New Delhi: Dr Meenesh C Shah, Chairman, NDDB inaugurated workshop on ‘Grading and Cryopreservation of IVF Embryos’ took place at NDDB, Anand drawi ng attention from industry leaders and professionals. The insightful session led by Dr. Jennifer Barfield, Assistant Professor and Director, MS-ART programme at Colorado State University, USA visiting NDDB under Fulbright Nehru Specialist Program. Attendees included specialists from various IVF laboratories supported by RGM scheme.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Shah highlighted the critical role of the Accelerated Breed Improvement Programme in boosting animal productivity in India. He highlighted the government’s robust commitment to IVF technology, including subsidies of up to ₹5,000 per pregnancy for IVF-induced births. He noted that RGM scheme has facilitated the establishment of 36 IVF laboratories nationwide, with 22 already in operation. Addressing challenges such as small herd sizes, the need for suitable recipient animals, and high production costs-largely due to reliance on imported media-Dr. Shah outlined NDDB’s proactive approach.
To tackle the cost issue, Dr Shah announced an exciting development: in collaboration with Indian Immunologicals Limited, NDDB has launched ‘Shashthi,’ an indigenous IVF media. This innovation aims to significantly reduce expenses related to embryo production and pregnancy establishments through IVF. He also revealed that the first complete suite of this media will be provided free of charge to attendees of the workshop, fostering collaboration and growth within the sector. Dr. Shah expressed optimism that in-depth discussions with Dr. Barfield would yield effective strategies to enhance the efficiency and success rates of IVF technology.
Dr. R.O. Gupta, Senior General Manager (PE), warmly welcomed Dr Shah, Dr. Barfield, officials from Indian Immunologicals Ltd., and workshop participants. He introduced Dr. Barfield, highlighting her extensive experience in the IVF field. Dr. Gupta pointed out the unique challenges of implementing OPU-IVEP technology in India, expressing hope that participants would gain valuable insights from both theoretical discussions and hands-on training sessions led by Dr. Barfield.
During her presentation, Dr. Barfield shared her diverse experience working with embryos from various species, including mice, monkeys, bison, and humans. She outlined the workshop’s agenda, focusing on the intricacies of grading and cryopreservation of IVF embryos. Dr. Barfield praised the advanced OPU-IVEP-ET infrastructure at NDDB, which she believes will be pivotal in advancing this technology throughout India. The workshop laid the groundwork for meaningful dialogue and collaboration aimed at enhancing the future of IVF in the region.
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