Associate professor of Biophotonics and Microscopy Imran Avci of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam can start with her HERA project with the help of funding from the Open Technology Programme from the NWO's Applied and Technical Sciences domain.
Improved outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments with next-generation microscopy technology
The HERA project led by Imran Akca Avci has also received OTP funding, and aims at developing a new generation of microscopy technology. Despite the widespread use of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in addressing human infertility and advancing animal breeding, success rates remain low due to the subjective assessment the quality of oocytes and embryos. HERA is developing a high-performance Stimulated Brillouin Microscopy (SBM) system that enables non-invasive 3D measurement of the mechanical properties of oocytes and embryos. This system offers a more objective method for evaluating oocyte and embryo quality, and could ultimately improve IVF rates in bovines. These results are expected to be applicable to human reproduction, making fertility treatments more efficient, accessible, and cost-effective.
The co-applicants are: University of Twente - dr. ir. C.W. Visser, Utrecht University - dr. H. Aardema.
Open Technology Programme
The Open Technology Programme provides funding for application-oriented technical-scientific research that is free and unrestricted and is not hindered by disciplinary boundaries. The programme offers companies and other organisations an accessible way to participate in scientific research that is intended to lead to societal and/or scientific impact.