Claus Yding Andersen
Denmark
Claus Yding Andersen
Claus Yding Andersen is Scientific Director of Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark and Professor of Human Reproductive Physiology within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.
Professor Andersen was a member of the team that introduced IVF to Denmark in the mid-1980s and has during the last twenty years headed a national program of fertility. He is considered one of the pioneers in this field. He has published more than 350 peer-reviewed scientific papers and is currently chief editor on the Reproduction section in Frontiers in Endocrinology.
Richard Anderson
UK
Richard Anderson
Richard Anderson is Elsie Inglis Professor of Clinical Reproductive Science at the University of Edinburgh and co-Director of the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health. He trained in Edinburgh, with Subspecialty training in Reproductive Medicine with David Baird. He works clinically in Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology, and provides a specialist endocrinology service to the Edinburgh Gender Identity Clinic. He has interests in both female and male fertility, with a major aspect of this being fertility preservation and the effects of cancer treatments on fertility. He was Chair of the ESHRE guideline group on Fertility Preservation in Women, and founder Coordinator of the Special Interest Group in Fertility Preservation. He is a member of the ESHRE Executive Committee and the HFEA Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee.
Yoni Baert
Belgium
Yoni Baert
Dr. Yoni Baert graduated in 2016 with a PhD dissertation on fertility preservation in male cancer patients. Since then, he specialised further in bioengineered systems for in-vitro spermatogenesis. Currently, Dr. Baert is an assistant professor and postdoctoral researcher with affiliation to the In-Vitro Toxicology & Dermato-Cosmetology and Biology of the Testis laboratories of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Luciana Cacciottola
Belgium
Luciana Cacciottola
Luciana Cacciottola completed her residency in Gynecology and Obstetrics in 2018 at the Università degli Studi in Milan. Having been awarded a scholarship from the FNRS-FRIA in Belgium, she started her PhD in the Gynecology Research Unit of Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc in Brussels, under the supervision of professor Dolmans. She earned her PhD in 2022, with a thesis entitled ‘Improving ovarian tissue transplantation using adipose tissue-derived stem cells’. Her plan is to continue her activity as a researcher and clinician in the field of oncofertility.
Ana Cobo
Spain
Ana Cobo
Dr. Ana Cobo graduated from the University del Valle in Colombia in 1988. She obtained her Master degree of Biological Sciences in Reproduction Biology at the University of Chile in 1994. She moved to Spain in 1995, when she joined the Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI) and obtained a Master’s degree in Human Reproduction at the University of Valencia, Spain, in 1998. She completed her doctorate in 2008 when she received her PhD. degree from the University of Valencia.
Dr. Cobo has worked as an embryologist for more than 25 years and became interested in oocytes cryopreservation in the early 1990s, while completing her Master’s degree and doctoral thesis works on this subject. She is currently a senior embryologist at the IVI in Valencia, where she is the Director of the Cryobiology Unit in the IVF lab. Her work in the clinical application of oocyte vitrification has made a great contribution in assisted reproduction, since she is a pioneer in the large-scale application of the technique demonstrating the efficiency of egg-banking. Her work has also been very useful for both clinicians and patients interested in preserving fertility. Her publications provide the largest studies assessing the scope of oocyte vitrification as a tool for the preservation of fertility and for ovum donation, focusing on the number of vitrified oocytes required to get a baby.
As a researcher has published over 72 articles, 62 book chapters and over 120 communications and posters to International congresses, mostly on cryopreservation in IV, besides as co-editor in 4 book published . She has been invited to speak national and International . She also is member of several organizations as ASRM, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), Sociedad Española de Fertilidad (SEF).
She has also participated as researcher in investigation projects as a lead researcher (PROFIT MITYC 2005
IMPIVA I+D 2006, CDTI 2005-2007, IMPIVA 2007, IMPIVA 2008). Her teaching activities are focus on directing the continuous training program in the vitrification of oocytes and embryos at the IVI learning center. She is a Direcin the postgraduate master course in Biotechnology of Human Reproduction at the IVI University Institute since 1997 ascribed to the University of Valencia.
