The present invention provides a new device for long term storage of oocytes and embryos of all stages in liquid nitrogen after vitrification. This device is based on the minimal volume required for proceeding with vitrification. Besides, the revolutionary geometry of this device, with an elliptical hole in the tip, generates a thin layer of vitrification medium around the oocytes or embryos. The device also solves common problems such as difficulty in the generation of the minimum essential volume, and it has been designed with ease of use in mind.
Furthermore, the device allows the storage of an individual oocyte or embryo, as well as a larger group of them (more than 30), permitting the easy visualization of the procedure, morphology and deposition of the cells with an optic microscope. The device is in functional prototype stage and it has reached the same vitrification efficiency than the industry gold standards. The invention has been protected through a patent application in 2019.
Institution: Universitat Politècnica de València
TRL: 6-7
Protection status: Patent application
Contact: Vicente Barberá / tech@viromii.com