MSc Student
Advisor: Mihaela Pavličev

Unit for Theoretical Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology
University of Vienna

Abstract

Decidualization describes the differentiation of endometrial stromal fibroblasts into secretory decidual cells in the uterus of eutherian mammals. This process evolved alongside invasive placentation and is essential for successful embryo implantation and the maintenance of pregnancy. While many previous studies have focused on clarifying the mechanisms of decidualization in humans, the core process in other eutherian mammals remains poorly understood. In addition to humans, the mouse has frequently been used as a model organism to study decidualization. However, many questions regarding its molecular and cellular mechanisms remain unanswered.
This study aims to provide further insight into decidualization in the mouse through in-vitro decidualization and single-cell RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptome of individual cells of the decidua. We aim to improve our understanding of stromal cell types in the mouse uterus, with particular emphasis on transcriptomic changes occurring in decidual cells during their differentiation.