Michel De Vos
Belgium
Michel De Vos
Michel De Vos, MD, PhD, has worked as a gynaecologist since 2006 and currently is a senior medical director at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Belgium and an associate professor in reproductive medicine at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
He studied medicine in Ghent, Belgium, and holds a PhD in medicine from the University of Leeds, UK. In 2011, he was recognised as a subspecialist in reproductive medicine and surgery by ESHRE and the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (EBCOG).
Michel has a keen interest in reproductive endocrinology and fertility preservation.
He is a principle investigator of the FOTO (Freezing Ovarian Tissue and Oocytes) consortium, encompassing oncofertility research projects at three universities in Brussels: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL).
Isabelle Demeestere
Belgium
Isabelle Demeestere
Isabelle Demeestere, is a gynaecologist, Director of the Research Laboratory on Human Reproduction at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium). She was among the earliest innovators in fertility preservation field and is responsible for the oncofertility at CUB-Erasme Hospital (Brussels, Belgium). She has contributed to several international guidelines and is an active member of scientific societies, currently president of the BSRM (Belgian Society of Reproductive Medicine).
Marie-Madeleine Dolmans
Belgium
Marie-Madeleine Dolmans
Marie-Madeleine Dolmans earned her medical degree from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Brussels in 2000, and her PhD degree on “Cryopreservation and transplantation of human ovarian tissue” in 2006. She completed her internship in Gynecology and Obstetrics in 2007 and since then has divided her time equally between clinical and research activities. Her research work focuses primarily on human ovarian follicle isolation and xenotransplantation, and the risk of reimplanting malignant disease. She succeeded Prof. Donnez as Head of the Gynecology Research Unit at the Université Catholique de Louvain in October 2012.
Jacques Donnez
Belgium
Jacques Donnez
He studied at the Catholic University of Louvain.
He defended his PhD thesis in 1984, entitled “The fallopian tube: normal and pathological histophysiology”.
He became Full Professor and Head of the Department Gynaecology and Andrology in 1986.
He also founded the Infertility Research Unit of the Catholic University of Louvain in 1986.
He has focused his research activities on three main topics: tubal infertility, endometriosis and finally, ovarian cryopreservation and transplantation.
He published over 600 original articles in peer-review journals.
Prof. Donnez was the first President of the recently created International Society for Fertility Preservation (until end of 2010) and has been elected in Februari 2009 at the Royal Belgian Academy of Medicine.
Since 2012, he is Professor Emeritus and Director of SRI (Société de Recherche pour l’Infertilité).
Francesca Elizabeth Duncan
USA
Francesca Elizabeth Duncan
Associate Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Co-Director, Center for Reproductive Science
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
http://labs.feinberg.northwestern.edu/duncan/
Bio:
Dr. Francesca E. Duncan earned her doctorate in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania and completed post-doctoral fellowships in reproductive science and medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and at Northwestern University. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and Co-Director of the Center for Reproductive Science. She also holds a Faculty-in-Residence position at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in the Center for Reproductive Longevity and Equality. Dr. Duncan leads a research program focused on understanding the cellular mechanisms of how aging – both physiologic and iatrogenic – impacts reproductive potential at the levels of the gamete and ovary. Most recently, as the Principal Investigator of the Ovarian Contraceptive Discovery Initiative, Dr. Duncan has expanded her research to encompass modulating reproductive capacity through identification of novel targets for non-hormonal contraception in the ovary using innovative models such as in vitro follicle growth and ovulation. She has co-authored >80 manuscripts in the area of reproductive biology, and her work has been highlighted in the popular press. Beyond the laboratory, Dr. Duncan is committed to teaching and mentoring. She directs the MS in Reproductive Science and Medicine program at Northwestern University and is a long-standing faculty member at the Frontiers in Reproduction program. She is also active in academic publishing, having served on numerous journal editorial boards and is currently the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Human Reproduction. Dr. Duncan is the recipient of several honors including a 2017 United States Fulbright Award and the 2019 Virendra B. Mahesh New Investigator Award from the Society for the Study of Reproduction.
Tommaso Falcone
USA
Tommaso Falcone
Dr. Falcone received his medical degree from McGill University School of Medicine in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. While at McGill, he went on to complete a residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology.
