At IMBA, Anna Osnato investigates how the human embryo implants into the uterus using stem cell–based embryo models known as blastoids. Her funded project focuses on identifying the regulatory DNA elements that control the formation and invasion of the placenta during early pregnancy. Human embryos implant unusually deeply into maternal tissue compared to most other mammals, a process that is thought to support the development of large, energy-demanding brains but also makes pregnancy more fragile. By uncovering the genetic switches that control the development of the cells that form the placenta and enable implantation, her work aims to improve our understanding of early pregnancy loss and contribute to advances in fertility treatments and reproductive health. Anna obtained her PhD in Stem Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge, where she studied molecular mechanisms regulating human pluripotency, and she is currently a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher in Nicolas Rivron’s laboratory at IMBA. 

Mark Noble’s research addresses a central question in human brain evolution: how increased brain complexity may be linked to heightened vulnerability to neurological disorders. His funded project builds on discoveries from the Knoblich lab showing that brain organoids can generate a newly identified, human-specific population of migrating neurons. These cells display gene expression patterns associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. By combining genomic screening techniques, organoid fusion systems, and electrophysiological measurements, his project seeks to uncover the role of these neuronal streams in human brain development and disease. Mark completed his PhD at Yale University in the laboratory of James Noonan, where he used single-cell genomics to study human-specific aspects of neural development, and joined Jürgen Knoblich’s group at IMBA in 2025. 

About the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship 

The European Commission’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship Program awards two-year postdoctoral fellowships to outstanding scientists working in research institutions in EU member states to support their careers and foster excellence in research.