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Anita Öst

Professor, Head of Division

Our research explores how molecular information carried by sperm shapes embryonic development and lifelong health. We aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms linking reproduction with metabolic disease.

From environment to embryo

Our research investigates how environmental factors, including diet and metabolic health, shape the molecular composition of sperm and influence fertilization, embryo development and offspring health. By combining experimental models with human studies, we aim to understand how sperm RNA and other molecular mechanisms regulate male fertility, developmental programming and lifelong health. This knowledge may ultimately improve reproductive health while providing new insights into the origins of metabolic disease.

News

Two women discussing in the lab.

Sperm molecules can predict IVF success

The sperm is not a passive supplier of genetic material to the egg. A study shows that certain molecules that come with the sperm, so-called micro-RNA, contribute to the development of the embryo several days after conception.
Older man and small child laughing to each other.

Men’s lifestyles may impact their grandchildren’s health

Habits and health issues can contribute to a kind of biological memory that can be passed on to future children. A review paper by LiU researchers presents a theory about the father’s contribution to protecting his descendants from infections.
A big building in sunset, there is warm light coming from the windows, on the ground outside there is a bit of snow.

SEK 49 million from Swedish Research Council

Six LiU researchers will receive almost SEK 49 million from the Swedish Research Council’s latest round of funding. The projects concern areas such as epigenetics, mega coal-fired power plants, rehabilitation in conflict zones and tuberculosis.

Research

Four circles in a row each with different contens. The first one containing healthy food, the second one a sperm, the third one a fertilized egg, the fourt an unborn Child.

Decoding the Molecular Language of Sperm

Sperm carry much more than DNA. Our research aims to decode the molecular language of sperm - how environmental information is encoded, transmitted to the embryo and shapes fertility, early development and lifelong health.

Video about the research 

Video

From Fruit Flies to Human Health

Can a father's lifestyle influence the next generation? This video presents our discovery that diet before conception can alter offspring metabolism, using fruit flies to uncover molecular mechanisms that are conserved across species and relevant to human health.

Education

Metabolism - a plainsplain Youtube channel

These video clips are produced for teaching at the Medical programme at the Faculty of medicine and health sciences at Linköping university.

To the Youtube channel!

Full publication list

2026

Anna Asratian, Signe Isacson, Unn Örtegren Kugelberg, Colum Walsh, Anita Öst (2026) Breed-specific divergence in boar sperm regulatory profiles involves piRNA and mitochondrial small RNAs Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS), Vol. 83, Article 243 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00018-026-06244-8
Chien Huang, Joo-Hyun Park, Ali Altintas, Natasa Stanic, Kristine Kyle de Leon, Signe Isacson, Panagiotis Kalogeropoulos, Hande Topel, Tobias Madsen, Sebastian Zanner, Phillip M. M. Ruppert, Rocio Valdebenito, Jesper Havelund, Bjork Ditlev Marcher Larsen, Yen-Ting Chien, Wen-Chi Huang, Yovita Permata Budi, Yi-Fan Jiang, Andrea Livia Rocha, Niedson Correia Lima-Junior, Karolina Szczepanowska, Jan-Wilm Lackmann, Aleksandra Trifunovic, Eva Kildall Hejbol, Sonke Detlefsen, Ida Engberg Jepsen, Stefanie Hansborg Kolstrup, Ricardo Laguna-Barraza, Javier Martin-Gonzalez, Konstantin Khodosevich, Nils J. Faergeman, Marcelo A. Mori, Marc R. Friedlander, Anita Öst, Romain Barres, Jan-Wilhelm Kornfeld (2026) Male obesity causes adipose mitochondrial dysfunction in F1 mouse progeny via a let-7-DICER axis Nature Communications, Vol. 17, Article 3125 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69686-5

2025

Signe Isacson, Kajsa Karlsson, Stefan Zalavary, Anna Asratian, Unn Örtegren Kugelberg, Susanne Liffner, Anita Öst (2025) Small RNA in sperm-Paternal contributions to human embryo development Nature Communications, Vol. 16, Article 6571 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62015-2
Shamila Darvish Alipoor Astaneh, Parisa Norouzitallab, Anita Öst, Maria Lerm (2025) Dad's legacy: Epigenetic reprogramming and paternal inflammatory memory in offspring health Journal of Internal Medicine, Vol. 298, p. 16-30 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/joim.20094
Josefine Jonsson, Alexander Perfilyev, Unn Örtegren Kugelberg, Signe Skog, Axel Lindstrom, Sabrina Ruhrmann, Jones K. Ofori, Karl Bacos, Tina Ronn, Anita Öst, Charlotte Ling (2025) Impact of excess sugar on the whole genome DNA methylation pattern in human sperm Epigenomics, Vol. 17, p. 89-104 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17501911.2024.2439782

2024

Anita Öst (2024) Rosalind Franklin Society Proudly Announces the 2023 Award Recipient for Antioxidants & Redox Signaling Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, Vol. 41, p. 429-429 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ars.2024.12795.rfs2023

Coworkers

Photo of Anna Asratian

Anna Asratian

PhD student

Placeholder for missing image of Alessandro Gozzo

Alessandro Gozzo

PhD student

Photo of Kajsa Karlsson

Kajsa Karlsson

PhD student

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Rashmi Ramesh

Principal Research Engineer

Photo of Lovisa Örkenby Kämpe

Lovisa Örkenby Kämpe

Postdoc

Photo of Unn Örtegren Kugelberg

Unn Örtegren Kugelberg

Principal Research Engineer

Organisation

The Division of Cell and Neurobiology (CNB)

The Division of Cell and Neurobiology is a dynamic and innovative environment where we conduct research and teaching on both the structure and function of various cells as well as the nervous system and sensory organs.

Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV)

What characterizes the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV) is the wide breadth of research and education. BKV is one of the largest departments at LiU with affiliation mainly to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Five people in a laboratory.

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MEDFAK)

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences conducts research and education within medicine, healthcare and public health.