Embryo News and Research

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CRINONE vaginal progesterone gel as effective as IM progesterone for luteal phase support in IVF-ET

In their American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) conference wrap-up, Medscape highlighted the article published by them on October 27, 2009, which summarized the results from the largest prospective, randomized clinical study to compare vaginal progesterone to intramuscular progesterone injections (IM progesterone) for luteal support in infertility treatment.

9 Nov 2009

Swedish study: Chances of having a baby increases over three cycles

Just one in three women gives birth after a single IVF attempt, but the cumulative chance of a live birth increases with each cycle - where women are offered three cycles nearly two thirds go on to have babies, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

9 Nov 2009

Understanding how regulatory networks drive development

Embryonic development is like a well-organised building project, with the embryo's DNA serving as the blueprint from which all construction details are derived. Cells carry out different functions according to a developmental plan, by expressing, i.e. turning on, different combinations of genes.

6 Nov 2009

Columbia Laboratories reports net revenues of $7.9 million for third quarter 2009

Columbia Laboratories, Inc. today reported financial results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009.

5 Nov 2009

Johns Hopkins bioethicists raise important issues on recent creation of live mice from iPSCs

The recent creation of live mice from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) not only represents a remarkable scientific achievement, but also raises important issues, according to bioethicists at The Johns Hopkins University's Berman Institute of Bioethics.

30 Oct 2009

Legislation on Assisted Reproductive Technology proposed by the ICMR discussed

Vinay Menon of Mumbai, India-based law firm Menon & Associates (www.menonlawassociates.com) and Indian Counsel for Proactive Family Solutions was among the panel speakers on this topic at the Fall Conference of the American Bar Association Section of Family Law recently held in Montreal, Canada.

29 Oct 2009

Total number of vertebrae: Hox genes have a say

Vertebrates have in common a skeleton made of segments, the vertebrae. During development of the embryo, each segment is added in a time dependent manner, from the head-end to the tail-end: the first segments to be added become the vertebrae of the neck, later segments become the vertebrae with ribs and the last ones the vertebra located in the tail (in the case of a mouse, for example). In this process, it is crucial that, on the one hand, each segment, as it matures, becomes the correct type of vertebra and, on the other, that the number of vertebrae in the skeleton, and therefore the size of the spine, are minutely controlled.

28 Oct 2009

Scientific breakthrough to derive human parthenogenetic stem cell lines from unfertilized human eggs

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO) (www.internationalstemcell.com) and Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York (RMA of New York) have shown that immature, unfertilized human eggs can be used to create “parthenotes” from which human parthenogenetic stem cell lines may be derived. Immature eggs are normally discarded during standard in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures due to their inability to create an embryo.

28 Oct 2009

Novel protein responsible for changing DNA structure and silencing the expression of genes identified

A study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) by a team of scientists headed by Professors Hélène Bierne and Pascale Cossart from the Pasteur Institute, in collaboration with colleagues form the CNRS and the French Agricultural Research Institute (INRA), identified a novel protein, BAHD1, which is responsible for changing DNA structure and silencing the expression of genes.

26 Oct 2009

Potential link exists between histone mRNA formation and apoptosis

A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has identified a key player in a molecular process essential for DNA replication within cells.

26 Oct 2009

Researchers develop a non-invasive test to help assess embryo viability for IVF

Embryos that are most likely to result in a pregnancy are crucial to the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) but are difficult to identify. Researchers at Yale School of Medicine, led by Emre Seli, M.D., are developing a fast, non-invasive test to help assess embryo viability for IVF.

22 Oct 2009

NIH awards $8 million to The Medical College of Wisconsin for heart research

The Medical College of Wisconsin has been awarded a five-year, $8 million, multi-investigator Program Project Grant (PPG) from the National Institutes of Health to understand how human pluripotent stem cells, defined as cells which if left to their own designs can develop into any of the more than 200 cell types in the human body, can be channeled to exclusively become heart muscle cells.

22 Oct 2009

Interim study analysis comparing MENOPUR with rFSH in GnRH Antagonist IVF cycles

Ferring Pharmaceuticals presented an interim study analysis indicating that MENOPUR® (menotropins for injection, USP) is effective in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist. The results were presented in a poster at the 65th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in Atlanta, October 17-21, 2009.

21 Oct 2009

No significant differences in pregnancy outcomes with different progesterone formulations

A retrospective analysis, conducted at a large infertility clinic between January 2003 and December 2008, demonstrated that there were no significant differences in pregnancy outcomes with three different progesterone formulations for women aged 35 to 40 undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) procedures. These data were presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) annual meeting in Atlanta.

21 Oct 2009

Substantial price reduction for 24 Chromosome Aneuploidy Screening

Gene Security Network, Inc. (GSN) today announced a substantial price reduction for its 24 Chromosome Aneuploidy Screening with Parental SupportTM. Effective immediately, pricing has been restructured to a single flat fee for testing of up to 24 embryos in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle.

20 Oct 2009

Sigma-Aldrich launches SAGEspeed, a program for developing human disease models in rodents

Sigma-Aldrich® (Nasdaq: SIAL) today announced the launch of SAGEspeed(TM), a program to develop human disease models in rodents using its proprietary novel CompoZr(TM) Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) gene editing technology (http://www.compozrzfn.com).

19 Oct 2009

Higher proportion of American adults prefer to place frozen human embryos with infertile couples

In a recent national public opinion survey, a significantly higher proportion of American adults would choose to place frozen human embryos with infertile couples for the purpose of bearing a child. Interestingly, the survey also revealed that twice as many Americans read or heard about human embryos in connection with stem cell research than in connection with embryo donation or adoption.

14 Oct 2009

Overview of procedures and techniques used for embryo transfer under transvaginal ultrasound guidance

Fertility and reproductive specialists are invited to join a live, online chat event entitled, “Transvaginal Ultrasound Transfers” at www.CookARTLab.com. The

12 Oct 2009

Duke University bioengineers take first step in growing a living 'heart patch' for heart tissue repair

By mimicking the way embryonic stem cells develop into heart muscle in a lab, Duke University bioengineers believe they have taken an important first step toward growing a living "heart patch" to repair heart tissue damaged by disease.