Andrology & Embryology Laboratory

Director: Thomas Weber, M.D. 

This laboratory is contiguous to the RE&F clinic and adjacent to the room used for oocyte retrieval. The laboratory performs semen analyses, swim-up sperm separation, Percoll sperm separation, a semen profile (the combination of a swim-up, a discontinuous Percoll centrifugation and sperm longevity) as well as providing sperm cyropreservation for both therapeutic donor insemination and men about to undergo cancer chemotherapy and embryo cryopreservation. Two laboratory technicians perform all gamete manipulation, ICSI, fertilization in vitro and embryo culture and cryopreservation. The lab has several years of experience with blastocyst culture and transfer for many patients undergoing IVF.

Research equipment maintained within this clinical laboratory includes:

• Computerized Semen Analyzer (Hamilton Thorne Research, Model IVOS/NTSC)
• Environmental Air Control laminar flow hood
• Shandon Cytospin-2 Sorvall RT6000 refrigerated centrifuge
• Nikon Diaphot inverted phase contrast microscope
• NAPCO 5700 CO2 Incubator
• Metler Balance Model H54
• Letrospec II LKB Spectrophotometer
• Spencer and Leitz Microscopes