Development and validation of an automated robotic system for preparation of embryo culture dishes.

Objective: To study the development and clinical validation of the ART Pipetting Robot for the IVF Laboratory (APRIL), a liquid-handling robot customized for the precise preparation of microdroplet culture dishes in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Design: A prospective randomized study conducted at an academic IVF center comparing mouse and human embryo outcomes and quantitative measures of accuracy in embryo dishes prepared using APRIL compared with standard manual preparation.

Setting: Academic IVF center.

Adipocyte-specific tribbles pseudokinase 1 regulates plasma adiponectin and plasma lipids in mice.

Objective: Multiple genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified SNPs in the 8q24 locus near TRIB1 that are significantly associated with plasma lipids and other markers of cardiometabolic health, and prior studies have revealed the roles of hepatic and myeloid Trib1 in plasma lipid regulation and atherosclerosis. The same 8q24 SNPs are additionally associated with plasma adiponectin levels in humans, implicating TRIB1 in adipocyte biology. Here, we hypothesize that TRIB1 in adipose tissue regulates plasma adiponectin, lipids, and metabolic health.