He is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in general obstetrics and gynecology, as well as Reproductive Endocrinology. He is also certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Dr. Falcone was appointed Chair of the department of obstetrics & Gynecology in 2001 and subsequently Chair of the Women’s health institute in 2008 to 2018. He was a member of the board of governors of Cleveland Clinic between 2006-2013, member of the Executive Team (ET) from 2007-2010. He served as Vice Chairman of Professional Staff Affairs, Cleveland Clinic from 2007-2014.
Dr. Falcone has published more than 500 original manuscripts, abstracts, and book chapters. He is co-editor of 8 books including a textbook on Clinical Reproductive Medicine and Surgery (Springer third edition 2017); Operative Techniques in Gynecologic Surgery (Wolters Kluwer 2017) He has served on the editorial board of several journals, including Associate Editor of Fertility & Sterility and the Editorial Board of the Obstetrics &Gynecology (Green journal). He is presently editor-in-chief of JMIG. He is past President of the Society for Reproductive Surgeons (SRS) and Past Chair of the Endometriosis special interest group of the ASRM. He is Vice President of the International Society for Fertility Preservation (ISFP). He has served on review committees for NICHD and MRC. Dr. Falcone has been the recipient of many awards for laparoscopic and robotic surgery at different societies. He was a senior author on the first publication on gynecologic robot surgery and a member of the team that performed the first uterus transplant in the USA.
Debra Gook
Australia
Debra Gook
Dr Debra Gook is Senior Research Fellow in Reproductive Services at the Royal Women’s Hospital and Melbourne IVF, and holds an honorary position within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Australia. For two decades, she has been at the forefront of research into the cryopreservation of the human female gamete and ovarian tissue. She has presented and published widely on freezing of both mature human oocytes and human ovarian tissue and continues to play a key role in the development of this technology for clinical application.
Nalini Kaul Mahajan
India
Nalini Kaul-Mahajan
Dr. Nalini Kaul (Mahajan) is the
- Director of Mother and Child Hospital and the Scientific Director of Ferticity IVF, New Delhi.
- Founder President of the Fertility Preservation Society India
- President of the Asian Society of Fertility Preservation.
- Board Member of the ISFP
- Chief Editor of the Onco Fertility Journal
- Past President of the Indian Fertility Society
She did her graduation and MD (OBGYN) from Delhi University and attained a master’s in ART from Nottingham University UK. She has been practicing ART for over 25 years. Her special interests in ART lie in the field of ‘Fertility Preservation’, ‘Endometrial Receptivity’ and ‘Poor Ovarian Reserve’. She founded the Fertility Preservation Society of India in 2014 and spearheaded the campaign for oncofertility awareness amongst physicians and paramedical staff in India under the aegis of FPSI. Keeping in context the ethnic, social and economic differences in India the FPSI under her leadership published the ‘Recommendations for Clinical Practice of FP for Patients on Gonadotoxic therapy’ for Indian physicians.
She has published numerous research papers and written chapters for several books on ART.
Sam Kim
USA
Sam Kim
Prof. Kim is one of the pioneers in ovarian transplantation and his seminal work has made worldwide news. He founded the International Society for Fertility Preservation (ISFP) with Donnez and served as the 2nd President of the Society. He is also one of the founders of ASFP. Prof. Kim retired from the University of Kansas after serving as Professor and Director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.
Francesca Klinger
Italy
Francesca Klinger
Francesca Gioia Klinger is Associate professor at UniCamillus University in Rome. She has a broad knowledge in reproductive and developmental biology, in histology, and stem and germ cell biology, with a primary focus on investigating how chemotherapy treatment can impact on subsequent female fertility and ovarian function.
This expertise has allowed her to establish strong collaborations with national and international research groups.
Three main research lines are currently followed in the laboratory: 1) Study of new mechanisms to protect the ovary from chemiotherapic treatments; 2) Effect of LH on damage induced in the ovary by chemotherapeutic drugs; 3) The use of stem cells for fertility preservation.
