Teresa Almeida Santos, Portugal
Teresa Almeida Santos, MD., Ph.D.
Professor- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Director of the Gynecology, Obstetrics, Reproduction and Neonatalogy Department of the Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Portugal
General Secretary of the Portuguese Federation of OB/GYN societies
Luis Alonso Pacheco
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2002-NOW DIRECTOR GYNECOLOGICAL ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY UNIT – CENTRO GUTENBERG
MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2010-NOW REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY CONSULTANT – QUIRÓN SALUD HOSPITAL MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2010-NOW REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY CONSULTANT – CLÍNICA VICTORIA MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2006-2009 GYNECOLOGICAL SURGERY CONSULTANT – HOSPITAL XANIT INTERNACIONAL
BENALMÁDENA
Surgery in the field of minimally invasive gynecological surgery.
EDUCATION
2012 The European Academy. Modern Hysteroscopy Course.
2008 EGES Valencia. Advanced Hysteroscopic surgery.
1998-2002 Hospital Regional Carlos Haya Málaga. Degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
1988-1994 Universidad de Valladolid. Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.
SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY
– Executive Board Member European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE)
– Immediate past Chair AAGL Hysteroscopy SIG
– Spanish Delegate of the SIAEGI (Iberoamerican Society of Gynecological Endoscopy)
– Founder and Main Editor of “Hysteroscopy Newsletter”
– Chairman of the Global Congress on Hysteroscopy
– Director of University Masters degree in Hysteroscopy
– Secretary Endoscopy Section of the Spanish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SEGO)
– Director of the Course “Hysteroscopy and 3D ultrasound in infertility”
– Presentations, Lectures and Talks for Domestic and International Congresses and Meetings
– Editor of four recent published books: “Mastering the techniques in Hysteroscopy”, “Hysteroscopy”, “Atlas of Hysteroscopy” and “Tratado de Histeroscopia”
– Associated professor of Andalusian School of Gynecological Endoscopic Surgery 2006 to 2009
– Associated professor of Endoscopic Gynecological Master University of Bolonia (Italy)
– Professor of Hysteroscopy Course – Campus Dexeus
– Editorial board member of the journal: “Progresos en Obstetricia y Ginecología”
– Editorial board Member of the journal ‘Facts, Views and Vision in Obgyn’.
– Languages: Spanish, English and Italian.
Anne Goriely
After an undergraduate degree in Engineering (Agronomy) at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), Anne Goriely obtained a PhD studying the development of the nervous system of the Drosophila embryo. She spent 4 years in New York at Cornell Medical School and Rockefeller University, before moving to the UK to work on the nervous system development of the chick embryo. In 2000 she joined the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (University of Oxford) to study the origin of rare human developmental disorders associated with paternal age effects.
She is currently Professor of Human Genetics based at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford. Using a human genetics approach, her group’s main interests lie in elucidating the mechanisms by which we acquire new germline mutations and the implications of such processes in health and disease.
MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine,
Radcliffe Department of Medicine
University of Oxford,
Oxford, UK
Prof. Dr. Arne Vanhie is a gynecologist at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium, with a special interest in endometriosis and infertility. He obtained his medical degree at Leuven University, Belgium. During his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology he worked at the University Hospital Leuven and University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a thesis on microRNA as biomarkers for endometriosis. As part of his PhD he worked on a two year project in the baboon model for endometriosis at the Institute of Primate Research in Nairobi, Kenya. After a research fellowship at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University, USA he started working in the Leuven University Fertility Center. The greater part of his clinical practice are couples who need pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT-M) and women with endometriosis-related pain or infertility. Along with his clinical work Prof. Dr. Arne Vanhie is researcher at Leuven University in the Laboratory of Endometrium, Endometriosis and Reproductive Medicine (LEERM). His research is focused on reproductive genetics and non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis.
Andrea Weghofer, MD PhD MSc MBA works as a senior consultant at the Department of Gynecological Endocrinology & Reproductive Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria and serves as the head of the department’s outpatient unit for fertility treatment.
