Category Archives: Embryology

Embryology

TMRW Launches World’s First Automated Platform to Safeguard Millions of Frozen Eggs and Embryos Used in IVF – PRNewswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TMRW Life Sciences(TMRW) announces that it has launched the world's first automated cryo specimen management solution for embryos andeggsused in in vitro fertilization (IVF). TMRW's proprietary platform has been installed in multiple premier fertility clinics in the U.S., launching the modern era of integrated, software-enabled management of the millions of eggs and embryos central to modern IVF.

The TMRW platform arrives at a critical moment: during the COVID pandemic, with record numbers of patients initiating egg freezing, and some U.S. fertility clinics reporting as much as 50% increases in cycle volume over the same period last year. Clinics accounting for more than 30% of all U.S. IVF cycles are scheduled to install the TMRW platform in 2021.

The CDC estimates that by 2025,22 million fertilitypatients globally will require egg and embryo storage.TMRW's platform offers a groundbreaking answer to a challenge the global IVF community is now facing: how to safely manage, track and store hundreds of millions of frozen eggs and embryos.

Until today, the IVF community worldwide has employed the same manualstorage methods developed over 40 years ago.This system is characterized by the handwritten labeling of specimens and a reliance on analog tracking and record keeping. In addition, there has been no cloud-based, electronic monitoring, or sensor technologydeployed to safeguard the containers holding the eggs and embryos which must be kept consistently at cryogenic temperatures.

"No one undertaking IVF should ever have to worry about the safety of their embryos and eggs," said Joshua Abram, Founder and Co-CEO of TMRW. "300 million babies are expected to be born via IVF globally by 2100. With TMRW we have brought the safe storage and management of life's most precious cells into the 21st Century."

Each TMRW platform safeguards the fertility specimens of as many as 4,000 patients. The system brings an unprecedented level of safety to every phase of the management of eggs and embryos, from accurate identification and chain of custody of every patient's samples via radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking, to continuous monitoring through TMRW's data-encrypted and HIPAA-compliant software. Taken together, TMRW's solutionprovides patients and clinicians alike transparency and peace of mind about the careof their eggs and embryos.

Vios Fertility Institute is the first fertility clinic to bring TMRW's platform online.

"As we see a substantial increase in patients seeking IVF and egg freezing -- up 41% percent and 31.5%, respectively, over last year -- I am thrilled that we are the first fertility clinic in the world to offer TMRW to its patients," said Dr. Angie Beltsos, CEO & Chief Medical Officer of Vios. "IVF patients and those wanting to preserve their fertility deserve the most sophisticated care available, and there is nothing more powerful than combining our top-notch embryology services with TMRW's game-changing technology. TMRW gives doctors, embryologists, and patients great reassurance."

Chicago couple Mayrav Dolgin and Renee Genova have received fertility treatments at Vios resulting in two healthy sons -- Jonah (age 2) and Elan (age 6 months). They are the first patients to have their remaining frozen embryos stored with the TMRW platform.

"The fertility journey can be difficult enough without having to worry about the safety of your embryos," explained Dolgin. "Mayrav and I were ecstatic to learn that ours would be the first to be stored in TMRW," added Genova. "Knowing that our remaining embryos will be cared for and looked after with the most advanced technology available gives us tremendous reassurance that our ability to continue building our family in the future is protected."

The TMRW platform key proprietary features include:

TMRW is expanding globally and will be in UK-based fertility clinics in the summer of 2021.

About TMRW Life Sciences:TMRW has created the world's first automated platform designed specifically for cryo-management of eggs and embryos used in IVF. TMRW's RFID-enabled, complete digital chain of custody SaaS technology radically improves on the error-prone manual and analog methods that have gone unchanged throughout the history of IVF, significantly reducing the chances of implantation mix-ups or loss of eggs and embryos. The TMRW team includes many of the world's most celebrated innovators in fertility, embryology, cryo-management, automation, software development and robotics to name a few of the disciplines involved. TMRW's co-founders, Joshua Abram, Alan Murray, and Dr. Jeffrey Port, are serial tech and life sciences entrepreneurs. Their immediate prior ventures sold for a combined sum of more than $1 billion. For more information, please visit TMRW.org.

About ViosFertility Institute:Established in 2015, Vios Fertility Institute is one of the fastest growing fertility clinics in the U.S., with 11 locations in the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis regions. Woman owned, the Vios mission is to help patients find their way to fertility health with the highest chances of success. Vios offers innovative, scientific, and cutting-edge treatment options along with an unparalleled patient experience. http://www.ViosFertility.com

Media Contact:Emily GrosserDini von Mueffling Communications[emailprotected]757-645-5190

SOURCE TMRW Life Sciences

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Embryology

PLU’s Lathiena Nervo discusses her work and being named one of the 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America – The Suburban Times

By Zach Powers, Marketing & Communications.

