1819-1821. PMID: 39528699, PMCID: PMC11951419, DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01525-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricSelective utilization of glucose metabolism guides mammalian gastrulation
Cao D, Bergmann J, Zhong L, Hemalatha A, Dingare C, Jensen T, Cox A, Greco V, Steventon B, Sozen B. Selective utilization of glucose metabolism guides mammalian gastrulation. Nature 2024, 634: 919-928. PMID: 39415005, PMCID: PMC11499262, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08044-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsCellular metabolismMammalian gastrulationHexosamine biosynthetic pathwayTranscription factor networksCellular signaling pathwaysSignaling morphogensGlucose metabolismCellular programmeBiosynthetic pathwayFate acquisitionCell fateHousekeeping natureGenetic mechanismsMesoderm migrationFactor networksERK activationExpression patternsSignaling pathwayDevelopmental processesStem cell modelCell typesSpecialized functionsDevelopmental contextMammalian embryosMouse embryosA brief history of metabolic gradient theory
Sozen B. A brief history of metabolic gradient theory. Nature Reviews Genetics 2024, 26: 5-5. PMID: 39414955, DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00790-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricENDOMETRIAL AND IMPLANTATION MODELING UTILIZING A HIGH-THROUGHPUT 3D SPHEROID GENERATION SYSTEM
Vélez-Avilés A, Abel A, Bergmann J, Cevik E, Zhong L, Taylor H, Sozen B. ENDOMETRIAL AND IMPLANTATION MODELING UTILIZING A HIGH-THROUGHPUT 3D SPHEROID GENERATION SYSTEM. Fertility And Sterility 2024, 122: e365. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.08.130.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMannose controls mesoderm specification and symmetry breaking in mouse gastruloids
Dingare C, Cao D, Yang J, Sozen B, Steventon B. Mannose controls mesoderm specification and symmetry breaking in mouse gastruloids. Developmental Cell 2024, 59: 1523-1537.e6. PMID: 38636516, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.03.031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMesoderm specificationFeatures of embryonic developmentWnt pathway regulationEarly mesoderm developmentProtein glycosylationPathway regulationProteomic analysisIntracellular recyclingMesoderm developmentEmbryonic developmentGlycolytic intermediatesMannoseGlucose transportCompetitive inhibitorGlycosylationGlucose removal
2023
Modelling post-implantation human development to yolk sac blood emergence
Hislop J, Song Q, Keshavarz F. K, Alavi A, Schoenberger R, LeGraw R, Velazquez J, Mokhtari T, Taheri M, Rytel M, Chuva de Sousa Lopes S, Watkins S, Stolz D, Kiani S, Sozen B, Bar-Joseph Z, Ebrahimkhani M. Modelling post-implantation human development to yolk sac blood emergence. Nature 2023, 626: 367-376. PMID: 38092041, PMCID: PMC10849971, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06914-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsHuman embryosInduced pluripotent stem cellsLymphoid-like cellsStem cell modelPluripotent stem cellsPost-implantation stagesAmniotic cavityEarly post-implantation stagesHuman-based modelsStem cellsExtra-embryonic endodermHuman embryogenesisBlood formationDrug testingEarly haematopoiesisDisease modelsDisc morphologyHaematopoiesisEmbryonic tissuesCellular programmeCell modelPosterior domainWhat approaches are needed to understand human development and disease?
Sozen B, Flavell R, Lamming D, Silver D, Parrinello S, Abate-Shen C, Michor F, Sankaran V. What approaches are needed to understand human development and disease? Developmental Cell 2023, 58: 2822-2825. PMID: 38113848, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.11.026.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersAltmetric
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Honors
honor American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Discovery & Innovation Grant Awardee
06/01/2024National Awardhonor The Blavatnik Accelarator Award for Innovation at Yale
05/15/2024Yale University Awardhonor ReproGrant for Female Reproductive Science
02/01/2023Other AwardReproGrantDetailsUnited Stateshonor NIH Director's New Innovator Award
10/10/2022National AwardOffice of the Director, National Institutes of Health/NIH/DHHSDetailsUnited Stateshonor Smith Family Awards Program for Excellence in Biomedical Research
03/01/2022Regional AwardSmith Family FoundationDetailsUnited States
News & Links
Media
- Mouse blastocysts 4 days after fertilisation showing trophectoderm in cyan, that will give rise to the placenta; embryonic inner cell mass in yellow, that generates the embryo proper. F-Actin marks the cell membrane in magenta.
News
- December 12, 2024Source: Yale Ventures
Yale Life Science PitchFest 2024 Showcases Groundbreaking Research and Innovation
- October 18, 2024
Glucose Metabolism Acts as a Compass to Guide Embryonic Development
- November 01, 2023
From the journals
- June 27, 2023
New Model Provides Unprecedented Window Into Human Embryonic Development
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Contacts
Events
Yale Only Jianping Fu