A New Pol-Scope Improves In vitro Fertilization
Rudolf Oldenbourg, Marine Biological Laboratory

Lecture Abstract:
The traditional polarized light microscope is a powerful imaging tool that requires some sophisticated training of the operator to reveal its potential. By adding liquid crystal devices to the optical train and
establishing image acquisition and processing algorithms we have not only improved the analytical strength of the instrument, but also made it possible to design an instrument that can be used in clinical settings. The new LC-PolScope from Cambridge Research and Instrumentation, Woburn MA, is used in in-vitro fertilization clinics around the world to non-invasively analyze vital structures such as the zona pellucida and the meiotic spindle in human oocytes. In addition to the ease of use, the vastly improved speed of data analysis also make the LC-PolScope the instrument of choice for many scientific and industrial applications.

The development of the LC-PolScope was inspired and supported by the close collaboration and personal friendship with Shinya Inoué.