MCE5103 - IVF processes: Embryo production and cryopreservation techniques (theory) - 2018

12 points, SCA Band 3, 0.250 EFTSL

Postgraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Organisational Unit

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Sally Catt

Coordinator(s)

Dr Kiri Beilby
Dr Sally Catt

Unit guides

Offered

Monash Medical Centre

  • First semester 2018 (On-campus)
  • First semester 2018 (Online)

Synopsis

This unit provides students with the skills and opportunity to design and optimise embryo culture systems to ensure the best pregnancy outcomes for couples undertaking infertility treatment. This is achieved through a detailed understanding of critical cellular processes, with an aim to maximize normal embryo growth potential while minimizing stress. Students will learn the methods needed to accurately evaluate embryo quality and develop the ability to micro-manage IVF processes. This unit also provides students with a detailed understanding of cryopreservation techniques and the ability to critically discuss and evaluate these techniques and cryo-banking systems for oocytes, sperm, ovarian and testicular tissue and embryos in human IVF programs. The physico-chemical properties of permeant and non permeant cryoprotectants will be discussed in context with the slow cooling and vitrification methods.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. explain how to control and optimise the environment of gametes/embryos in the laboratory.
  2. describe the various quality control tests that are used routinely in an IVF laboratory, such as mouse bioassays, sperm survival tests, etc.
  3. identify and interpret scoring systems for the selection of good from bad quality embryos from the 2-cell stage through to hatching blastocysts.
  4. classify maturation and fertilization status of oocytes and early stage embryos and identify cell numbers in fixed and stained embryos.
  5. analyse and report data from lab books (on-campus) or clinical data (off-campus) in abstract form.
  6. critically assess the techniques of gamete and embryo cryopreservation as used in clinical human in vitro fertilization programs.
  7. identify and explain the physico-chemical changes in cells during cryopreservation.

Assessment

  • Written examination (2 1/2 hours) (40%) (Hurdle)
  • Literature review (3,000 words) on research project topic (30%)
  • Oral journal review (15%)
  • Assignment on importance and composition of culture media (10%)
  • Peerwise (5%)

Workload requirements

20 hours contact per week (lectures, tutorials, forums, self-directed study).

See also Unit timetable information

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

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