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University of Bedfordshire
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Luton
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To apply for a research degree, please make sure you fulfill the entry requirements and then complete the online research degree application form and upload your supporting documents.
You should have a good honours degree (2:1 or above) or masters degree or equivalent in the relevant subject area.
International applicants should be aware of our research degree English language requirements
Title: In vitro maturation and cryopreservation of early stage zebrafish (Danio rerio) ovarian follicles
Degree - MRes, MPhil, PhD
Although zebrafish (ZF) sperm has bee successfully cryopreserved, successful cryopreservation of their embryo and oocytes has not been achieved. Successful cryopreservation and cryobanking of germplasm of aquatic species offers many benefits to the fields of conservation of biodiversity, aquaculture and biomedicine. The recent dramatic decline in natural fish populations, resulting largely from over-exploitation and anthropogenic changes in the environment, has lead to an increased interest in the creation of gene banks for wild fish populations (such as the global Frozen Ark project with consortium members including Nottingham University, Natural History Museum and University of Bedfordshire. Our LIRANS Institute at University of Bedfordshire is the co-ordinating centre of the fish cryobanks of the Frozen Ark project), many of them with great potential for future commercial exploitation in aquaculture. Global growth of intensive aquaculture has also increased the needs for efficient and effective means of conserving gametes for greater flexibility in broodstock management, genetic improvement programs and preservation of genetic diversity. Fish germplasm is also playing a significant role in human genomic studies. The relatively small size of the fish genome makes it easier for sequencing and an ideal model for studies on vertebrate development and human disease. Cryopreservation of zebrafish gametes plays an important role in the management of various genetic variants.
LIRANS has been one of the leading labs in fish gametes cryobiology research and our recent work has been focused on cryopreservation of ovarian follicles as they are better candidates then embryos for cryopreservation (such as their smaller size, higher membrane permeability and less complex membrane system…). Our latest results showed that although follicle membrane integrity and ATP levels were low after cryopreservation for late stages, relatively high ratios have been obtained with early stage ovarian follicles. However successful development of cryopreservation protocol would require reliable follicle viability assessment methods and in particular in vitro maturation methods to be used so follicle developmental capabilities can be assessed after cryopreservation. Although several procedures have been reported for promoting in vitro maturation of zebrafish ovarian follicles at late stages, there has been no report on successful in vitro maturation method for early stage fish ovarian follicles. Successful in vitro maturation of early stage fish ovarian follicles not only can assist the development of their successful cryopreservation (which has remained an intellectual challenge for many years) but will also provide important information on the fundamental aspects of animal reproduction.
For more information please contact Prof Tiantian Zhang: tiantian.zhang AT beds.ac.uk
