November 18, 2008

Hypor has joined the NSERC EmbryoGENE Research Network, whose goal is to develop diagnostic tools for evaluating embryonic development in pigs and cattle. 

Hypor is considered a major partner in the EmbryoGENE Research Network, as many pig tissues used for research by the Network is based on Hypor genetics. 

Joining the network can better provide Hypor with fundamental knowledge for utilisation of reproductive techniques such as A.I., embryo transfer and embryo preservation, said Benny van Haandel, Hypor's R&D chief.

The network can also help to improve understanding on the impact of nutrition and genetics on reproductive performance, van Haandel added.

Embryo transfer can affect the surviving ability of an embryo but there are no diagnostic tools to understand the changes, said Michael Dyck from the University of Alberta.

"The idea behind this project is to look at the gene expression profile that is present in a normally developing embryo during early development and come up with a set of diagnostic tools," said Dyck.

The Network will aim to define what genes should be expressed at each stage of development.  

"If we can define what is normal, then we can change protocols and see which genes are either being or not being expressed," Dyck said. 

Dyck said the benefit of working with pigs and cattle is that each species has a different area more developed than the other - in pigs there has been good work done developing models on the effects of nutrition on embryo development, while the ability to apply reproductive technology is less developed. In cattle, this is reversed with better knowledge of reproductive technology. 

The EmbryoGENE Research Network has already begun its work and will continue until 2012.