Noninvasive Assays of Human Oocytes and Preimplantation Embryos (SBIR [R43])

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Purpose. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that propose to establish high resolution, non-invasive assays of single human oocytes and preimplantation embryos that will serve to evaluate the quality and developmental potential of oocytes or embryos produced by in vitro fertilization laboratories. The assays must have certain features such as rapidity, low expense, simple laboratory manipulations and a high level of accuracy. A major goal of this initiative is to encourage and increase the use of single embryo transfers for assisted reproduction. This would reduce health risks to the mother and the offspring that result from multiple pregnancies, thereby reducing the high medical costs associated with these adverse outcomes. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the SBIR (R43) grant mechanism for Phase I applications and runs in parallel with a FOA of identical scientific scope, RFA-HD-09-024, which solicits applications under the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) (R41/R42) grant mechanisms.

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