Infertility is common and although IVF is widely accepted, the procedure is expensive and is associated with health risks. Using laboratory animals, we have made significant advances towards developing new technologies that can mature eggs and produce embryos in vitro, but without women receiving hormone injections. This project will seek means to combine the benefits of two of our existing technologies into one integrated system, to provide hormone-free infertility treatment.
A vitamin-sized capsule, containing gas sensors, is to be fully developed for assessing the state of health and diagnosing the diseases relevant to gastrointestinal tract. The capsule travels along the tract, transmitting information about the gas species generated by the microorganisms of the gut, which is closely associated with the health of the human under surveillance. The information will be invaluable for diagnostics and adjusting the diet to mitigate and cure the diseases of the guts.