Stine Gry Kristensen
Denmark
Stine Gry Kristensen
Dr. Kristensen is a senior scientist and head of the Laboratory of Reproductive Biology at the University Hospital of Copenhagen in Denmark. Her primary area of interest is ovarian tissue cryopreservation and fertility preservation in girls and young women. Dr. Kristensen’s research is focused on human follicle development and the regulatory mechanisms underlying early folliculogenesis, development of 3D culture systems, and optimizing follicle survival in transplanted frozen-thawed ovarian tissue. Current positions include basic science officer in the ESHRE SIG on Fertility Preservation, Associate Editor on Human Reproduction, and Executive Board member of ReproUnion.
Dror Meirow
Israel
Dror Meirow
Professor Dror Meirow is the chair of the Morris Kahn Center for Fertility Preservation Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, at Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. He is a Professor at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. Former President of the International Society of Fertility Preservation (ISFP).
Prof. Meirow received his M.D. from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. He then specialized and practiced as a senior physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hadassah University Hospital. He conducted his basic research training at the Center for Reproduction Growth and Development with Prof. Roger Gosden at the University Leeds, UK. Since 2001, Prof Meirow founded the Clinical Center for Fertility Preservation and the Fertility Preservation Research Laboratory at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer Israel.
Professor Meirow’s basic and clinical research is focused on the effects of chemotherapy on reproduction, and modalities for fertility preservation especially on ovarian tissue harvesting for fertility preservation, and medications that can prevent chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage. Prof. Meirow reported in the New England Journal of Medicine the first case of IVF, pregnancy, and delivery of a healthy baby to result from transplantation of cryopreserved thawed ovarian tissue in a sterilized former cancer patient. Prof. Meirow’s laboratory team published a pioneer study in Science Journal providing a new understanding of the “Burn-out” mechanisms involved in chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage, and testing a novel fertility-protecting agent.
Rod Mitchell
UK
Rod Mitchell
Rod is Professor of Developmental Endocrinology at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh. He is also a Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist at The Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.
Rod is clinical and research lead for fertility preservation in prepubertal boys with cancer. His work combines the clinical service for gonadal tissue cryopreservation with research aimed at developing clinical strategies to protect or restore fertility in patients receiving sterilising therapies. Rod is also Senior Deputy on the ESHRE SIG for Fertility Preservation.
His research activities are focused on the role of the germ-stem cell niche in prepubertal testis development and function. His research group use in-vitro and transplantation approaches to model prepubertal testicular development in order to determine effects of exposure to chemotherapy on germ cells and to develop strategies to protect the testis from cancer treatments1,2. These models are also being applied to promoting germ cell differentiation in prepubertal testicular tissues obtained from boys prior to their treatment3,4.
Website: https://www.ed.ac.uk/centre-reproductive-health/dr-rod-mitchell
E-mail: rod.mitchell@ed.ac.uk
Twitter: @RodTMitchell and @edinfertility
- Tharmalingam MD, Matilionyte G, Wallace WHB, Stukenborg JB, Jahnukainen K, Oliver E, Goriely A, Lane S, Guo J, Cairns B, Jorgensen A, Allen CM, Lopes F, Anderson RA, Spears N, Mitchell RT. Cisplatin and carboplatin result in similar gonadotoxicity in immature human testis with implications for fertility preservation in childhood cancer. BMC Medicine. 2020 Dec 4;18(1):374.
- Tian En L, Brougham MFH, Wallace WHB, Mitchell RT.Impacts of platinum-based chemotherapy on subsequent testicular function and fertility in boys with cancer. Human Reproduction Update. 2020 Nov 1;26(6):874-885.
- Hutka M, Smith LB, Goossens E, Wallace WHB, Stukenborg JB, Mitchell RT.Exogenous Gonadotrophin Stimulation Induces Partial Maturation of Human Sertoli Cells in a Testicular Xenotransplantation Model for Fertility Preservation. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020 Jan 18;9(1):266.
- Hutka M, Kadam P, Van Saen D, Homer NZM, Onofre J, Wallace WHB, Smith LB, Stukenborg JB, Goossens E, Mitchell RT. Fertility Preservation in Childhood Cancer: Endocrine Activity in Prepubertal Human Testis Xenografts Exposed to a Pubertal Hormone Environment. Cancers. 2020 Sep 30;12(10):2830.