Pacific Lutheran University Assistant Professor of Biology Lathiena Nervo was recently named one of Cell Mentors 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America. A developmental biologist in her second year at PLU, Nervo is equally passionate about teaching, biological research, and increasing diverse representation in science. She recently spoke with PLU News about her recent honor, her motivations as an educator and scientist, and her experience thus far at PLU.

Congratulations on being included on Cell Mentors list of 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America. What did that mean to you?

It meant a lot. I was really surprised to end up on that list. Theres some pretty impressive people on that list that are doing amazing work in their respective fields, so I was incredibly honored and really humbled to be on it. It was also really nice to see people on that list that I know and that Ive met, either at conferences or I actually went to grad school with, or who are in my little niche of developmental biology. Being a Black woman in science, and being a hyper minority in that sense, sometimes you tend to feel very isolated and alone. But this list made me think of all the different individuals across the country and made me feel like we are a tight-knit community.

How has being such a hyper minority in your field impacted your experience as a student, graduate student and now as a university faculty member?

It has had a major impact and still continues to have one. You are pretty much constantly fighting against stereotype threat and wanting to be valued for what you do and not necessarily what you look like. It definitely has impacted the focus on my work in a way, because I was raised with a certain set of values I like to bring those to my work as well.

What are you most interested in as a biologist?

I am a developmental biologist. The thing I love about developmental biology is that youre a jack of all trades. Its a mix of molecular, genetics, cell biologies, anatomy and physiology. Its all these different biology disciplines merged into one. A few decades ago it would have been called embryology.

Im really interested in cell interactions and how cells actually communicate with each other while an embryo is developing. And so, how do they communicate with each other to create tissues? We have all these different tissues within our bodies that could be grouped into four categories. You have muscle, nerve, connective tissue, and epithelial tissue. Im really interested in how the embryo decides to make all those different tissues.

At what point in your journey as a student did you realize that biology was something special for you?

I think it was my senior year of high school. That was the first year my high school actually had AP Biology. I had an amazing teacher who taught the class, essentially, like a college course. She gave us a lot of freedom, she let us guide how we could learn, what was best for us. Also let us guide what we covered, which was fantastic. That class is what really opened my eyes to majoring in biology.

College was always important to my parents. Neither of them went to college and it was always clear growing up that the expectation was that we were going to go to college. But during high school, I didnt have any idea what I was going to go to college for and what my passion was for, until that AP Biology class.

What made you decide on research and teaching, as opposed to medical school or the many other careers a biology student can pursue?

Its a roundabout story, but essentially I thought I wanted to go to medical school. I wanted to be a pediatrician, and that was to be my focus. But then I had a research experience as an undergraduate that really opened my eyes to what experimentation is, how to think about big questions, and how to figure out what experiments will help get you closer to the answers to those questions.

Then, after finishing my undergrad, I started teaching high school biology and I realized how much I loved to teach. I taught at a Catholic school with a very small minority population. I didnt realize going into it how much my presence would mean to those students.

How did teaching in that high school shape how you teach now?

Well, soon after I started there I had a lot of the underrepresented minority students in my classroom after school and during lunch. Just wanting to talk about their experiences in life. For many of them, I was their first Black teacher that theyve ever had, and I taught 10th graders. That experience really opened my eyes to what Ias a Black woman in science and as an educatorrepresent. That was the moment where I started thinking that I really love science and I wanted to do experimentation, but I also wanted to focus on mentorship. I wanted to be a mentor, I wanted to increase underrepresented minority participation in science, and get those students loving science. And that was the spark that started that. I then worked for a couple of years for a NASA-funded program, where that was actually their focusto increase the underrepresented groups participation in science.

I realized that I wanted to teach and conduct research at a primarily undergraduate institution. So I went into grad school with that goal in mind. I was a non-traditional student, going back several years after completing my bachelors degree. I received grants through my graduate school department and the US Department of Education. I participated in a postdoctoral fellowship thats specific for teaching scientists to be better educators. When I finished my PhD, I went into that fellowship program. And now Im excited to be here at PLU, focussed on these three core elements of teaching, increasing representation in my field, and conducting research.

Coming to PLU from the East Coast is a big switch. What made you pick PLU?

