Paternal pre-conception nutrition has been associated with metabolic dysfunction in the offspring of several animal species. A likely mechanism contributing to this phenomenon is epigenetic inheritance. Several research groups, including ours, have shown that environmental factors, such as diet, physical activity and metabolic condition, can alter the epigenetic information carried in spermatozoa. Since the epigenetic signature of gametes plays an important role in embryonic development, we hypothesize that nutrition-induced changes of the sperm epigenome can modulate health of the next generation offspring. While the underlying mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance show broad evolutionary conservation, the specificity of epigenetic responses to nutritional challenge in different species remains unknown.
Among selected animal species, we are using the mini pig as a representative model of human obesity and whole-body metabolism and aim to determine the impact of a chronic Western-style dietary intake on the epigenetic programming of spermatozoa. Young, sexually mature male mini pigs are exposed to a 3-month dietary intervention of either a control diet or high-caloric Western-style diet, and semen samples are collected at different time points during the intervention. A washout period of the diets is followed to examine if nutrition-induced epigenetic variation in sperm is reversible. Isolated spermatozoa are examined for alterations in their epigenetic signature and downstream gene set enrichment analysis is performed to determine molecular pathways affected by the differential dietary intakes.


Western diet effects on metabolism and epigenetic reprogramming of spermatozoa in mini pigs

Poster Walk

poster

**Epigenetic Inheritance across species**

We are happy to invite you to register for the GECKO Conference – inspired by the Gametic Epigenetics Consortium Against Obesity (hence, GECKO). Professor Romain Barrès Head of the GECKO Consortium, and his research group will be hosting the conference, which will take place virtually between **May 25-28, 2021**. **Sessions will be live daily from 8.00-10.30 and 17.00-19.30 CET.**

The theme of the conference is intentionally broad. We will have sessions dedicated to the technical aspects of studying epigenetic inheritance, how we can use a comparative approach to understand inheritance mechanisms, the evolutionary explanations for epigenetic inheritance and a session focused on how our research could influence reproductive biology. 

We already have a fantastic line-up of speakers, including Noora Kotaja (University of Turku), Qi Chen (University of California), Michael Wilson (University of Toronto), Isabelle Mansuy (University and ETH Zurich), Oliver Rando (University of Massachusetts), Anita Öst (Linköping University) and Tobias Uller (Lund University).

The conference format will include panel discussions, short talks selected from submitted abstracts, poster sessions and a set of short and sharp talks to accompany these.

The deadline for submitting an abstract to be considered for a talk or poster is **May 4th .** 
Those selected to present will be informed in the following week, with **final posters due May 17th .**
![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/ea7614ef58a8f691e8295529020987ea.png)
[![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/6b2bc323e45f696b7cd29d1650a5e2cc.jpg)](https://zmxuhia1.paperform.co/)

![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/ea7614ef58a8f691e8295529020987ea.png)

[![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/ac0bcdd33edcb55782729d3b03c29bdc.png)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AzPiQQYPvStIzAApkEk4AqejZs6HHhEc/view?usp=sharing)

### ** Program at a Glance **
![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/17617a252626cfe73fc1a894e7d68ab1.png)
![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/ea7614ef58a8f691e8295529020987ea.png)


# About GECKO

The Gametic Epigenetics Consortium Against Obesity (GECKO) is a research consortium funded by a Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge grant from 2019 to 2025. The main goal of the consortium is to understand the effect of diet on the epigenetic signatures that are passed through sperm to offspring, and the effect these signatures have on the developing offspring and future generations. 

The GECKO is comprised of three leading research groups headed by Professor Romain Barrès at the University of Copenhagen, Professor Stephen Simpson at the University of Sydney and Professor Marcelo Nobrega at the University of Chicago.



<iframe width=1280 height=720 frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="https://screencast-o-matic.com/player/crevlKVV5uC?ff=1&title=0&controls=1" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>





Find out more information and register to the event **for free** by making an account in Underline.

Ann N. Hansen

1

SHORT BIO

Presentations

Western diet effects on metabolism and epigenetic reprogramming of spermatozoa in mini pigs

Stay up to date with the latest Underline news!

PRESENTATIONS

CONFERENCES

COMPANY

RESOURCES