Investigating Mechanisms of Human Embryo Implantation

Matteo A. Molè, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford University. He is a member of the Division of Reproductive, Stem Cell and Perinatal Biology, as well as the Dunlevie Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center for Discovery, Innovation and Clinical Impact.

Dr. Molè earned his PhD from University College London (UCL) and pursued postdoctoral research fellowships at the University of Cambridge and the Babraham Institute, where he established a license under the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to conduct research on human embryos donated by patients undergoing IVF.

In the summer of 2023, Dr. Molè joined Stanford University as an Assistant Professor. His work focuses on investigating the mechanisms of human embryo implantation. The successful implantation of an embryo is crucial for the establishment of a healthy pregnancy. During the transition between the first and second week of gestation, the human embryo must securely implant into the maternal uterus, initiating development of the placenta to receive necessary nutrients and oxygen for its growth until birth.

However, the process of implantation in humans is highly susceptible to failure, with a significant percentage of embryos unable to develop beyond this stage leading to early miscarriages. This clinically observed "implantation barrier" often requires patients to undergo numerous cycles of IVF treatment, with no guarantee of a successful pregnancy outcome.

The primary objective is to increase the understanding of maternal-embryo interactions initiated at implantation, with the goal of developing clinical interventions to address the high incidence of implantation failures underlying pre-clinical miscarriages.