Holograms for life: Improving IVF success

Date:
July 5, 2023
Source:
University of Adelaide
Summary:
In a world-first, 3D holographic images of an embryo have been
developed.

The images are created using minuscule amounts of light in a
fraction of a second.


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FULL STORY ==========================================================================
In a world-first, 3D holographic images of an embryo have been developed
as part of a collaborative research project between the University of
Adelaide and University of St Andrews. The images are created using
miniscule amounts of light in a fraction of a second.

The team, led by Dr Kylie Dunning, Hospital Research Foundation
fellow from the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute,
and Professor Kishan Dholakia from the University of Adelaide and the University of St Andrews, developed an approach to create 3D holographic
images of the pre-clinical model of an embryo at various stages of
development.

"For couples wishing to conceive, the quality, or developmental potential,
of an embryo is critical as it dictates the success of their pregnancy
and ultimately, the birth of their child," said Dr Dunning.

"In vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinics routinely assess embryo
quality by visual inspection to check if an embryo is developing in
a time-appropriate manner or by an invasive biopsy to determine DNA
content of the biopsied sample.

"However, these approaches have failed to improve the success rate of
IVF which has remained stagnant for more than a decade." A non-invasive approach without biopsy to help pick the most appropriate embryo is
a highly beneficial tool for the 21st century embryologist: light can
fulfill this need.

3D holographic images are a non-invasive approach which provides insights
into the embryo by identifying detailed features. This may augment
conventional visual assessment for embryo quality in an IVF clinic,
allowing an embryologist to make an informed decision on the selection
of best quality embryos.

"Optical technologies hold immense promise to unravel the metabolism and
health of the embryo. This gentle, non-invasive approach could lead to
improved IVF success," said Dr Dunning.

Data from 2020 show that the success rates of IVF range from a live birth
rate of 38.9 per cent per embryo transfer for patients under 34 years,
to a live birth rate of 5.6 per cent per embryo transfer for patients
over 43 years. In 2018 it was estimated that eight million babies had
been born through IVF since the world's first in 1978.

"This technology uses minuscule amounts of light -- less than that
from your smartphone -- to allow rapid visualisation of the embryo in
a fraction of a second," said Professor Dholakia.

"It's a prime example of interdisciplinary success for our new Centre
of Light for Life at the University of Adelaide, and of collaborative international work with my group at the University of St Andrews,
Scotland." The team aims to have the technology, which is being developed through research using a preclinical model, available in five years.

This cutting-edge development would not have been possible without the
support of funding from the UK and EU, and the Australian Research Council (ARC), National Health and Medical Research Council and the Hospital
Research Foundation in Australia.

Primary authors on the study are George Dwapanyin, postdoctoral researcher
at the University of St Andrews and Darren Chow, PhD candidate at
the Robinson Research Institute, School of Biomedicine, University
of Adelaide.

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========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. George O. Dwapanyin, Darren J. X. Chow, Tiffany C. Y. Tan,
Nicolas S.

Dubost, Josephine M. Morizet, Kylie R. Dunning, Kishan Dholakia.

Investigation of refractive index dynamics during in
vitro embryo development using off-axis digital holographic
microscopy. Biomedical Optics Express, 2023; 14 (7): 3327 DOI:
10.1364/BOE.492292 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230705194525.htm

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