Cornell researchers develop a device to simplify fertility treatment

In search of infertility, scientists from the University of Cornell have developed a groundbreaking device that could simplify and automate the removal of cumulus oocytes, which is a key step in reproductive supported technologies.

Their vibration chip not only simplifies the complex procedure, but also expands it to the world areas, which deprived of qualified embryologists or well -financed costs limiting Labs Reducing carefully. This gives hope for millions of couples struggling with infertility – and makes fertility treatment more all over the world.

This platform is a potential game changer. It reduces the need for qualified technicians, minimizes the risk of pollution and provides consistent results-all this is portable and profitable. “

Alireza Abbaspourrad, associate professor of food chemistry and technology of ingredients in the field of food sciences

Abbaspourrad is a co -author of “removing oocytes oocytes on a chip using a vibration flow”, published on September 5 in the magazine.

Doctors treating infertility must take a critical step: gently separate the protective Cumulus cells from oocytes, developing eggs. The process, known as the removal of cumulus (CR), is necessary to assess the maturity of oocytes before injecting sperm or ensure effective fertilization after fertilization during in vitro fertilization.

Traditionally, CR is based on manual pipetting: by repeated rinsing a single oocyte with the help of a microlus cell micropipete are detached from oocytes. However, the technique requires precision, specialist knowledge and significant time. Errors can lead to damaged oocytes or unsuccessful fertilization, which makes the procedure a delicate and labor -intensive task.

Team innovation: a one -time open surface system, which uses vibrations, which they call the vibration caused to automate CR. The chip has a spiral plaque of micropillaters that cause vibrating flow, separating smaller cumulus cells from larger oocytes.

“This process is fast, efficient, non-invasive and more coherent, at the same time reducing manual delivery and maintaining the results of the embryo development,” said Amirhossein Favakeh, a PhD student at the Abbaspourrad laboratory and research co-author. “Oocytes remain safe in the load chamber, while Cumulus cells are well moved to the neighboring harvest.”

To ensure the safety of this technique, the team compared the fertilization and development of the embryo between the oocytes, which they gave manually and those subjected to vibration -induced flow. The results were almost identical: fertilization indicators amounted to 90.7% in the case of manual pipetting and 93.1% for vibration flow, while the speed of creating blastocysts, cell balls created early during pregnancy, were 50.0% and 43.1%, respectively, respectively.

“It shows that our method does not threaten the development potential of oocytes,” said Abbaspourrad.

“Usually the whole process is expensive and delicate; clinics invest a lot of time in training and is very dependent on human resources,” said Abbaspourrad. “Thanks to this, you don’t need a highly trained man. And it is really important that there is almost no chance of damage or loss of cell.”