Research Projects

Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) in bovines has significantly impacted cow breeding practices and genetic development. The Department of Animal Husbandry has launched a programme for mass embryo transfers in indigenous breeds, with twenty Embryo Transfer Technology Centers being established across the country. However, the efficiency of ETT is less than 10%, and the quality of the produced embryos determines success rates. Embryo quality is evaluated using morphological factors such as size, shape, development rates, and fragmentation percentage of developing embryos. Despite being non-invasive, these procedures are not considered optimal due to reported abnormalities and reduced ETT efficiency. Researchers have discovered that microribonucleic acid (MicroRNAs) expression profiles are variably regulated in in vitro fertilized embryos, highlighting the potential for these nucleic acids as biomarkers in evaluating embryo quality. However, the secretory pattern of miRNAs in different quality embryos and under stress circumstances remains unknown. The proposed study aims to identify novel bovine and caprine embryo secretory microRNA signatures and their simple detection from the secretory media to check embryo quality. The findings will contribute to developing a unique non-invasive method for assessing embryo quality during IVF and understanding how miRNAs function throughout embryogenesis, potentially leading to the creation of diagnostics and therapeutics to enhance IVF.