The research group Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry concentrates its academic scientific research within the ‘Gameter Research Center’ and the ‘Zebrafishlab’, a platform where the vertebrate female gamete, the embryo and the early embryonic development have a central position. More specifically, environmental and other factors are studied that might have a (negative) influence on oocyte developmental capacity and embryo growth, including possible consequences during pregnancy, for the newborn and in later life. Most of this research is based on self-developed 'high throughput' in vitro models, such as bovine, murine and zebrafish in vitro models for the study of follicular development, oocyte prematuration and maturation, fertilization and early development of the pre-implantation embryo. The complementary zebrafish-model makes it possible to specifically study the organogenesis.