The goal of this project is to develop automated instrumentation and digital image analysis techniques to support the expe stious detection of fetal cells for prenatal diagnosis from maternal blood. Current emphasis is on simple, fast, practical methods for enrichment and genetic testing of fetal cells. Our approach incorporates fetal cell isolation by routine density gradient centrifugation, followed by uncomplicated May-Giemsa specimen staining.
Genetic testing can then be either automatic FISH dot-counting or visual analysis.
The Phase I project will evaluate the feasibility of this approach to non-invasive prenatal testing. In Phase II we will build a prototype and test it in a clinical environment. Phase III will focus on commercialization of the system, with the goal of making fetal screening available to virtually the whole population. This innovative technological approach has the potential to revolutionize the future of prenatal diagnosis.