The University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers have developed a robot that employs machine learning to completely automate the complex microinjection process used in genetic research. The automated robot was successfully used in experiments to manipulate the genetics of multicellular organisms, such as fruit fly and zebrafish embryos. This technology will not only save time and money for labs, but also make the process more convenient.
Recently, new and extensive genetic experiments that were not feasible using manual techniques have been conducted.
The research is highlighted on the cover of the April 2024 edition of GENETICS, a peer-reviewed, open access, scientific journal. The study was co-led by Andrew Alegria and Amey Joshi, graduate students in mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota. The team is also working on making this technology widely accessible through Objective Biotechnology, a start-up company at the University of Minnesota.
Microinjection is a technique used to directly introduce cells, genetic material, or other substances into embryos, cells, o.researchers to manually inject embryos with the use of a fine pipette. However, the researchers have now developed a robot capable of detecting and injecting embryos that are only one-hundredth the size of a grain of rice. Once an embryo is detected, the robot can calculate a path and carry out the injections automatically.
Suhasa Kodandaramaiah, a mechanical engineering associate professor at the University of Minnesota and the senior author of the study, stated that this new process is more reliable and reproducible compared to manual injections. He also mentioned that the use of this technology will enable individual laboratories to conduct experiments that were previously impossible.
Typically, research of this nature necessitates highly skilled researchers to manually carry out the injections. However, the development of this robot has revolutionized the process and made it more efficient.The development of this new technology means that laboratories will no longer need highly skilled technicians to perform microinjections, a process that is currently not available in many labs. This advancement has the potential to increase the capacity for large experiments in labs, while also reducing the time and costs involved.
Daryl Gohl, a co-author of the study and the group leader of the University of Minnesota Genomics Center’s Innovation Lab, expressed excitement about the impact this technology will have on the field of genetics. He mentioned that while DNA writing and reading have seen significant improvements in recent years, this new technology will further expand the ability to conduct large-scale genetic experiments across a wide range of organisms.The technology has potential uses in genetic experiments and in preserving endangered species through cryopreservation at ultra-low temperatures. According to Kodandaramaiah, the robot can inject nanoparticles into cells and tissues to aid in cryopreservation and rewarming. The team also sees potential for in vitro fertilization and other impactful applications. Andrew Alegria, a co-lead author on the paper and a University of Minnesota mechanical engineering graduate research assistant in the Biosensing and Biorobotics Lab, stated “could detect those eggs on the microscale level” .