One of the things that really struck me when I researched the biology department and interviewed here was the curriculum. Its essentially the curriculum I wish I had as an undergraduate, where students are really able to create their own focus. The way the program is organized gives students a lot of freedom to choose what direction they want to go. If they have more interest in the really small things, like molecular work, or virology, or microbiology, they can take classes on that. If they want to go bigger with the systems, in terms of ecology and organisms, they can do that too, and everything in between. I found it really amazing that students were able to create their own focus in that way.

I also had a really good experience talking with students. I had lunch with three students during my interview here, and all of them were double majoring. At my undergrad institution thats not a thing that was really possible for biology majors because the curriculum was so rigid. The fact that PLU students were still able to pursue their interests outside of biology, and get a degree and take classes they wanted outside of that, was incredibly impressive to me. I just thought, theyre doing something right here, in a pedagogical sense. And that was one of the things that I found really exciting about coming to PLU.

Were there any other aspects of the job that drew you to PLU?

The individual faculty members that I talked with during my phone interview, and then my in-person interview, seemed so supportive. I was really looking for that in the next stage of my career. I really wanted a department that was collegial, that didnt just talk about being supportive, actually was supportive and was willing to step in and help in any way they could.

I was also really impressed with the multiple mentorship programs we have for first-year and early-career faculty members. Thats not something most institutions have, not even some of the other big name liberal arts schools that I was interviewed at. And those have been really helpful in my first few semesters here.

Whats been your first impression of the PLU students youve had in class?

I think PLU students are really well-rounded and theyre really thinking about their position in their communities and in the world. A lot of them have really amazing goals, beyond just, Oh, I want to be a biologist. Theyre thinking about their impact in their communities and in the larger sense, which is incredible.

I would also say theyre really interested in learning. Its not just about end goals for them. I dealt with students at other institutions where some classes are just boxes they need to check off, just to earn their bachelors degree. I dont get that same sense at all from PLU students. Theyre really focused on learning and really show their interest in the subject. Im really impressed by that.

The post PLUs Lathiena Nervo discusses her work and being named one of the 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America was first publishing on the Pacific Lutheran University website.

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PLU's Lathiena Nervo discusses her work and being named one of the 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America - The Suburban Times

Embryology

Egg freezing is on the up but new research raises questions about how clinics advertise – The Conversation UK

More women in the UK than ever before are considering freezing their eggs, with the sharp rise in inquiries at some of Londons largest clinics attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. No wonder perhaps, since social restrictions have impacted single people wishing to couple-up, making it significantly more difficult to go on dates or meet potential partners.

The current prolonged uncertainty about the future has exacerbated the concerns that many single childless women especially those in their mid-30s were already reporting, including anxieties about the ticking of their biological clocks and fears over age-related fertility decline.

Sarah, a 36-year-old HR manager who recently came out of a four-year relationship, feels the pandemic could not have come at a more costly time in her personal life. She told me: I have this constant underlying worry that by the time this all blows over and I can finally meet someone, I might have missed the boat to become a mother.

It is easy to see why women like Sarah might opt for egg freezing. Yet while this technology can certainly be useful for some women, new research reveals that it may not always be as straightforward as it appears.

Many aspects of egg freezing have been discussed in the media, yet to date, there has been almost no attention paid to the ways in which fertility clinics advertise, market and promote their egg freezing services on their websites, and the quality of information that is available to potential patients considering their options.

In order to address this gap, my colleague Emily Tiemann and I analysed the websites of the UKs 15 largest fertility clinics offering egg freezing. Our recently published findings make uncomfortable reading.

Our research suggests that fertility clinic websites in the UK, taken in general, provide a poor standard of information and, we argue, need to be urgently improved, for reasons of both medical ethics and consumer rights. Of course, as websites are dynamic entities some of them may have already improved or changed since we took our snapshot (in June 2019), but our findings nevertheless raise concerns for potential patients.

We found that most of the clinics we looked at presented what we believe is an unbalanced view of egg freezing on their websites, highlighting its potential benefits and failing to adequately discuss its potential risks. Clinics websites were also not sufficiently clear and transparent about the cost of an egg freezing cycle, with the average true cost exceeding the advertised costs by approximately a third (on average an additional 923).

Finally, we came to the view that clinics did not always provide accurate data or success rates. In fact, of the 15 analysed, we only rated one clinic website as good in terms of its quality of information.

We reached out to all 15 clinics for comment. Harley Street Fertility Clinic responded:

We welcome the Gurtin and Tiemann paper because it aims to improve the quality of information provided to patients. However, we do not necessarily agree with all the metrics and indicators used by the authors as part of their review [] As a clinic, we strive to be clear and transparent in our communications. Hence, we will use the suggestions made in the paper to improve our communications with patients.

