2018 CVM News: Device to corral viable sperm may speed IVF process

Abstract

This news item from the Cornell Chronicle is about: For couples hoping for a baby via in vitro fertilization, chances have improved. A process that once took hours now takes minutes: Cornell scientists have created a microfluidic device that quickly corrals strong and speedy sperm viable for fertilization. Conventional methods to separate vigorous, motile sperm is tedious and may take up to several hours to perform. “Trying to find the highly motile sperm has been difficult to do, but this improves the chances of insemination,” said chemist Alireza Abbaspourrad, Cornell’s Yongkeun Joh Assistant Professor of Food Chemistry and Ingredient Technology.