Ganesh Prasad Acharya

Motherhood holds a profound significance for many women, yet one in six couples encounters infertility. In vitro fertilization (IVF), the most common treatment, yields modest pregnancy rate. Moreover, 15% of all pregnancies are spontaneously miscarried. Embryo implantation and pregnancy progression rely on communication between genetically normal, euploid embryo and uterus, complemented by favorable microbiota. Even following the transfer of the tested euploid embryo, a maximum implantation rate of 50% is achieved, causing the need for multiple transfers. The fact that failed implantation and pregnancy loss are common, underscores the importance of hostile endometrial environment, impaired embryo-maternal communication, and dysbiotic uterine microbiota in poor fertility. PODIUM project adopts a holistic approach to unravel the interplay between endometrial, embryonic, and host microbiota factors underlying the etiology of implantation failure and pregnancy loss. We adopt systems biology approach, based on our expertise in conducting integrated multiomic and microbiota profiling of endometrium. This approach will be augmented by using our in vitro implantation models, including embryo-like blastoids and endometrial organoids, to delve into implantation mechanisms. Thus, PODIUM contributes to the clinical field, which is often neglected, and paves the way for enhanced diagnostic abilities and the development of personalized treatments for female poor reproductive outcome.