Dr Giuseppe Silvestri

Dr Giuseppe Silvestri received a BSc in Molecular and Applied Biology from the University of Naples Federico II, Italy. Following this, he moved to the UK where he was awarded an MSc in Reproductive Medicine and then a PhD in Genetics, both from the University of Kent. Giuseppe is currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the laboratory of Professor Darren Griffin on a BBSRC funded project aiming to improve the technologies available for the production and screening of farm animal embryos. 

iuseppe’s research focuses on mammalian embryology. The development of optimised procedures for the in vitro production (IVP) of pig and cattle embryos would be beneficial to the breeding industry, as this technology has the potential to multiply the offspring of genetically superior animals thereby improving production. With this in mind, a key aim of Giuseppe’s current work is the development of methods to efficiently obtain high quality embryos following in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes recovered from young donors. The commercial focus of this research has allowed Giuseppe to establish links with companies such as JSR Genetics, Topigs Norsvin and Paragon Veterinary Group.
Giuseppe also has a research interest in preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), the application of which has the potential to allow for the selection of farm animal embryos with desirable genetic traits before a pregnancy is established. This could represent a novel approach to breeding leading to improved selection intensity and animal welfare. Interestingly, PGS methodologies developed in model mammals such as cattle could prove applicable for the diagnosis of diseases in the human pre-implantation embryo as well.

Giuseppe has a keen interest in teaching and is an associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has experience supervising students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and is involved in the delivery of the BI842 module “The IVF World” of the MSc Reproductive Medicine: Science and Ethics.