iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Yesterday, we welcomed our former postdoc Chun So (Nick) for a talk on oocyte & embryo development @mpi-nat.bsky.social, followed by a roundtable discussion with the lab. Nick, it was great to have you back with us! Thank you, for visiting and sharing your latest work with us! 🧬🙏

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Huge congratulations to our PostDoc @palmrinmoy.bsky.social on receiving the Elisabeth Gateff Prize for his outstanding dissertation.🎉 His talk, “How DNA Self-Organizes in the Early Embryo,” and the award ceremony will be streamed online on 22 October at 3 pm! 🎥 www.gfgenetik.de/en/news/deta...

gfgenetik.de

Dr. Mrinmoy Pal receives this year’s Elisabeth Gateff Prize

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

A few days away from the lab, time together, plenty of opportunities to learn from each other – that was our #labretreat at Harnack Haus in Berlin. We shared knowledge during our “Teach Us Something” talks, deepended our statistics skills and explored science history in Dahlem.💡

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Why does female fertility decline with age – could we one day do something about it? Delighted to contribute to the new @artede.bsky.social documentary “Stecken wir in einer Eizellen-Krise?” featuring our research on why chromosomes become unstable in ageing eggs - and how to keep them stable.

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Great news from our lab: Congratulations to Marios & @debojitsaha.bsky.social on receiving the 2025/26 Campus Seminar Awards at @mpi-nat.bsky.social! Marios was recognised in the PhD category, Debojit in the Postdoc category. Delighted to see their excellent research acknowledged — well deserved!👏

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

For over two decades, I have studied how eggs develop & why chromosome errors rise with age. My lab & I have explored ways to reduce these errors. A new portrait in @faznet.bsky.social reflects on this journey from fundamental cell biology to potential applications in reproductive medicine.

faz.net

Ovo Labs: Diese Forscherin macht Kinderlosen neue Hoffnung

Nur jede dritte künstliche Befruchtung hat Erfolg. Melina Schuh weiß, warum. Die Ausnahmewissenschaftlerin hat Bahnbrechendes über Eizellen herausgefunden. Jetzt macht sie aus ihrem Wissen ein Produkt...

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Last week, I had the great honour of being formally admitted as a Fellow of the @royalsociety.org & signing its historic Charter Book. Deeply grateful for this recognition of our work. None of this would've been possible without many wonderful lab members, colleagues & collaborators. ✨

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Congratulations to our Postdoc @palmrinmoy.bsky.social on receiving the Helmholtz Munich Doctoral Researcher Award 2026 for his outstanding PhD research. We are proud to now have you in our Schuh lab. A well-deserved recognition! 🎉🌟 📷credits: @helmholtzmunich.bsky.social

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

We are glad to see Ovo Labs receive the Max Planck Society Startup Award today. Ovo Labs was founded to translate human oocyte biology research into therapies to improve IVF outcomes. A short film on the journey from basic research to biotech (German): www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIr2...

youtube.com

Ovo Labs - Neue Wege bei der künstliche Befruchtung (IVF)

YouTube video by MaxPlanckSociety

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

What happens inside human egg cells as they age, and why are errors so common? In the new episode “Ach, Mensch!” of detektor.fm (in German), Melina talks about fertility, ageing egg cells, future fertility treatments and the motivation behind her research. detektor.fm/wissen/ach-m...

detektor.fm

Unfruchtbarkeit: Wie lässt sie sich behandeln, Melina Schuh?

Dr. Melina Schuh erforscht, wie menschliche Eizellen funktionieren und worin Ursachen für Unfruchtbarkeit und Fehlgeburten liegen.

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

I am deeply honored to have been elected as a Foreign Member of the @royalsociety.org. Very grateful to all members of the lab, past & present. Their curiosity & commitment to science shaped the work in countless ways. It's been a privilege to work with them. www.mpinat.mpg.de/5261989/pr_2...

mpinat.mpg.de

Royal Society elects Melina Schuh as Fellow

Biochemist Melina Schuh elected Fellow of the Royal Society for groundbreaking research on egg cell development.

