SBIR-STTR Award

Embryonic development is a dynamic, three-dimensional process, posing significant challenges to the teaching and research communities that disseminate current research findings. Although much work has been devoted to fate maps for the early cleavage stages (providing a resource used by developmental biologists to analyze changes in fate induced by cellular and gene product manipulations), none of these maps are available in a convenient format for morphogenetic analysis. Currently, data is typically presented in tables and pie diagrams. This project addresses the above problems with the development of dynamic, 3-dimensional software for use by both the researcher and the student of embryology, offering a significant commercial opportunity. In phase I of this project, we will develop software technologies for the dynamic mapping of morphologic, 3-dimensional spatial relationships between cell lineages and gene products of Xenopus laevis--a key animal model for studies of developmental mechanisms. In phase II, the needs of a wide range of embryologic research will be studied and the software will be extended, allowing input of other animal models. The software will allow for visualization of developmental processes, allowing researchers to see patterns that may reveal insights into the cause and prevention of birth defects. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: In Phase I of the project, development of tools to facilitate the input and analysis of embryonic data will occur, offering considerable commercial potential in marketing these products to end-users in the research community or licensing the technology to providers of analytic software.

Embryonic development is a dynamic, three dimensional process, posing significant challenges for the research and teaching communities that disseminate current research findings. Although a great deal of research effort has focused on understanding developmental processes including morphological changes that accompany embryogenesis, cell fate mapping, and the regulation of gene expression, most of this information is presented in such a way that it is not easily accessible outside of the research community. Currently, much of these data are presented are presented either as descriptive anatomical studies or summarized as quantitative information in tables and diagrams. In Phase I of the project, we have developed software that facilitates the transformation of 2D data into 3d models and the manipulation of 3D models for the visualization of dynamic processes that occur during embryogenesis. This has involved the development of specific software features, including volume rendering and morphing. In Phase II, we propose to enhance the functionality of the GENESIS T-Vox and T-Morph software based on assessment by expert reviewers, and distribute the visualization software as a networked application and in CD-ROM format for enhanced dissemination of 3D embryological data. In Phase II of the project, we will produce a enhanced software package for the 3D visualization and manipulation of embryological data. In addition to the market potential in embryology, this product has related educational uses in other biomedical research disciplines, and the technology is a precursor to real-time visualization of a wide variety of sequential medical imagery including, CT, MR and ultrasound