Emerging Technologies for the Assessment of Gametes and Embryos: The "Omics"

At the conclusion of this course the participant should be able to:

• Describe current strategies for evaluating human gametes and embryos and appreciate that new techniques are needed for embryo assessment;

• Screen individual embryos metabolically and learn how metabolites relate to viability;

• Assess embryos for alterations in the transcriptome or genome that are associated with abnormal development;

• Consider the techniques for embryo assessment in use in one’s own laboratory and evaluate the pros and cons of new and emerging technologies;

• Collaborate with basic and clinical scientists, as well as R & D scientists in industry, to respond to the challenges in this area.