Michelle Nisolle
Belgium
Michelle Nisolle
Michelle Nisolle, MD, PhD, trained in Gynecology-Obstetrics is Head of the Department of Gynecology-Obstetrics at the University of Liège. Her expertise on surgery and research on endometriosis is worldwide recognized. She obtained a Belgian grant for the development of biomarkers of endometriosis. She has served on several scientific European advisory boards mainly in endoscopic surgery (ESGE) and reproductive medicine (ESHRE). She is Vice President of the European Society of Gynecology (ESG). She is author of more than 200 publications in peer reviewed Journals and she is Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Obstetrics (EGO) and Editor Board Member of Fertility Sterility. She is member of the Executive Committee of the French Fondation for Research on Endometriosis (FRE).
Pasquale Patrizio
USA
Pasquale Patrizio
Dr. Pasquale Patrizio is a board-certified specialist in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, in Andrology and has a Master in Bioethics. He is Professor and Director, Yale University Fertility Center. He has authored 6 books and 550 scientific papers. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Human Reproduction and in addition, he served as president of International Society Fertility Preservation (ISFP, 2015-2017), and is currently immediate past Chair of the Fertility Preservation special interest group for ASRM (2020-2021). His main research interests include: Improving the efficiency of ART, new fertility preservation strategies including lyophilization, ovarian and oocyte aging, simplification and standardization of IVF laboratory methodologies.
Antonio Pellicer
Spain
Antonio Pellicer
Antonio Pellicer obtained his Medical Degree from the University of Valencia in 1978, his PhD from the same university in 1980 and he carried out the specialization of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University Clinical Hospital in Valencia, and the sub specialization of Reproductive Medicine at Yale University and the University of Mainz, Germany.
Antonio Pellicer has been Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology since 1999 and Dean of the University of Valencia School of Medicine, Spain from 2006 until 2012. He is also Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at ‘La Fe University Hospital’, Valencia, since 2009. In addition, he is Professor Adjunct in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine (USA).
After obtaining his MD degree from the University of Valencia and establishing a distinguished academic career, Professor Pellicer founded the ‘Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad’ (‘IVI’) in 1990, and his work in the field of fertility has led to the creation of many ‘IVI’ clinics both in Spain and internationally. He is also President of the ‘IVI Foundation’ for the Study of Reproduction and CEO of IVIRMA GLOBAL.
Professor Pellicer has authored over 338 textbook chapters and more than 900 journal articles in national and international journals, and presented over 568 lectures and over 1455 communications in a congresses. He has been Co-Editor in Chief for the journal ‘Fertility and Sterility’ since 2011.
Professor Pellicer has won many awards for his contributions to the field of reproductive health. He was awarded the Annual Meeting Prize Paper for the ‘American Society for Reproductive Medicine’ eight times between 1987 and 2016; the XXV Society for Gynecological Investigation President’s Award in 2002; the King Jaime I Prize in Clinical Medicine from the ‘King Jaime I Foundation’ in 2004; the Gold Medal of the Royal College of Physicians in Valencia in 2006; the Gold Medal of the City of Valencia in 2006; the Rotary Prize in 2007; and the Lilly Foundation Prize in 2008. He is Doctor Honoris Causa by the Politechnic University of Valencia in 2011; Pro Academy Prize 2013 in Recognition for their Efforts in Science and Academic Life, for The Round Table Foundation of Valencia in 2013; Prize to the Innovation during the edition XVII of the Enterprising prize of the Year organized by Ernst and Young of Madrid in 2013; “Jacques Salat-Baroux” Award from the Academy National of Medicine of France, París, France, in 2014; The IVI Spain is appointed Ambassador Honorary of the Spain Marca in the category of Science and Innovation. Madrid, Spain, 2015; “Josep Maria Dexeus Medal” for his trajectory in the reproductive field, in the 43rd Edition of Forum International Dexeus. Barcelona, Spain, 2016. Levante of the Year Award granted by Levante-EMV Prensa Ibérica publishing group. Valencia, Spain, 2017. IVI, awarded by the SRI, for a study on ovarian rejuvenation. Valencia, Spain, 2018.
Felice Petraglia
Italy
Felice Petraglia
Felice Petraglia is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Florence, and Chair of Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Maternity and Infancy at the Careggi University Hospital in Florence, Italy.
