KAUST Develops AI System to Accelerate Human Embryo Research

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has developed a new artificial intelligence tool, deepBlastoid, to support the study of early-stage human embryo models in controlled laboratory conditions.

Designed by researchers in KAUST’s stem cell biology laboratory, the tool analyses thousands of images of human blastoids - structures grown in vitro that replicate features of early human embryos. Unlike traditional image assessment, which relies on expert interpretation, deepBlastoid delivers equivalent accuracy at significantly higher speed, processing images up to 1,000 times faster.

The technology was trained on a dataset of more than 2,000 microscope images, and later applied to assess an additional 10,000. These included experiments testing the effects of various chemical substances on blastoid development. The findings offer valuable insight into how prescription drugs or other compounds may influence early embryo formation, especially for individuals planning pregnancy.

While ethical considerations continue to limit direct research on human embryos, blastoid models present an alternative pathway for scientific investigation. Tools such as deepBlastoid enable this research to scale, allowing for broader analysis of fertility-related conditions, early developmental complications, and potential risks associated with pharmaceutical exposure during early gestation.

By improving both the accuracy and volume of embryo model analysis, the system opens up new possibilities for studies that were previously impractical due to time or resource constraints.