IVI Midland responded by pointing out that since 2019, the clinic had been acquired by CARE Fertility and therefore the website we analysed is no longer active. CARE Fertility, meanwhile, replied:

The number of egg freezing cycles we carry out is very small, and as success rate data is only available once a woman returns for fertility treatment (often many years later), we have even less success rate data [] At the time of the study in June 2019, the egg freezing page of our website could have more clearly explained the costs involved with egg freezing, but we have since updated the page to further help patients access the information they need.

The other clinics we approached for comment did not respond. But it is welcome news that some have been working to improve their website content.

We have issued an urgent recommendation for clinic websites to be improved, but it is difficult for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to enforce such changes when much of the economic or commercial aspects of fertility treatments fall outside its remit.

But the issue is pressing, since we contend that the lack of good quality information compromises the ability of women like Sarah to make truly informed decisions, and leaves them inadequately informed or misinformed about crucial aspects, such as costs to plan for or potential risks to weigh up.

Justine*, a journalist who lives in London, froze her eggs two years ago, aged 38. She told me that although she went to some lengths to research the technology, she still felt unprepared for the reality of how it would feel to freeze her eggs.

Justine found herself in considerably more physical discomfort than she had expected, feeling bloated, uncomfortable and in pain despite having been told she would be able to go about her normal life before the procedure. Her physical discomforts continued and even worsened after egg collection:

As the hours passed, I still felt incredibly weak, bloated and short of breath. I called the clinic who just said if you continue to feel bad, then go to A&E. It was at that point I felt very alone.

She felt that the clinic had relinquished all responsibility. I went to A&E and was admitted overnight, with a series of tests and observations confirming that I had OHSS, she said.

While Justine was unlucky to suffer from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a rare complication of the IVF and egg freezing processes caused by the production of too many eggs, she felt she lacked information about this potential risk and that the clinic didnt offer adequate follow-up care.

The fertility industry is becoming increasingly commercialised, a consideration that is particularly pertinent in the case of egg freezing, which takes place primarily in the private sector. This is an aspect that Lucy van de Wiel, a researcher at Cambridge Universitys Reproductive Sociology Research Group, focuses on.

Her new book, Freezing Fertility, draws attention to the potential conflicts between clinical decision-making or patients best interests on the one hand and business and profit motives on the other. Market forces in the fertility industry, political interests underlying regulations, and age-old cultural narratives of gender and motherhood play a role in our reproductive decision-making.

Given this, I would urge women considering egg freezing to look beyond the information on clinic websites. In particular, women may wish to ask clinics for specific and verified data regarding the number of cycles they have performed each year or their success rates.

They may want to ask questions about exactly what is and is not included in advertised pricing, and to consult the HFEA website for an unbiased discussion of the benefits and risks of the technology. It can also be extremely helpful to discuss egg freezing with others who have been through the process, to gain a realistic impression of what it involves.

Despite her difficulties, overall Justine feels a sense of comfort knowing that she has frozen eggs in storage, but she does offer a note of caution:

While the process is presented as being fairly straightforward, it does have powerful physical, emotional and psychological impacts so it is important not to gloss over it as a procedure and make sure you have support available.

*Name and identifying details have been changed.

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Egg freezing is on the up but new research raises questions about how clinics advertise - The Conversation UK

Embryology

Merck Foundation partners First Lady to mark World Cancer Day – The Point – The Point

Through this program, the Foundation provided scholarship of one-year Fellowship to Dr Fatoumata Jaiteh, Gambian doctor, at theTata Memorial Centre, India,to be the first oncologist in The Gambia.

Merck Foundation has provided scholarship of oncology training for more than 70 doctors from 24 African countries, many of them becoming the first oncologists in their countries.

We have also provided scholarships to more than 25 Gambian Doctors in different specialties including Diabetes, sexual and reproductive medicines, Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, Respiratory medicine ones and Acute medicines and Fertility specialty training, said Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation.

Launched in 2016, the Merck Cancer Access Program provides One-, two- and three-years fellowship, master degree, and Diploma programs for African doctors in India, Egypt, Kenya, and Malaysia.

Merck Foundation also recently introduced 2 years online PG Diploma in Cancer and Clinical Oncology from the UK.

Merck Foundation through its Merck Cancer Access Program has till date trained 70 Oncology Care Specialists from 24 countries such as Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and The Gambia.

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Embryology

Black History Month: Monumental moments at the WSU School of Medicine – The South End

Jaila Campbell, seen here as part of the Warrior Strong campaign, is a Wayne State University medical student and a graduate of the Post-Baccalaureate Program.

