News | Fertility Care Innovation: STORK May Accelerate IVF Embryo Screening
A team funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a same-day chromosome test called Short-read Transpore Rapid Karyotyping (STORK). Within hours, it can detect fetal chromosomal abnormalities such as aneuploidy and can be used for prenatal testing through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, analysis of miscarriage tissue, and preimplantation screening of IVF embryos.
The study was co-led by Brynn Levy, Ph.D., and Zev Williams, M.D., Ph.D., of the Columbia University Fertility Center and Columbia University Irving Medical Center. It was funded by the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) through the Human Placenta Project.
STORK Demonstrates 98%-100% Accuracy
The team compared STORK with conventional tests in 218 samples, including miscarriage tissue, chorionic tissue, amniotic fluid, and embryonic trophectoderm cells used for preimplantation IVF testing. STORK achieved 98%-100% accuracy.
In another group of 60 samples tested in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratory, STORK matched standard clinical tests in 100% of cases.
Fast, Affordable, and On-Site: A Potential New Standard in Reproductive Medicine
STORK offers accuracy comparable to current clinical tests with several advantages:
Faster: Conventional tests take days, while STORK can provide results within hours.
Lower cost: The team estimated a cost as low as $50 per sample when 10 samples are tested together, or about $200 for a single sample, still below many current methods.
More convenient: STORK can be completed during the patient's visit without sending samples to a remote laboratory, shortening turnaround time.
Potential to Change Genetic Testing After Miscarriage and IVF Workflows
Genetic testing of miscarriage tissue is currently recommended mainly after recurrent miscarriage. STORK's speed and low cost may make routine testing after a first miscarriage possible and help identify genetic factors earlier.
STORK may also improve IVF embryo screening. Preimplantation genetic testing currently requires embryos to be frozen while results are pending. Results within hours could eliminate embryo freezing, reduce time and cost, and improve transfer efficiency.
Future Outlook: STORK May Improve Reproductive Healthcare
Although further validation is needed, early research shows strong potential in prenatal diagnosis, IVF embryo screening, and identifying causes of miscarriage. Continued strong results could make STORK an important tool for improving reproductive healthcare worldwide.
The study also received funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
News | Fertility Care Innovation: STORK May Accelerate IVF Embryo Screening
News | Fertility Care Innovation: STORK May Accelerate IVF Embryo Screening
A team funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a same-day chromosome test called Short-read Transpore Rapid Karyotyping (STORK). Within hours, it can detect fetal chromosomal abnormalities such as aneuploidy and can be used for prenatal testing through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, analysis of miscarriage tissue, and preimplantation screening of IVF embryos.
The study was co-led by Brynn Levy, Ph.D., and Zev Williams, M.D., Ph.D., of the Columbia University Fertility Center and Columbia University Irving Medical Center. It was funded by the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) through the Human Placenta Project.
STORK Demonstrates 98%-100% Accuracy
The team compared STORK with conventional tests in 218 samples, including miscarriage tissue, chorionic tissue, amniotic fluid, and embryonic trophectoderm cells used for preimplantation IVF testing. STORK achieved 98%-100% accuracy.
In another group of 60 samples tested in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratory, STORK matched standard clinical tests in 100% of cases.
Fast, Affordable, and On-Site: A Potential New Standard in Reproductive Medicine
STORK offers accuracy comparable to current clinical tests with several advantages:
Faster: Conventional tests take days, while STORK can provide results within hours.
Lower cost: The team estimated a cost as low as $50 per sample when 10 samples are tested together, or about $200 for a single sample, still below many current methods.
More convenient: STORK can be completed during the patient's visit without sending samples to a remote laboratory, shortening turnaround time.
Potential to Change Genetic Testing After Miscarriage and IVF Workflows
Genetic testing of miscarriage tissue is currently recommended mainly after recurrent miscarriage. STORK's speed and low cost may make routine testing after a first miscarriage possible and help identify genetic factors earlier.
STORK may also improve IVF embryo screening. Preimplantation genetic testing currently requires embryos to be frozen while results are pending. Results within hours could eliminate embryo freezing, reduce time and cost, and improve transfer efficiency.
Future Outlook: STORK May Improve Reproductive Healthcare
Although further validation is needed, early research shows strong potential in prenatal diagnosis, IVF embryo screening, and identifying causes of miscarriage. Continued strong results could make STORK an important tool for improving reproductive healthcare worldwide.
The study also received funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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