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Photo: Stadt Schweinfurt, Kristina Dietz

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

A very special evening at the Rathaus in Schweinfurt, where I officially received the Carus Medal from the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. @leopoldina.org

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Many congratulations to our PostDoc @palmrinmoy.bsky.social on receiving the Best Poster Award at the @events.embl.org Practical Course “Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy: From Cells to Tissue” last month! 🎉👏 A great achievement — very well deserved!

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Grateful to receive the Pearse Prize from the @royalmicrosoc.bsky.social. A big thank you to my amazing team and collaborators — this is truly a shared recognition. 🌟 www.rms.org.uk/resource/dr-...

rms.org.uk

Dr Melina Schuh to receive RMS Pearse Prize

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

For #FutureDay2026, we welcomed 5th & 6th graders for a hands-on day exploring science up close. They got a first look at lab work, from observing #egg cells under the microscope to pipetting and liquid nitrogen experiments 🔬🥼. A small step into the world of research!

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Honored to receive the Carus Medal from the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. Very grateful to my lab and all collaborators - this recognition belongs to all of us. ✨

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

The German Embryo Protection Act (1990) sets the legal framework for research involving human embryos, adapted long before much of today’s knowledge of human development was available. In a @spiegel.de interview (in German, paywall) Melina discusses its impact on research today.

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

A warm welcome to Roni, who joined the Schuh lab in December 2025 as a new Postdoc! She completed her PhD in Genetics focusing on the development and aging of #oocytes in C. elegans. Now she‘ll investigate the role of actin in #meiosis. Great to have you with us, Roni 🎉

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Huge congratulations to Ovo Labs on receiving the Max Planck Startup Award! 🎉

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

What does it take to translate fertility research into a biotech company? Agata and Melina joined “Holding on to Unicorns and Rainbows” podcast to tell the story of Ovo Labs. 🎧 Listen to the full episode: (Apple Podcasts) podcasts.apple.com/mx/podcast/f...

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

The Schuh lab just got a new postdoc—welcome Venus! 🎉 Venus studied telomere regulation in cancer during her PhD and will now explore telomeres in meiosis. Excited to have you on the team, Venus! ✨

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

find some articles here: The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/science/2026... Reuters: www.reuters.com/business/hea... The Times: www.thetimes.com/uk/science/a... Boston Globe: www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/09/n...

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

🚀 Our research on human egg quality and #fertility is making headlines worldwide! 🌍 Thanks to @debojitsaha.bsky.social, our co-authors, clinical collaborators, and the patients who made this study possible - and to Ovo Labs for advancing this work. #IVF #womenshealth

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

Why do women’s eggs deteriorate as they age? 🥚 The @washingtonpost.com reports on this question and features our study on Shugoshin 1. 📰

washingtonpost.com

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Huge thanks to @debojitsaha.bsky.social for leading this work — & to an outstanding team of co-authors: Saba Manshaei, @cavazzalab.bsky.social, Z. Holubcová, B. Maierova, A. Zielinska, L. Wartosch, M. Blaney, K. Elder & our clinical collaborators at Bourn Hall Clinic & Reprofit International (10/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Our findings identify centromeric cohesion protection as a modifiable determinant of egg quality. This is, to our knowledge, the first molecular intervention shown to improve chromosome cohesion in human eggs. (9/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Remarkably, SGO1 supplementation in human eggs significantly reduces premature chromatid separation and the number of single chromatids per egg. This effect is consistent across donors. (8/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Human eggs show the same pattern. Eggs from women ≥35 years have significantly reduced SGO1 and increased PSSC compared to younger donors. Can this be rescued by supplementing SGO1? (7/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Crucially, restoring SGO1 levels in aged mouse eggs rescues centromeric cohesion and reduces chromosome errors to youthful levels. But what about human oocytes, do they also lose SGO1 with age? (6/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

