Feb 20 β€’ 17:11 UTC πŸ‡²πŸ‡½ Mexico El Financiero (ES)

The startup where AI creates embryos

A fertility lab in Mexico City uses artificial intelligence to create human embryos with a robotic assembly line named AURA.

In the affluent neighborhood of Polanco, Mexico City, an AI-powered fertility lab named AURA has emerged, symbolizing a significant advancement in reproductive technology. This innovative laboratory showcases a robotic assembly line that spans over five meters and weighs two tons. It is unique in the world for executing all steps necessary for creating a human embryo outside a woman's body. AURA operates six stations that utilize robotic arms to handle pipettes and Petri dishes, streamlining processes that were historically done manually. The process starts with AURA's ability to track and select viable sperm while also identifying high-quality eggs. Once the optimal gametes are selected, the technology fuses them to create a zygote. If successful, this zygote develops into an embryo and subsequently into a blastocyst, which can then be transferred to the uterus of a patient, hopefully leading to a successful pregnancy and ultimately, the birth of a baby. This represents a marriage of biology and technology, showcasing how AI is transforming traditional practices in reproductive health. Conceived by the New York-based startup Conceivable Life Sciences, AURA challenges the conventional approaches to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and represents a paradigm shift in how fertility treatments may be approached in the future. As this technology continues to evolve, it raises ethical questions regarding the manipulation of human life, the accessibility of such advanced reproductive technologies, and the implications for future generations. This initiative not only highlights innovation in healthcare but also stresses the need for an accompanying conversation around the ethical and social ramifications of such advancements.

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