Professor Petraglia is past President of the President of the Society of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders (SEUD) and of the Society for Gynecological Investigation (SGI), and member of the executive committee of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), International Society Gynecological Endocrinology (ISGE), European Association of Gynaecologist and Obstetrician (EAGO), Endocrine Society, ESHRE, European Board and College Obstetrics and Gynecology (EBCOG), European Endometriosis League (EEL), and Steering Committee on Infertility of the WHO. Professor Petraglia is editor of RBMO and was Editor-in-Chief of Human Reproduction Update. He has published extensively with more than 950 peer-reviewed papers in international scientific journals.
Catherine Poirot
France
Catherine Poirot
Catherine POIROT is Professor at Sorbonne Université (Paris, France) and works at Saint Louis Hospital (AP-HP) and Cochin Hospital (AP-HP) in Paris. She is a physician, reproductive biologist and is responsible for the fertility preservation program at Saint Louis Hospital (Paris, France). She is President of the French GRECOT group (Research and Study Group on Ovarian and Testicular Cryopreservation).
Kenny Rodriguez Wallberg
Sweden
Kenny Rodriguez Wallberg
Kenny A. Rodriguez-Wallberg, MD, PhD is Professor on Reproductive Oncology at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. She is also consultant at the Department of Reproductive Medicine of Karolinska University Hospital and the Head of the Clinical Program of Fertility Preservation.
Professor Rodriguez-Wallberg is a reproductive medicine specialist by training. Her research focuses on how cancer treatments impact reproductive health and on the safety and efficacy of the procedures for fertility preservation. She has published extensively on reproductive medicine, assisted reproductive technologies, fertility preservation, obstetrical risks and outcomes following assisted reproductive and oncological treatments, transgender reproductive issues, reproductive endocrinology, genetics and menopause.
Professor Rodriguez-Wallberg is also the director of the Laboratory of Translational Fertility Preservation at Karolinska Institute. For the past 20 years, much of her clinical, epidemiological and experimental research work has focused on fertility preservation. Dr. Rodriguez-Wallberg has published more than 130 peer-reviewed papers.
Bruno Salle
France
Bruno Salle
Glenn Schattman
USA
Glenn Schattman
Dr. Glenn L. Schattman is an Associate Professor at The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine (CRM) of Weill Cornell Medical College. From 2004 to 2009, Dr. Schattman was Chair of the Practice Committee of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and President of SART from 2011 to 2012.Dr. Schattman’s current work is focused on fertility preservation for cancer patients, both before and after treatment. Quality of life in cancer survivors includes the ability and option of having a family. He was a founding member of the Alliance for Fertility Preservation and now serves as its Chairman. Education and access to fertility preservation information and services are a critical part of the organization’s mission. He is also involved in research on ovarian tissue cryopreservation and improving tissue re-vascularization to reduce the stress and follicle loss associated with transplantation.
Moran Shapira
Israel
Moran Shapira
Jean-Luc Squifflet
Belgium
Jean Squifflet
He studied at the Catholic University of Louvain.
He became gynecologist-obstetrician in 1999.
He defended his PhD thesis in 2010, entitled « Deep retrocervical endometriosis: classification and pathogenesis ».
He became director of operating area management in the « Cliniques Universitaires St Luc » in 2014.
His special skills are pelvis and oncological sugery and infertility (endometriosis).
He is member of the OncoGF group since 15 years.
Jan-Bernd Stukenborg
Sweden
Jan-Bernd Stukenborg
Jan-Bernd Stukenborg is currently Associate Professor and Senior Researcher at the Department of Women’s & Children’s Health at Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, Sweden. He studied biology at the Westphalian Wilhelms University (WWU) in Münster, Germany and in 2005 obtained his M.Sc. title after a joint project at the Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology (CeRA) in Münster, and University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. In 2009, he received his Ph.D. in reproductive biology at the WWU in Münster. In 2009 he moved to Sweden as a post-doc at the Paediatric Endocrinology Unit at Karolinska Institutet, and in 2017 he became a group leader at Childhood Cancer Research Unit in his current Department. His main research interests include biology of germ cell differentiation, prenatal gonadal development, use of pluripotent stem cells in reproductive biology, environmental/medical treatment related disruptions of male fertility and fertility preservation techniques. He is currently a research project manager of Nordic Centre for Fertility Preservation (NORDFERTIL; a consortium of 8 Nordic and Baltic countries, www.nordfertil.org), with the main aim of preserving future fertility and hormonal functions in young boys with disorders and treatments threatening testicular function. Besides his membership in different andrology and paediatric oncology societies, he is an Academician member of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA), board member of the Swedish Society of Andrology (SAF), Deputy of the Special Interest Group (SIG) Stem cells of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and member of the SIG Fertility Preservation of the International Society for In Vitro Fertilization (ISIVF).
