The Science of Life: Reproductive Biotech & Clinical ART

Data

Official data in SubjectManager for the following academic year: 2026-2027

Topic

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is where biotechnology meets the clinic to help families. This course moves beyond basic biology into the high-tech world of the IVF laboratory. You will explore the micromanipulation of cells, the physics of "stopping time" through cryopreservation, and the advanced genetic screening that ensures a healthy start for a new life. This is your roadmap to becoming a Clinical Embryologist, combining high-level lab skills with the profound human impact of reproductive medicine.

Lectures

• 1. The High-Tech Hub: A tour of the Class-100 IVF Cleanroom—where engineering meets life. - Zand Afshin
• 2. Cellular Solutions (ICSI): Using robotic micromanipulators to help one sperm find one egg. - Zand Afshin
• 3. The Precision Biopsy: Learning how to safely "interview" a 5-day-old embryo for genetic health. - Zand Afshin
• 4. Genetic Decoding (PGT): Using Next-Gen Sequencing to screen for healthy outcomes (PGT-A & PGT-M). - Zand Afshin
• 5. Life on Ice: The physics of Vitrification—how we freeze eggs and embryos without forming ice. - Zand Afshin
• 6. The AI Incubator: Using Time-Lapse cameras and AI to pick the "champion" embryo for transfer. - Zand Afshin
• 7. Simulating the Womb: The chemistry of culture media—creating a "liquid home" in a plastic dish. - Nancy Zeineddine
• 8. The Biotech Fix: Exploring "Three-Parent Baby" techniques to prevent metabolic diseases. - Nancy Zeineddine
• 9. The Final Frontier (IVG): Can we create eggs and sperm from skin-derived stem cells? - Nancy Zeineddine
• 10. Onco-Fertility: Saving hope by banking eggs and ovarian tissue for cancer patients. - Nancy Zeineddine
• 11. Beyond the Womb: The current status of Artificial Wombs and extra-uterine support systems. - Nancy Zeineddine
• 12. The Embryologist's World: Interactive Workshop on ethics and how to start your clinical career. - Nancy Zeineddine

Practices

Seminars

Reading material

Obligatory literature

Literature developed by the Department

Course materials consist of weekly presentation slides covering the lecture topics. These are supplemented by curated "Fact Sheets".Additionally, a "Curriculum Question Bank" consisting of 25 comprehensive questions will be distributed at the start of the semester to guide self-study and provide the basis for both the "Group-Pulse" interactive activity and the final

Notes

Recommended literature

Conditions for acceptance of the semester

One assignment at the end of the course

Mid-term exams

It's not required

Making up for missed classes

Not possible

Exam topics/questions

Logic: Why the Tech Matters

1.            Why is a "Class-100 Cleanroom" required for human embryos but not for basic plant cell culture?

2.            What is the logical benefit of "Time-Lapse" monitoring over traditional daily embryo checks?

3.            Why does the clinic prefer "Vitrification" (ultra-fast freezing) over the old "Slow-freezing" method?

4.            How does PGT-A (Aneuploidy screening) logically improve the chances of a successful pregnancy?

5.            Why is "Single Embryo Transfer" now the gold standard in modern fertility clinics?

II. Application: Real-World Miracles

1.            How does ICSI solve the problem of severe male infertility at the cellular level?

2.            Describe the process of an "Embryo Biopsy"—which cells are removed and why?

3.            In what way does "Onco-fertility" change the life of a young patient facing chemotherapy?

4.            How can Mitochondrial Replacement (3-Parent Babies) stop a disease from being passed down?

5.            Why is the "pH balance" of the culture media the most critical factor in embryo development?

III. Mechanism: How the Tech Works

1.            Explain the mechanism by which "Cryoprotectants" prevent ice crystals from damaging a cell.

2.            How does a laser assist the embryologist during the biopsy or "assisted hatching" process?

3.            What is the role of Next-Gen Sequencing (NGS) in screening an embryo's genetic code?

4.            How do "Time-Lapse" algorithms "score" an embryo based on the speed of its cell divisions?

5.            Describe how skin cells can be "reprogrammed" to eventually become eggs or sperm (IVG).

IV. Diagnostics: Ensuring Quality

1.            What are the "Red Flags" an embryologist looks for when grading a 5-day-old blastocyst?

2.            How do we verify that a frozen egg has "survived" the thawing process correctly?

3.            Why is "Contamination Control" (VOC filters, air quality) the biggest diagnostic challenge in IVF?

4.            How can we prove that a "Three-Parent Baby" technique successfully replaced the faulty mitochondria?

5.            Why is the "Syncing" of the embryo's age with the mother's cycle the key to a successful transfer?

V. Ethics & The Future: Being a Responsible Scientist

1.            Is it ethical to use AI to "rank" embryos, or should the decision remain purely human?

2.            What are the ethical risks of creating "synthetic gametes" (IVG) for people who cannot produce them?

3.            Who owns a "frozen embryo" in the event of a legal dispute between the parents?

4.            Should we use genetic screening to choose "cosmetic" traits, or only for medical health?

5.            How does the "14-Day Rule" limit what we can learn about early human development in the lab?

Examiners

Instructor / tutor of practices and seminars