A delegation from the National University of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM), visited RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC) and toured our laboratory. We were also delighted to see our old friend, Dr. Thuan, a former researcher at RIKEN CDB. The purpose of this visit is to see the facilities of the host laboratory of a IPA student coming from VNUHCM this June. It is expected that the Vietnamese students will continue to come to BRC.

36th International Mammalian Genome Conference (IMGC2023) was held at Epochal Tsukuba International Congress Center (Ibaraki, Japan) and online hybrid on 28-31 March. IMGC2023 Twitter *RIKEN Symposium ”Developmental Epigenetics” Invited Lecture* Atsuo Ogura: Nuclear transfer for the study of the developmental epigenetics *Poster Session* Dr. Kimiko INOUE: Elucidation of imprinted genes responsible for hyperplasia in somatic cell nuclear transferred (SCNT) placentas Narumi OGONUKI: Fertilization using spermatocytes overcomes azoospermia caused by meiotic arrest Michiko HIROSE: Generation of knockout hamsters as a new experimental model strategy Dr. Daiki SHIKATA: Suppression of enhancer-like endogenous retrovirus in mouse somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos Naomi WATANABE: Preservation of wild-derived mouse strains using nuclear transfer technology

Prof. HONDA, Jichi Medical University, visited our laboratory to observe and practice embryo freezing and thawing. He enthusiastically listened to Ms. Hasegawa’s explanation, observed the practical skills, and confirmed the key points.

The 3rd meeting for the Study of Sexual Reproduction “Reproductive Diversity” was held on March 10-11 at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research in Kobe, Japan. Dr. Shogo MATOBA gave an invited lecture titled “Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Cloning: A Bypass of Sexual Reproduction.”

The 26th Interdisciplinary Exchange Evening was held onsite (Wako Branch, RIKEN) and online hybrid on February 17th. The meeting was organized by RIKEN Scientists’ Assembly Steering Committee. *Poster Session* Dr. Kimiko INOUE: Establishment of a mono-allelic genome editing system and analysis of functionally unknown imprinted genes Dr. Aya UCHIDA: Comparative analysis of mouse trophoblast stem cells derived by somatic cell nuclear transfer and in vitro fertilization

The mini symposium “Genome building from TADs” was held onsite (The Tsukuba Center for Institutes, Japan) and online hybrid.

Ms. CHI LIÊU KIM NGUYEN (Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba) joined us from Dec.5 to 28. She had self-introduction presentation on Dec. 8. She had been trying various challenges, spending most of her time on ICSI experiments.

The 45th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan (MBSJ2022) was held at Makuhari Messe, Chiba, on Nov.30 – Dec.2. Dr. Kimiko INOUE made a presentation on Dec. 2. Workshop [3AW-07] Genomic Imprinting New paradigms of epigenomic regulation and transgenerational inheritance uncovered by recent studies of genomic imprinting Title: Effects of loss of imprint in non-canonical imprinted genes on the development of somatic cell nuclear transferred (SCNT) embryos.

The international symposium “Totipotency and Germ Cell Development” was held in Fukuoka, Japan, on November 23-25, 2022. Finally, 405 persons from 22 countries participated in this symposium on site or online. This symposium was supported by the following KAKENHI: • Grant-in-Aid for Specially Promoted Research – Omics approaches towards the elucidation of the molecular network regulating the developmental capacity of the mammalian oocyte (Hiroyuki Sasaki) • Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas – Ensuring integrity in gametogenesis (Katsuhiko Hayashi) • Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas – Program of totipotency: From decoding to designing (Atsuo Ogura) *Oral Presentation* Atsuo OGURA: How somatic cell nuclear transfer helps us probe […]