Berna Sozen, PhD
Assistant Professor of Genetics; Assistant Professor, Genetics; Assistant Professor, Reproductive Sciences
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
Early mammalian development is a remarkably plastic period during which only a few cells are present and these are directly exposed to their external maternal environment. The microenvironment can influence the molecular pathways directing self-renewal, differentiation and reprogramming, which can transmit through subsequent cell cycles and rewire the entire developmental program. Our lab studies the fundamental principles that regulate phenotypic, metabolic, and morphogenetic processes in early embryonic patterning; and, the causal mechanisms when these dynamic processes go awry. We combine studies involving mouse and human embryos, and their in vitro 3-dimensional stem cell models to investigate how adaptive plasticity directs developmental programming and, the impacts this have on long-term health and disease. By breaking down and building up these stem cell models of early embryos, hidden mechanisms regarding mammalian embryogenesis and the developmental origins of disease can be uncovered.
Coauthors
Research Interests
Embryonic and Fetal Development; Human Development; Stem Cells; Pluripotent Stem Cells; Bioengineering
Research Images
Selected Publications
- Carnegie in 4D? Stem-cell-based models of human embryo development.Sozen B, Conkar D, Veenvliet JV. Carnegie in 4D? Stem-cell-based models of human embryo development. Seminars In Cell & Developmental Biology 2022, 131: 44-57. PMID: 35701286, DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.05.023.
- Human embryo polarization requires PLC signaling to mediate trophectoderm specificationZhu M, Shahbazi M, Martin A, Zhang C, Sozen B, Borsos M, Mandelbaum RS, Paulson RJ, Mole MA, Esbert M, Titus S, Scott RT, Campbell A, Fishel S, Gradinaru V, Zhao H, Wu K, Chen ZJ, Seli E, de los Santos MJ, Goetz M. Human embryo polarization requires PLC signaling to mediate trophectoderm specification. ELife 2021, 10: e65068. PMID: 34569938, PMCID: PMC8514238, DOI: 10.7554/elife.65068.
- Reconstructing aspects of human embryogenesis with pluripotent stem cells.Sozen B, Jorgensen V, Weatherbee BAT, Chen S, Zhu M, Zernicka-Goetz M. Reconstructing aspects of human embryogenesis with pluripotent stem cells. Nature Communications 2021, 12: 5550. PMID: 34548496, PMCID: PMC8455697, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25853-4.
- Unfolded protein response triggers differential apoptotic mechanisms in ovaries and early embryos exposed to maternal type 1 diabetes.Okan A, Demir N, Sozen B. Unfolded protein response triggers differential apoptotic mechanisms in ovaries and early embryos exposed to maternal type 1 diabetes. Scientific Reports 2021, 11: 12759. PMID: 34140543, PMCID: PMC8211688, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92093-3.
- The dynamics of morphogenesis in stem cell-based embryology: Novel insights for symmetry breaking.Sozen B, Cornwall-Scoones J, Zernicka-Goetz M. The dynamics of morphogenesis in stem cell-based embryology: Novel insights for symmetry breaking. Developmental Biology 2021, 474: 82-90. PMID: 33333067, PMCID: PMC8259461, DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.005.
- BMP signalling is required for extra-embryonic ectoderm development during pre-to-post-implantation transition of the mouse embryo.Sozen B, Demir N, Zernicka-Goetz M. BMP signalling is required for extra-embryonic ectoderm development during pre-to-post-implantation transition of the mouse embryo. Developmental Biology 2021, 470: 84-94. PMID: 33217407, PMCID: PMC8219371, DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.11.005.
- Self-Organization of Mouse Stem Cells into an Extended Potential Blastoid.Sozen B, Cox AL, De Jonghe J, Bao M, Hollfelder F, Glover DM, Zernicka-Goetz M. Self-Organization of Mouse Stem Cells into an Extended Potential Blastoid. Developmental Cell 2019, 51: 698-712.e8. PMID: 31846649, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.11.014.
- Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation attenuates ovarian ageing in a galactose-induced primary ovarian insufficiency rat model.Sozen B, Ozekinci M, Erman M, Gunduz T, Demir N, Akouri R. Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation attenuates ovarian ageing in a galactose-induced primary ovarian insufficiency rat model. Journal Of Assisted Reproduction And Genetics 2019, 36: 2181-2189. PMID: 31422495, PMCID: PMC6823469, DOI: 10.1007/s10815-019-01560-4.
- Self-assembly of embryonic and two extra-embryonic stem cell types into gastrulating embryo-like structures.Sozen B, Amadei G, Cox A, Wang R, Na E, Czukiewska S, Chappell L, Voet T, Michel G, Jing N, Glover DM, Zernicka-Goetz M. Self-assembly of embryonic and two extra-embryonic stem cell types into gastrulating embryo-like structures. Nature Cell Biology 2018, 20: 979-989. PMID: 30038254, DOI: 10.1038/s41556-018-0147-7.
- In vitro generation of mouse polarized embryo-like structures from embryonic and trophoblast stem cells.Harrison SE, Sozen B, Zernicka-Goetz M. In vitro generation of mouse polarized embryo-like structures from embryonic and trophoblast stem cells. Nature Protocols 2018, 13: 1586-1602. PMID: 29988106, DOI: 10.1038/s41596-018-0005-x.
- Assembly of embryonic and extraembryonic stem cells to mimic embryogenesis in vitro.Harrison SE, Sozen B, Christodoulou N, Kyprianou C, Zernicka-Goetz M. Assembly of embryonic and extraembryonic stem cells to mimic embryogenesis in vitro. Science (New York, N.Y.) 2017, 356 PMID: 28254784, DOI: 10.1126/science.aal1810.
- Differential expression pattern of Twist1 in mouse preimplantation embryos suggests its multiple roles during early development.Sozen B, Pehlivanoglu S, Demir N. Differential expression pattern of Twist1 in mouse preimplantation embryos suggests its multiple roles during early development. Journal Of Assisted Reproduction And Genetics 2016, 33: 1533-1540. PMID: 27544279, PMCID: PMC5125151, DOI: 10.1007/s10815-016-0794-1.
- The p38 MAPK signalling pathway is required for glucose metabolism, lineage specification and embryo survival during mouse preimplantation development.Sozen B, Ozturk S, Yaba A, Demir N. The p38 MAPK signalling pathway is required for glucose metabolism, lineage specification and embryo survival during mouse preimplantation development. Mechanisms Of Development 2015, 138 Pt 3: 375-98. PMID: 26025760, DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2015.05.002.
- Cell fate regulation during preimplantation development: a view of adhesion-linked molecular interactions.Sozen B, Can A, Demir N. Cell fate regulation during preimplantation development: a view of adhesion-linked molecular interactions. Developmental Biology 2014, 395: 73-83. PMID: 25176042, DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.08.028.
- Unfolded protein response prevents blastocyst formation during preimplantation embryo development in vitroBasar M, Bozkurt I, Guzeloglu-Kayisli O, Sozen B, Tekmen I, Schatz F, Arici A, Lockwood CJ, Kayisli UA. Unfolded protein response prevents blastocyst formation during preimplantation embryo development in vitro. Fertility And Sterility 2014, 102: 1777-1784. PMID: 25305729, DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.09.004.
- Telomere length and telomerase activity during oocyte maturation and early embryo development in mammalian species.Ozturk S, Sozen B, Demir N. Telomere length and telomerase activity during oocyte maturation and early embryo development in mammalian species. Molecular Human Reproduction 2014, 20: 15-30. PMID: 23928157, DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gat055.