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Research lab
The Research Laboratory is the core of the Research Center at Nadezhda Hospital.
The main objective of its team is scientific work – the development of innovative methods and tests in the field of reproductive medicine, which subsequently find clinical application in the hospital.
About the lab
The Research Laboratory at Nadezhda Hospital is the core of the Research Center and the driving force behind innovation in reproductive medicine. Its main mission is to develop new methods and tests that can be rapidly translated into clinical practice and improve patient care.
Thanks to the scientific work of the team, a number of innovative solutions have already been implemented in the hospital’s practice:
- optimization of culture media for oocytes and embryos;
- Zona Test and Zona Selection in the Andrology Laboratory;
- IMPO Plus – a method for more precise planning of embryo transfer;
- A1 Test – correction of immune profile abnormalities in pregnancies with an increased risk of miscarriage;
- Tests for essential elements, heavy metals and toxic elements, noble and rare metals.
The team has also developed a metabolic age test intended for women with diminished ovarian reserve or in the period around menopause – a valuable tool for timely prevention and personalized therapy.
The Research Laboratory at Nadezhda translates scientific discoveries into real clinical practices that give patients hope, confidence, and new opportunities.
Learn more about the laboratory in our BLOG.
Scientific work
The Research Laboratory is the core of the Research Center at Nadezhda Hospital.
The main objective of its team is scientific work – the development of innovative methods and tests in the field of reproductive medicine, which subsequently find clinical application in the work of the Embryology and Andrology Laboratories (optimization of culture media for oocytes and embryos; Zona Test; Zona Selection, etc.), in embryo transfer planning (IMPO Plus), or for correcting immune profile abnormalities in pregnancies with an increased risk of miscarriage (A1 Test). The team of the Research Laboratory has also developed a metabolic age test intended for IVF patients with diminished ovarian reserve or in the period around menopause.
Part of the scientific activity of the Research Laboratory consists of presenting the developed innovative methods and tests, as well as the results of their implementation in clinical practice, in the form of presentations and posters at the world’s largest congresses in reproductive medicine and publishing them in leading medical journals.
The Research Laboratory processes and prepares the necessary reagents and consumables for the Zona Test and Zona Selection, and optimizes the culture media for oocytes and embryos by adding antioxidants.
Its team works in continuous collaboration with the Histopathology, Embryology, Andrology, Chemical, and Clinical Laboratories.
Equipment
The laboratory is equipped with specialized high-tech equipment that enables the performance of all innovative tests developed within the Research Center:
- Standard laboratory equipment – centrifuges, laminar flow cabinets, incubators;
- Multiplate Reader, used for ELISA-based tests and other methods for quantifying proteins;
- Two flow cytometers used to analyze cells in different types of tissues – immune cells, senescent cells in the endometrium, blood, etc.
- Specialized computers and software for spatial processing of samples – a unique approach applied only in the Research Laboratory of Nadezhda Hospital for the IMPO PLUS test. This enables precise analysis of the location of a specific cell type and determination of their exact number in a given area of endometrial tissue, as well as their ratio to other cells – for example, the number of immune cells relative to the number of stromal cells, etc
Metabolic Age Test
The metabolic age test was developed by the team of the Research Laboratory at Nadezhda Hospital and is unique worldwide in terms of its concept and the combination of parameters used in a metabolic age assessment.
At present, there is no other similar test worldwide that combines in a single panel the biomarkers used at Nadezhda, direct measurement of immune cell senescence, markers of energy metabolism (NAD+, CoQ10, and taurine), inflammatory markers, and clinical indicators reflecting the condition of major organs and systems associated with aging.
The uniqueness of the test lies precisely in combining several levels of assessment:
- cellular level – measurement of senescent immune cells and related biologically active molecules;
- metabolic level – assessment of key factors related to energy metabolism and cellular function;
- organ level – indicators of liver, kidney, cardiovascular, and metabolic health.
The test is not aimed solely at detecting diseases, but at assessing the biological processes associated with aging and determining an individual risk profile.
Please note that no appointment is required in advance. You are welcome to come on a day convenient for you before 10:00 a.m.
IMPORTANT!
Before undergoing the test, please note the following:
- The blood and saliva samples are collected in the morning, fasting (8–12 hours without food), at the Clinical Laboratory at 3 Blaga Vest Street or at Nadezhda Medical Center in Paradise Center, 3rd floor, after registration at the Registration desk.
- Avoid coffee and alcohol for at least 24 hours before the test.
- Avoid intense physical activity for 24 hours before the test.
- Inform the medical staff about all medications and supplements you are taking.