February is Black History Month through the United States. The Wayne State University School of Medicine has a storied history of African Americans of its own that dates back to a mere year after the medical school was founded. Joseph Ferguson, M.D., graduated from what was then Detroit Medical College, in 1869. He became the first Black man in Detroit and most likely in Michigan to earn a medical degree.

Fast forward more than 150 years, and the school hit another milestone in 2019 the 50th anniversary of the Post-Baccalaureate Program, founded in 1969 to ensure that qualified minorities continued to have the opportunity to enter medical school. It was the first of its kind in the nation. Initially launched to address the dearth of Black students entering medical schools, the free program now immerses first-generationstudents into a year-long education in biochemistry, embryology, gross anatomy, histology and physiology. Many who graduated from the program were accepted into the WSU School of Medicine, but the program also served for several years as a major pipeline for Black students into medical schools across the nation. Today, the program accepts students from a category deemed underrepresented in medicine, which includes African Americans, Hispanic/Latino, Native American and students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

In between, the school continued to play a major role in addressing the physician workforce in America and bridging the gap in health disparities and health outcomes.

The WSU School of Medicine was founded in 1868 by four Civil War veteran physicians. At the same time, the first medical school in the county that was open to all people, Howard University Medical Department, opened in Washington, D.C., under the direction of Civil War veteran and Commissioner of the Freedmens Bureau, Gen. Oliver Howard. One year later, in 1869, the Detroit College of Medicine and Howard University graduated their first Black physicians.

Albert Henry Johnson, M.D., became the third Black graduate of the Detroit College of Medicine, in 1893. Dr. Johnson was one of the founders of Dunbar Hospital, the first Black non-profit hospital in Detroit.

In 1926, Chester Cole Ames, M.D., graduated from the Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery. He was the first Black physician to obtain an internship in Urology at a white hospital in Detroit, but he was never allowed to join staff. Dr. Ames was Detroit's first Black intern, resident and member of the Wayne University medical faculty. He cofounded three Black hospitals in Detroit, but was never granted privileges to practice his specialty in white hospitals.

Some 17 years later, Marjorie Peebles-Meyers, M.D., graduated from the Wayne University College of Medicine, the schools first Black female graduate. She was also the first Black female resident at Detroit Receiving Hospital, the first Black chief resident at Detroit Receiving Hospital, the first Black female appointed to the WSU medical faculty and the first Black female to join a private white medical practice in Detroit. After retiring, she began a second career as the first Black female medical officer at Ford Motor Co. World Headquarters. Dr. Peebles-Meyers received many awards and honors, including induction into the Michigan Womens Hall of Fame.

The same amount of time elapsed before Black physicians Thomas Flake Sr., M.D., Class of 1951; Addison Prince, M.D.; William Gibson, M.D.; and James Collins, M.D., were appointed to the staff at Harper Hospital, thereby integrating the Detroit Medical Center hospital staff.

Only five years later, Charles Whitten, M.D.,became the first Black physician to head a department in a Detroit hospital when he was selected clinical director of Pediatrics at Detroit Receiving Hospital. He was also a founder of the aforementioned Post-Baccalaureate Program.

In 1981, Alexa Canady, M.D., became the first Black neurosurgeon in the United States. Dr. Canady went on to serve as professor in the WSU Department of Neurosurgery. She was named one of the countrys most outstanding doctors by Child magazine in 2001.

Around 1988, two School of Medicine students Don Tynes, M.D. 95, and Carolyn King, M.D. 93, -- established Reach Out to Youth to introduce children 7 to 11 in underrepresented populations to the possibility of careers in science and medicine. Since then, the hands-on, workshop- and activity-focused program has been presented annually by the School of Medicines Black Medical Association, a chapter of the Student National Medical Association.

In 1995, Professor of Pediatrics and Sickle Cell Detection and Information Center Founder Charles Vincent, M.D., was appointed to the Membership Committee of the American Medical Association, making him the first Black doctor appointed to the committee in the AMAs 147-year history.

In 2017, Cheryl Gibson Fountain, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., a 1987 graduate, was named the president of the Michigan State Medical Society. The obstetrician/gynecologist served a one-year term as the societys first Black female president.

Last November, an anti-racism educational effort led by School of Medicine Class of 2024 medical student Cedric Mutebi and third-year Internal Medicine-Pediatrics resident Selena Rodriguez, M.D., aimed at stopping racial disparities through reimagined medical education won a $10,000 grant from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The grant allowed the team to develop Healing Between the Lines, a sub-curriculum targeting upstream structural inequities that drive downstream disparities.