Nao Suzuki
Japan
Nao Suzuki
Nao Suzuki M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan since 2011. He completed his medical training at the School of Medicine, Keio University (Tokyo, Japan) in 1990, and obtained his Ph.D. in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medicine, Keio University in 2000. From 1994 to 1997, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the Burnham Institute in California, USA, where he worked on implantation-related molecules extracted from cancer cell adhesion phenomena. Dr. Nao Suzuki’s specialties are gynecologic oncology and fertility preservation for CAYA cancer patients. Dr. Nao Suzuki established a non-profit organization Japan Society for Fertility Preservation (JSFP) in November 2012 and is now the president of JSFP. He is also a board member of the International Society for Fertility Preservation (ISFP). He established the Asian Society for Fertility Preservation (ASFP) which includes 16 countries in 2016. The Japan Society of Clinical Oncology prepared the Guideline of Fertility Preservation for the CAYA cancer patients in 2017, and Dr. Nao Suzuki participated in it as a vice-chairman. He is currently involved in the guideline development as chair of the revision committee. His recent clinical research activities cover a wide range of cancer therapies against gynecologic cancer, with a particular focus on clinical trials, ovarian cancer research, and the development of targeted drugs. He also focused on the research aiming at the improvement of the field of Oncofertility research in Japan and Asia, and he performed ovarian tissue vitrification for cancer patients. He was also a representative of many Japanese government (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) research groups, and was instrumental in initiating financial support for Childhood, AYA generation (CAYA) cancer patients when fertility preservation is administered before cancer treatment. The primary goal of Dr. Nao Suzuki’s Oncofertility research is to establish more optimal and safer freezing techniques of ovarian tissue for using this technique in fertility preservation of CAYA cancer patients, and to perform studies on ovarian toxicity of new anticancer drugs.
Evelyn Telfer
UK
Evelyn Telfer
Professor Evelyn Telfer holds a chair in Reproductive Biology at the University of Edinburgh and heads a research group in Ovarian Development within the Institute of Cell Biology and Genes and Development Group (CDBS). Her group has a particular interest in developing in vitro models to support oocyte development from immature stages in domestic species and human. Evelyn’s group has developed a culture system that supports in vitro growth of human and bovine primordial follicles to the Metaphase II stage. They are now using these models to study the potential of female germ line stem cells isolated from adult ovaries in a range of species.
Evelyn has published widely in this area and is a regular invited speaker at International meetings, she has several international collaborations and her research is funded by the Medical Research Council U.K. and The Wellcome Trust. Her group has won several awards at international meetings and in 2019 she received the distinguished scientist award from the Society of Reproduction and Fertility and delivered the Anne McLaren memorial lecture at the U.K. Joint Fertility Societies meeting. Evelyn also has an interest in the Public understanding of science and she contributes to workshops and delivers lectures at science festivals and other public forums. Evelyn was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021 for services to female reproductive biology.
Herman Tournaye
Belgium
Herman Tournaye
Dr. Herman Tournaye is full professor and chairman of the department of Gynecology-Fertility in the university hospital of The Dutch-speaking Brussels Free University (Vrije Universiteit Brussel – VUB) where he graduated in 1986 as a medical doctor. After his training as a gynecologist in 1991, he joined the Centre for Reproductive Medicine Brussels where he became clinical and scientific director in 2011. In 1994 he obtained a phD in medical sciences at the VUB. Apart from reproductive medicine, he has a special interest in reproductive andrology. In 2000 he started the research group BITE (biology of the testis) at the VUB focussing on the reproductive potential of testicular stem cells. He has authored over 400 peer-reviewed papers, including >50 as a first and >80 as a last author (Web of Science h-index of 60). At the medical faculty he teaches developmental biology/embryology and reproductive medicine. He is coordinator of the international training centres of the European Board and College for Obstetrics and Gynecology (EBCOG) and the European Academy for Andrology (EAA), both associated to his university hospital.