What Is the Metabolic Age Test Used For?The purpose of the test is to provide information about the overall condition of the woman’s body, including her reproductive system, by assessing the degree of activation of aging processes. If signs of accelerated aging of the reproductive system are detected (e.g. faster depletion of ovarian reserve or reduced endometrial receptivity), supplements may be recommended to help slow down these processes.
The test includes a range of indicators – for energy-related and immunological metabolic age, markers of kidney and liver function, inflammatory markers, as well as indicators of cardiovascular health and diabetes risk. The concluding section summarizes whether there are deviations (increased or decreased values) in any of these indicators. Based on this information, the treating physician determines what approach or treatment should be applied.
The test requires blood and saliva samples, collected in the morning on an empty stomach, without food or fluid intake. You will receive a saliva container at the Clinical Laboratory, where the blood sample is also collected.
Results are ready within 3 weeks and are uploaded to the patient’s personal profile.
The metabolic age test was developed by the Research Laboratory at Nadezhda Hospital, and the format in which the results are presented is tailored to the specific workflow of our medical institution. For this reason, it is recommended that interpretation be carried out by specialists at Nadezhda Hospital who are familiar with the methodology and the significance of the different parameters. This ensures accurate assessment and an appropriate therapeutic plan, if needed.
A1 test
The A1 Test is a blood test that analyzes immune parameters to assess the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women.
If abnormalities in the immune profile are detected, treatment is prescribed to correct these parameters and reduce the identified risk.
The A1 Test was developed primarily for women with recurrent miscarriages, in whom there is an increased risk that the pregnancy may again not be carried to term.
The test is also used in pregnant women who develop complications during pregnancy – such as bleeding, pain, or other concerning symptoms – with the aim of timely assessment of immune status and the application of appropriate therapy, if necessary.
Since the risk of miscarriage may arise at different stages of pregnancy, in some cases the test may need to be performed more than once in order to monitor immune parameters and, if needed, adapt the treatment.
The test is performed after the 6th–7th gestational week of pregnancy, and the result is ready within 1 working day.
Afterwards, the physician responsible for interpreting the result contacts the patient by phone to inform her whether there are abnormalities in her immune profile and whether treatment needs to be started.
The test result is uploaded to the patient’s hospital profile. It indicates the miscarriage risk index – classified as very low, low, moderate, high, or very high.
The A1 Test was developed by the Research Laboratory at Nadezhda Hospital, and the way in which the results are presented is tailored to the specific approach and experience of our team.
For this reason, it is recommended that interpretation be carried out by specialists at Nadezhda Hospital who are familiar with the methodology and the significance of the individual parameters. This ensures accurate assessment and an appropriate therapeutic plan, if needed.
IMPO Plus
This is an innovative test performed exclusively at Nadezhda Hospital and developed by the team of the hospital’s Research Laboratory.
The IMPO Plus method builds upon the IMPO test. In addition to determining the most suitable timing for embryo transfer—the implantation window—it also assesses, based on a set of morphological and immunological parameters, whether the uterus would “accept” the embryo, i.e. whether optimal conditions are present for implantation.
Sometimes, even when morphological parameters are within the normal range and the endometrium appears suitable for embryo transfer, there may be abnormalities in the ratio of immune cells that can lead to failed embryo implantation.
The purpose of IMPO Plus is to provide the treating physician with information specifically about the immune profile of your endometrium.
If abnormalities in the ratio of immune cells are detected, different therapies may be applied in order to achieve an optimal endometrial environment for the embryo.
The test is performed using a biopsy sample taken from the uterine lining on a specific day of the menstrual cycle—during the mid-luteal phase, when the implantation window is expected to occur.
In a hormone replacement therapy cycle, this is usually performed 5 days after starting progesterone administration, or 7 days after the luteinizing hormone peak in a spontaneous cycle.
Results are available within 3 weeks.
Once the result is ready, you will be able to find information in your hospital profile regarding the degree of uterine receptivity.
Access to the information about the immune profile of the endometrium is available only to the treating physician, who interprets the immune cell ratio and prescribes treatment if necessary.
If abnormalities are found in endometrial receptivity and the immune profile, your treating physician will prescribe specific treatment, and embryo transfer will be performed only after the parameters have improved.
The assessment method was developed at Nadezhda Hospital, and the format in which the results are presented is tailored to the specific workflow of our hospital.
The information may be incorrectly interpreted by specialists from other hospitals. The only exceptions are our partners from St. Ivan Rilski Medical Center – Shumen and St. Ivan Rilski Medical Center – Tutrakan, who have the necessary instructions and expertise to interpret the results correctly.
Biologists
See also
Virology lab
Genetics lab
Andrology lab
Embryology lab
Histopathology lab
Microbiology lab
