Shaklia Khalifehzadeh

• BSC (Hons) Biomedical Sciences
• Developing protocols to analyse oocyte competency by immunofluorescence and imaging mass cytometry

Currently ~15% of couples are infertile, largely due to an error that takes place as human eggs divide. Many couples rely on IVF. This is a long, distressing, expensive procedure with variable rates of success. The more we know about cell divisions in eggs, the more likely we are to be able to design treatment strategies and/or select eggs that are the most likely to be compatible with healthy life. Specifically, we wish to reveal the protein signature of healthy eggs compared to unhealthy eggs. Imaging mass cytometry is a cutting-edge technology capable of measuring many proteins simultaneously. However, this technique relies on the accuracy and efficiency of antibodies to proteins of interest. TACC3 is one such protein, critical for correct maturation of the egg. During my project, I was able to characterise a TACC3 antibody and see how the location and density of this protein changed through maturation.

Funding source: Newcastle University

Project supervisor: Dr Susan Madgwick