New 'claw machine' robot speeds up embryo model research

Researchers at the University of Washington and the Brotman Baty Institute have developed a novel automated robot, inspired by a "claw machine" design, to sort stem cell-derived embryo models called gastruloids. Gastruloids mimic the third week of human embryonic development, a critical phase when the body's three primary germ layers form. This new system enables scientists to efficiently isolate and study hundreds of gastruloids simultaneously, overcoming previous challenges of manual sorting that were time-consuming and prone to human error. The robot uses a combination of a microscope, digital camera, sliding stage, and microraft manipulation tools to precisely select individual gastruloids grown on tiny platforms. This automation not only speeds up research but also allows for more detailed investigation into the subtle variations between gastruloids, which can reveal insights into genetic drift, epigenetic influences, and developmental heterogeneity. Importantly, the technology facilitates studies on genetic disorders such as aneuploidy—abnormal chromosome numbers—by enabling analysis of how gastruloids with varying aneuploid cell proportions self-correct, shedding light on embryonic robustness. By providing a scalable, ethical, and precise platform for studying early human development, this innovation promises to accelerate advances in developmental biology, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. The findings were published in APL Bioengineering.