Many-gene embryo screening to help parents make informed IVF choices
Polygenic Embryo Screening: Towards Informed Decision-Making
This project explores using genome-wide genetic risk scores to estimate an embryo's future chance of adult diseases like type 2 diabetes so couples using IVF can have more information when choosing embryos.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Feinstein Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhasset, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159169 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you're considering IVF, this project looks at using DNA from embryo biopsies to generate genome-wide genotypes and compute polygenic risk scores for adult-onset diseases such as diabetes. Researchers combine lab methods that work from single-cell embryo samples with statistical genetics to estimate how much risk might change when embryos are selected. The team also conducts interviews and surveys with patients and clinicians to understand how people would use and interpret these results. Ethical analysis and public-facing, non-commercial data are part of the plan to help guide responsible use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are couples undergoing IVF who are considering preimplantation genetic testing and want information about future risk for adult-onset conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
Not a fit: People not using IVF, those who decline genetic screening, or those whose disease risk is driven mainly by non-genetic factors are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could give IVF patients clearer information about embryos' genetic risk for adult diseases and better counseling about the possible benefits and limits of embryo selection.
How similar studies have performed: Previous statistical genetics work shows polygenic scores can modestly lower relative risk for some adult diseases, but applying them to embryo selection is a novel and clinically unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
Manhasset, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research — Manhasset, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lencz, Todd — Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Lencz, Todd
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.