Catherine Uzan
France
Catherine Uzan
Catherine Uzan is Full Professor, head of the Department of gynecologic and breast surgery in Pitié Salpetrière hospital (APHP, Institut universitaire de Cancérologie, Sorbonne University) since September 2015. She was before assistant professor in the Department of Gynecologic Surgery in the Gustave Roussy Center, Villejuif France. She obtained her PhD in 2008 on carcinogenesis pathway in endometriosis. She practices breast and gynecologic surgery, especially advanced laparoscopic surgery. She obtained a specific junior reward of the French Academy of surgery for her work on fertility and cancer in 2010. She has an important experience in the design and conduct of clinical and translational researches (main investigator for several national grants PHRC and PRME). She belongs to the INSERM unit UMR S938 “Biology and Therapeutics of cancers”. Her work has resulted in over 200 peer-reviewed publications. Her main topics of clinical and translational research are: conservative management of gynecologic cancer, borderline ovarian tumors, breast cancer risk management, cancer and pregnancy (member of the French group, and ESGO European task force), de-escalation for atypical breast lesions and decrease of surgical morbidity.
Her Department has turned resolutely towards innovative methods of patient care by largely developing ambulatory and robotic surgical surgery. This service has also developed an innovative platform activity for identifying and managing cancer risk (for this innovating consultation, she received the Pink Ribbon Prize in 2019). Its service benefits from numerous national and european quality labels (and specifically the ESGO certified center in ovarian cancer surgery)
The human dimension is considered as essential in this Department: the team has developed a strong relationship with patient associations, as well as with the “University of Patients”. This “symbiosis” has made it possible to organize numerous events aimed at promoting the early management of cancer for the public.
Professor Catherine Uzan has important functions in the field of Education. She is a member of the National Council of Universities and participates in the training of many health professionals. In particular, she organizes training by simulation to learn to residents how to announce a cancer and explain surgery to patients. She actively participates in the training of expert patients in the University of Patients.
Professor Catherine Uzan is a member of many societies including the French Society of Oncogynecology and the French Academy of Surgery, of which she is a laureate.
Michael Von Wolff
Germany
Michael Von Wolff
Michael von Wolff studied and worked in Germany, U.K., U.S. and Switzerland.
He is a gynecological endocrinologist and reproductive physician and heads the University based reproductive unit in Bern, Switzerland.
Medically and scientifically he is specialized in natural cycle IVF, minimal stimulation IVF and fertility preservation.
Politically he has founded the network FertiPROTEKT and is President of the Swiss society of Reproductive Medicine.
Hamish Wallace
UK
Hamish Wallace
Current Position:
Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, RHSC, Edinburgh since 1992
Honorary Professor in the School of Clinical Sciences and Community Heath at the University of Edinburgh.
Qualified:
St George’s Hospital Medical School in 1980.
I trained in paediatric oncology at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.
Registered Qualifications: MD., FRCP., FRCPCH., FRCS
Summary:
I am a Consultant in Paediatric Oncology at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh and Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh.
My main research interests are in fertility prediction and preservation for young cancer patients, Hodgkin lymphoma and mathematical modelling of biological systems.
I am a co-author of more than 200 peer-reviewed publications (h index 74, i10 index 175), and four books. I am the co-founder and organiser for ESLCCC, a biannual International conference on the late effects of the treatment of childhood cancer.
My website for more information on our research developments is:
Joachim Wistuba
Germany
Joachim Wistuba
Educated as classical zoologist my primary scientific interests always covered evolutionary processes and mechanisms of sexual selection. Many of related topics are addressed in the field of reproductive biology. In an applied way, these topics are also important for fertility and infertility, thus my research is dealing with preclinical and clinical as well as basic experimental approaches, trying to link both fields to each other. My research on male sex chromosomal aberrations, on male reproductive ageing and male in vitro germ cell maturation might serve as an example for this.
