New 3D Printed Micro Device Provides Breakthrough For IVF and Regenerative Medicine

Researchers have developed a tiny, 3D-printed cell "cradle" to boost IVF success, with the treatment of cancer, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and spinal cord injury also advanced by the invention.

A tiny new medical device has been developed by Australian researchers that will transform the only fertility treatment procedure available for men with low sperm counts, with implications for the success of IVF and beyond into regenerative medicine. "The procedure involves microscopic manipulation of sperm and eggs and it’s one of the most difficult to perform for IVF lab staff. "Our research has developed a new way of doing this procedure by developing a tiny, see-through egg ‘cradle’ that holds and protects eggs in the right position for injection, reducing the level of skill needed to perform the injection and better protecting eggs from damage." "Because we can 3D-print other designs and have the seamless exchange of formulated media during culture, this has significant application in fields such as regenerative medicine, particularly in stem cell growth and development for tissue and organ replacement," Thompson said.