Today, the push for more diversity, more inclusion and the elimination of health disparities continue to shape the future of the School of Medicine, from student-led efforts to longitudinal research projects dedicated to the health of Black Americans.

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Black History Month: Monumental moments at the WSU School of Medicine - The South End

Embryology

Barbara Kay: Following the science in the controversy over when you became you – National Post

Article content continued

I sympathize with their mission. Not because I am ideologically pro-life (Im not). Only that I favour informed consent in all ethics-related decisions. And deplore any systemic dumbing down of such decisions gravity through pedagogical misdirection.

In an email exchange with the authors, they told me their organization is active on social media, where they have discovered that many young people believe an embryo is just a clump of cells. They have never heard, for example, of the 23 Carnegie Stages of embryology, the gold standard for accurate scientific facts in the sexual reproduction cycle of life, which in rudimentary form provide the plot line of When You Became You.

I favour informed consent in all ethics-related decisions

The book did not strike me as in any way controversial on a first, casual reading, but during a more focused re-read, the charged word human jumped out at me: It does not matter what you look like Or even if you arent born yet. You are a human being; And from the moment your life begins, you are the same human being throughout your entire life; Just like you used to be a toddler and an infant, before that, you used to be a fetus, and before that, you were an embryo; A human fetus is simply a special name that scientists call a pre-born human being from nine weeks until birth. Well, you can see why this book has ruffled some progressive feathers.

Stanton and West worked with their China-based, best-selling illustrator over a period of months, with her name on the cover throughout their collaboration. But when the author/publisher of her previous books got wind of the project, her American representatives told the authors they had to pull the illustrators name, as it was too controversial. Since they couldnt acquire the high-resolution images they needed otherwise, Stanton and West agreed. A shame because, as noted, the illustrations are magnificent.

The book launched in November. The first printing has sold out and a number of schools in the U.S. are using it. West informs me that only 34 per cent of Canadians believe life begins at conception. Hopefully, When You Became You will find its way to many Canadian homes (maybe even schools?) and help to nudge those numbers upward.

Email: kaybarb@gmail.com | Twitter: BarbaraRKay

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Barbara Kay: Following the science in the controversy over when you became you - National Post

Embryology

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority annual report and accounts: 2019 to 2020 – GOV.UK

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Embryology

The Promise and Peril of the Bio-Revolution by Matthias Evers & Michael Chui – Project Syndicate

Many of todays biological innovations are complex, and we need to understand them fully to gauge their impact on our lives and societies. Only by working together can governments, scientists, businesses, and the public unleash the power of biology for good while effectively managing the risks.

HAMBURG Last November, the world cheered the news that three gene-based COVID-19 vaccines one developed by German biotech company BioNTech in collaboration with Pfizer, another by US-based biotech firm Moderna, and a third by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca had proved effective in clinical trials. But in October, researchers revealed that off-target effects of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool used to repair a blindness-causing gene in the early stages of human embryo development often eliminated an entire chromosome or a large part of it.

The two announcements, coming just a month apart, illustrate the promise and peril of biological engineering.

As a recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) makes clear, current breakthroughs in biological science and advanced data analytics could help us solve major human challenges, from reducing climate risk and strengthening food security to fighting pandemics. But realizing the revolutions potentially huge benefits will require us to think carefully about how to mitigate the potentially severe risks.

The scope of todays bio-innovation wave is large. Some 60% of physical inputs to the world economy are either already biological, or could be produced using biological processes in the future. Nylon, for example, can already be made using genetically-engineered yeast, rather than petrochemicals. Many such bioroutes to production potentially will use less energy and water, and generate fewer greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Just 400 biological applications currently in the pipeline could reduce annual average GHG emissions by as much as 9% by 2050.

CRISPR-Cas9 stands out as an increasingly accessible technology for manipulating genetic material, and is complemented by rapid and low-cost genetic sequencing and advances in data analytics that enable scientists to understand biological processes better. Our deepening knowledge of biology genes, microbiomes, and neural signals is making it increasingly possible to engineer life.

But modifying biology is inherently risky. With CRISPR kits now available for sale on the internet, anyone with some degree of biological knowledge could potentially create and release a new living entity, including harmful bacteria or viruses.

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Biological organisms are self-replicating, self-sustaining, and interrelated. Moreover, as the rapid global spread of COVID-19 has demonstrated, they do not respect political borders. For example, so-called gene drives applied to infectious-disease vectors (such as Anopheles mosquitoes in the case of malaria) could save many lives, but we may not be able to control them. The next generation of genetically-edited mosquitoes in one field experiment in Brazil were supposed to die, but are still breeding five years later.