But how do cohesins and their protective factors change with age? In aged mouse oocytes, we observe a decline in pericentromeric transcription, SGO1, PP2A, and centromeric cohesion. This mirrors the dramatic rise in PSSC with age. (5/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

We find that ongoing transcription at pericentromeres is essential to maintain SGO1 (and PP2A) on meiotic chromosomes. Blocking transcription reduces SGO1 on chromosomes and triggers cohesion loss. (4/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

We identify Shugoshin 1 (SGO1) as a critical protector of centromeric cohesion in mammalian eggs. In mouse oocytes, depletion of SGO1 with siRNAs causes cohesion failure (PSSC) and alignment defects. But how is SGO1 maintained at meiotic centromeres? (3/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Sister chromatids must stay tightly connected until fertilization. When cohesion fails, chromatids separate prematurely — a defect called PSSC (premature separation of sister chromatids) — leading to mis-segregation and aneuploidy. (2/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Human eggs must segregate their chromosomes with exquisite precision — yet errors rise with maternal age, causing miscarriage & infertility. Our new article on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social shows why chromosome cohesion fails in aging eggs & how to improve it. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... (1/10)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

The Schuh lab wishes you & your families a #MerryChristmas and a wonderful start to a happy & successful #NewYear2026 🎄✨ This year’s department Christmas card features a microscope image by our PostDoc @kosti-sofroni.bsky.social showing a fetal ovary containing prophase oocytes.

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

We’re excited to have Qiuyan join the Schuh lab as a postdoctoral researcher 🎉 She earned her PhD in Biological Sciences, with a research focus on understanding early embryonic development. In her new role, she’ll explore germ cell development. Welcome to the team, Qiuyan!

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

🧬Why does female fertility decline with age? And can egg cells be rejuvenated🥚? Find out in a new interview with Melina discussing her research on the biology of aging #oocytes. #WomensHealth 💜 (Article in German) ajour.ch/de/story/634...

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

🎉Ovo Labs won the @elilillyandcompany.bsky.social x @nucleate.bsky.social Grand Challenge 2025! Founded by Melina Schuh, Agata Zielinska & Oleksandr Yagensky to improve IVF success rates, Ovo Labs was picked from 450+ biotech companies. Huge congratulations!💜 🔗 nucleatehq.medium.com/ovo-labs-awa...

nucleatehq.medium.com

Ovo Labs Awarded $100K to Advance Groundbreaking IVF Therapy in Lilly Grand Challenge

The 2025 Lilly Grand Challenge brought together some of the most promising early-stage biotech innovators at Eli Lilly and Company’s global…

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Last week, we enjoyed wonderful days on our #labretreat at Ringberg Castle by Lake Tegernsee, together with the Rink Lab and Lenart Lab from @mpi-nat.bsky.social. We explored science, hiked, did yoga, played games, and shared lots of laughter. A perfect setting to exchange ideas and connect. 🧠🧘‍♀️🎲

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

👉 Dive into our full review to explore these mechanisms in detail, compare strategies across species, and see how understanding protein storage in oocytes could open new paths for fertility research. Thanks to @idajentoft.bsky.social for your great work on this review. (5/5)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

But oocytes face another challenge: protein damage accumulates during the mother’s life. Proteostasis systems clear or sequester damaged proteins ensuring a rejuvenated egg. Failure here may explain age-related fertility decline, as long-lived proteins lose stability and clearance falters. (4/5)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Across species, diverse strategies have evolved to store proteins, from large filamentous assemblies to membrane bound compartments. These systems prevent premature degradation and ensure key proteins are available when needed after fertilization. (3/5)

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Schuh Lab @schuhlab.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

As transcription shuts down in growing oocytes, the egg relies on maternally deposited proteins and RNAs to drive early development, until the embryo can make its own. But how do oocytes store these proteins? (2/5)

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