Research Fronts

Biomaterials Repositories: The Science and Business of Biobanking

The International Embryo Technology Society (IETS) established the Companion Animal, Non-domestic and Endangered Species (CANDES) Committee in 2001. In 2014, the CANDES committee underwent reorganisation, resulting in the creation of a new sub-committee on Biobanking that prompted the organisation of the pre-conference symposium, ‘Biomaterials Repositories: The Science and Business of Biobanking’, which is the subject of this Research Front. The symposium was held before the 2016 Annual Meeting of the IETS held in Louisville, Kentucky and the goal was to develop a program that addressed some of the numerous factors influencing the development, maintenance and use of biobanks.

Epigenetics and Periconception Environment

This Research Front comprises papers describing research focusing on different aspects of epigenetic mechanisms and how they are influenced by the periconception environment.

Oocyte Meiosis

This Research Front presents papers discussing the regulation of key meiotic events and summarizing the recent advancement of our understanding on oocyte meiotic maturation.

Ovarian Angiogenesis

This Research Front provides a timely series of reviews that address our current knowledge about the regulation of vascular function in ovary in humans and farm animals. They also highlight emerging areas of research that will improve our knowledge about this complex area of biology.

Embryo–Maternal Interactions

This Research Front presents reviews that investigate model systems for the study of embryo–maternal cross-talk and the processes that are known to be important in the period between fertilisation and implantation. The Research Front is one of the outcomes of a European Union-funded COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action on ‘Maternal Interaction with Gametes and Embryos’ (FA0702; http://www.cost-gemini.eu, accessed 20 September 2011), which aims to promote understanding of this topic by bringing together researchers to share data from different species.