Prenatal testing is used to detect birth defects, chromosome abnormalities, genetic diseases, or other conditions or diseases in a fetus or embryo. It can also be used to determine the sex of the fetus before birth. Such screening is useful to (1) enable timely medical or surgical treatment of a condition before or after birth, (2) give the parents the chance to abort a fetus with the diagnosed condition, and (3) give the parents the chance to psychologically, socially, financially, and medically prepare for a baby with a health problem or disability, or for the likelihood of a stillbirth.

Nearly one quarter of men worldwide are homozygous for a mutation in a gene that encodes a key sperm surface protein that is critical for normal sperm functioning in the female reproductive tract. Methods of detection of the genetic mutation, or the deficit of the protein on sperm, are predictive of reduced male fertility. Supplementation of sperm with the purified protein restores sperm function.

Every year in the United States more than 775,000 people experience a stroke, with one occurring on average every 40 seconds.  Accounting for about one of every 18 deaths in the United States, the condition ranks third among all causes of death.  With only a four hour therapeutic window, stroke is also a leading cause of long-term disability.  The estimated direct and indirect cost of stroke in 2010 is estimated to be $73.7 billion dollars; as a result, there is a growing market for risk determining methods for stroke, especially in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the

This invention is a novel approach to performing DNA sequencing-by-synthesis methodology that is anticipated to make DNA sequencing routine, highly accurate and affordable.

Non-invasive extraction of fetal ECG (fECG) is not possible except late in the pregnancy due to difficulties in separating the fECG signal and differentiating it from the maternal ECG (mECG).  For effective treatment of fetal cardiac problems, it is important to obtain an early fECG.  However, early in the pregnancy, the mother’s heartbeat is several thousand times stronger than the fetal heartbeat.  This limits the ability of medical personnel to accurately examine the fetal heartbeat and detect any abnormalities.

Over nine million Americans living today have had a diagnosis of cancer, and a large percentage are undergoing active treatment for their disease, requiring life-long care to detect and treat recurrences, new cancers, treatment side effects, and to meet their supportive care needs. Though analysts at Merrill Lynch recently estimated that the market for cancer drugs would double to $50 billion a year in 2010, from $25 billion now, because of increased competition the sales potential for each drug is projected to fall 21 percent to 32 percent.

Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological disorders, affecting up to 10-15% of women of reproductive age, more than 5.5 million women in North America alone. The two most common symptoms of endometriosis are pain and infertility and about 30 percent to 40 percent of women with endometriosis are infertile, making it one of the top three causes for female infertility. With an estimated symptomatic population of six million women and serious problems resulting in low fertility, there is a significant latent potential.