Another concern is data privacy. The rapid spread of digital technologies has triggered an intense debate about technology companies use of personal data, such as that relating to purchasing habits and social-media activity. But access to biological data from our bodies and brains represents another level of intimate knowledge.

Moreover, the bio-revolution could entrench inequality, at least while applications such as breakthrough therapies, performance enhancements, and reproductive selection remain expensive and thus accessible only to the well-off. MGI estimates that about 70% of the reduction in disease in the next 10-20 years could be in high-income countries, despite the fact that they collectively account for only around 30% of the global disease burden.

Thus, unless managed carefully, the risks of some new biological applications may outweigh the potential benefits. Scientists cannot pursue innovation in a vacuum: societys concerns matter, and innovators must exercise consistent and effective oversight. Fortunately, they have a track record of doing so.

Back in 1975, for example, prominent scientists, lawyers, and medical professionals gathered at the Asilomar Conference in California to draw up voluntary guidelines to ensure the safety of recombinant DNA technology. More recently, the American biochemist Jennifer Doudna, who, together with French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for inventing CRISPR, responded to the tools use to gene-edit twin human embryos by calling for stricter regulation of the technology.

Governments that regulate bio-innovations and the businesses that develop and use them need to be part of the sustained conversation on risk. In fact, we estimate that as much as 70% of the bio-revolutions potential impact will be in uses that fall under existing regulatory regimes.

Regulation today is uneven. For example, as of late 2019, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine largely was leaving it up to clinics and parents to decide what genetic testing and diagnosis is permissible in identifying defects within embryos before they are implanted. But the United Kingdoms Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority regulates the procedure tightly, permitting its use only for medical purposes and, even then, only for certain disorders.

Ideally, citizens also need to be involved in the debate, because their level of comfort with how science is applied influences regulators. In the UK, for example, the independent Nuffield Council on Bioethics was established in 1991 to advise policymakers and stimulate public debate on bioethics.

Many of todays biological innovations are complex, and we need to understand them fully to gauge their impact on our lives and societies. Only by working together can governments, scientists, businesses, and the public unleash the power of biology for good while effectively managing the risks.

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The Promise and Peril of the Bio-Revolution by Matthias Evers & Michael Chui - Project Syndicate

Embryology

Study of Early Postoperative Doppler Changes Post Living Donor Liver T | IJGM – Dove Medical Press

Ahmed Salman,1 Amany Sholkamy,1 Mohamed Salman,2 Mahmoud Omar,1 Amr Saadawy,3 Ahmed Abdulsamad,4 Mohamed Tourky,5 Mohamed D Sarhan,2 Hossam El-Din Shaaban,6 Nesrin Abd Allah,7 Mohamed Shawkat8

1Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 2General Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 3Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; 4Surgical Oncology, Alzahra Cancer Center, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 5General Surgery Department, Omm Elmisrien General Hospital, Cairo, Egypt; 6Gastroenterology Department, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt; 7Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt; 8Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt

Correspondence: Ahmed Salman Tel + 201000468664Email awea844@gmail.com

Background: Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been a common practice because of the deficiency of deceased donor liver transplants. Liver hemodynamics differ substantially between cases with end-stage liver disease undergoing LT because of various degrees of hepatic affection, nature of implicated causative factors, and pathogenesis of the hepatic disorder. The present retrospective study primarily aimed to study the early postoperative doppler changes after adult to adult LDLT. The secondary aim was to assess these hemodynamics impact on early in-hospital deaths and small for size syndrome (SFSS) development.Methods: This retrospective work was done on 123 adult cases with end-stage liver disease for whom adult LDLT was performed after exclusion of pediatric patients and those with vascular complications.Results: Postoperative (PO) mean portal vein velocity (PVV), hepatic artery (HA) peak systolic velocity (PSV), and HA resistivity index (RI) declined gradually but significantly post adult LDLT. Phasicity of hepatic veins changes towards the triphasic waveform gradually in the early PO period. There is a notable negative relationship between PO mean PVV with PO mean HA PSV. Higher PO HA RI affected PO mortality, while higher PO PVV and lower HA PSV increased the incidence of SFSS.Conclusion: Early postoperative Doppler changes post-LDLT (PO PVV, HA RI, and HA PSV) can affect both mortality and SFSS development.

Keywords: postoperative doppler, LDLT, small-for-size syndrome, mortality

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Study of Early Postoperative Doppler Changes Post Living Donor Liver T | IJGM - Dove Medical Press

Embryology

Embryo freezing is revolutionary for those who can’t conceive – Palatinate

By Caitlin Painter

In October 1992, an embryo was frozen by an anonymous couple. It remained frozen for over 27 years until thawed by the National Embryo Donation Centre (NEDC) in Knoxville, Tennessee, and transferred into the uterus of a woman unable to conceive naturally. Born in October 2020, Molly Gibson is believed to hold the record for the longest frozen embryo to result in a birth.

The embryo remained frozen for over 27 years until thawed

Embryo freezing has been practised since the early 1980s, but it was initially unclear how long they could be frozen. The typical duration is 10 years, but as proven by Molly Gibson, decadesold embryos can still lead to successful births. The majority of stored embryos that can be adopted have been donated by individuals who have undergone in vitro fertilisation (IVF), after a successful implantation.

IVF is a popular technique available to help people with fertility problems become pregnant. After hormone treatments, a womans eggs are collected and fertilised, and the highest quality embryos can then be implanted, with unused ones typically frozen for further IVF attempts.

As proven by Molly Gibson, decades-old embryos can lead to successful births

A standard freezing process involves replacing water in the cells with a cryoprotectant, and then freezing the embryo extremely quickly to temperatures around -200C (known as vitrification) to prevent ice crystals forming. However, IVF creates a surplus of embryos, and the parent(s) have the decision of what becomes of them. Many choose to discard them. Some are donated for research and training purposes, whilst others are stored for embryo adoptions.

Dr Fiona MacCallum of the University of Warwick believes that the term embryo adoption is misleading, arguing that viewing embryo donations akin to adoptions could shift the public perspective of embryos more towards personhood status.

Dr Fiona MacCallum believes the term embryo adoption is misleading

This could have a great impact on stem cell research, where embryos are frequently used and subsequently destroyed. With this attitude, there is the possibility that embryos could undergo pre-implantation genetic screening. This is currently applied to check an embryo for specific genetic conditions, but could be misused to determine the future characteristics of the child.

Under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act of 2008, it is illegal in the UK to select the sex of embryos for non-medical purposes, whether during IVF with a persons own embryos or adopting them. It is common, however, for prospective parents to choose donated embryos of the same ethnicity as themselves, as well as from donor parents they share features with. It was only after they had chosen their desired embryos that Molly Gibsons parents discovered when they had been frozen.

Embryo freezing is the most effective way to preserve fertility, more than freezing eggs

For parents who are unable to conceive, embryo donations provide the opportunity of experiencing pregnancy and birth, with a 75% success rate of donated embryos surviving thawing and transferring. Of these embryos, 25 to 30% are implanted successfully, according to the NEDC.

Embryo freezing is also used by women about to undergo cancer treatments that may result in infertility, but who want a child afterwards. The UKs Human Fertilisation and Embryonic Authority evidences that embryo freezing is the most effective way for women to preserve fertility, more so than freezing eggs. Hence some women choose to freeze their fertilised eggs to increase their chances of a successful pregnancy later in life.

Older mothers are at a much greater risk of complications during pregnancy

Women may choose to postpone pregnancy until they feel more secure in their job and personal life, and having the means to do this has significantly increased womens reproductive freedom. A womans fertility decreases naturally with age, however, the advances in fertility treatments mean its increasingly common for older women to become pregnant. Despite this, older mothers are at a much greater risk of complications during pregnancy, prompting the discussion of whether those who otherwise would not be able to conceive and safely carry a baby should, just because it is scientifically viable.

Conversely, reproductive rights defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) state that everyone has the right to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so. For most cases, there is a 10- year limit on freezing embryos, leaving people with a difficult decision once this time is up: destroying their embryos or beginning fertility treatment.

For some, 10 years later is still too soon to have a child. If we know embryos can survive for at least 27 years, why is this arbitrary limit still imposed? Does it really increase womens reproductive freedom as much as we think? Despite this, fertility Science & Technology treatments are life-changing, and the law rightly allows infertile couples and individuals the chance of having a family with their own or donated embryos. These treatments also provide the chance for same-sex couples to have children through means other than adopting, by using donated embryos or donated eggs/sperm. In December 2020, a 61-year-old gave birth to her own granddaughter by acting as a surrogate for her son and his husband.

A 61-year-old gave birth to her own granddaughter by acting as surrogate

The scientific advancements made during the last 40 years regarding fertility treatments have given many parents the chance of having a child. The record-breaking case of Molly Gibson has highlighted the prevalence and importance of these treatments being a possibility in todays society, meaning embryo adoption could become much more popular.

Image: Amber Conway

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Embryo freezing is revolutionary for those who can't conceive - Palatinate