Dr. Weghofer was born and raised in Vienna and graduated from the Medical University of Vienna. She obtained her PhD as the first graduate of the University’s Reproductive Endocrinology program. Dr. Weghofer completed her residency training at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Medical University in Vienna and her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Genetics at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. She is board certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology (including reproductive endocrinology & infertility) and in Human Genetics. In the course of international research collaborations Dr. Weghofer concentrates her research efforts on in vitro fertilization, ovarian senescence and reproductive genetics. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and has won a number of national and international awards for her scientific work. Currently Dr. Weghofer serves as section editor for Reproductive Biomedicine Online and was appointed Vice president of Austria’s Society of Reproductive Medicine.
Pierluigi Benedetti Panici, Italy
Mariano Buffone, Spain/Argentina
Mariano G Buffone Ph.D. earned his Bachelors and master’s degree in Biochemistry from University of Buenos Aires, Argentina where he also obtained his PhD. He then moved to the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, USA) as a postdoctoral fellow under the direction of professors George L. Gerton and Richard M. Schultz.
In 2010, Dr Buffone moved to Buenos Aires and became Assistant Professor at the Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he leads his research team
Since 2015, he assumed his present position as Professor at the same institution. He was recently appointed as Vice Director of the Institute.
His laboratory seeks to understand the complex process of mammalian sperm capacitation with particular emphasis in the process of acrosomal exocytosis. To this end, his lab uses a wide range of approaches that include the analysis of signaling pathways, single cell imaging experiments, super resolution microscopy and in vivo studies. Dr Buffone has also been very active collaborating with several groups in the United States, Japan, Mexico and Argentina.
pain
Bart Fauser, MD, PhD, FRCOG, is a Professor Em. of Reproductive Medicine, former Head of the Department for Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology and former Chair of the Division of Woman & Baby at the University of Utrecht and the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
He is a Fellow ad Eundum of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG), Honorary member of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), executive Board member and scientific director of the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS), international member of the (US) National Academy of Medicine, Editor in Chief of Reproductive Biomedicine Online (RBMO), Night in the order of the Netherlands Lion, past member of the board of the Dutch Medical Research Counsel (ZonMW), past Editor in Chief of Human reproduction Update, and past Professor and Division Chief at the Erasmus Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
He previously held posts as a Fulbright scholar at the University of California, San Diego; visiting professorships at Stanford University School of Medicine (California, USA), Free University (Brussels, Belgium), University of Siena (Italy), University of Southampton (UK), and the University of Adelaide (Australia). He was a past chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) steering committee for infertility guidelines.
His major research interests include the pathophysiology of human ovarian function (including PCOS, and POI), ovarian stimulation, IVF and women’s health (including contraception, menopause and healthy aging). He has published close to 500 peer-reviewed articles (Hirsch factor > 100), is one of the most cited authors in reproductive medicine and his work has been widely covered in the national and international lay press
Shai Carmi is an associate professor at the Hebrew University School of Public Health. His training is in statistical physics and population genetics, and his current research focuses on statistical methods in genetics. Specific areas of study include theoretical population genetics, ancient DNA, genetic genealogy, genome-wide association studies, polygenic risk scores, pre-conception genetic testing, and pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT). His work on PGT includes the development of embryo genotyping methods and the evaluation of PGT for polygenic (complex) diseases and traits.
Giovanni Coticchio holds a MMedSci degree in Assisted Reproduction Technologies, a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology and a qualification of full professor. He is Scientific Director of 9.baby, GeneraLife IVF, Bologna, Italy. He has published over one hundred peer-reviewed papers, several book chapters and two books. Since June 2021, he has served as member of the Executive Committee of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).
Dr Cesar Diaz-Garcia completed his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid and Pitié-Salpêtrière University in Paris. He specialized in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at La Fe University Hospital of Valencia (University of Valencia), where he was awarded with the Best Resident Award in 2009. He obtained the European PhD at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Valencia under the supervision of Prof Mats Brannstrom.
His scientific career has been devoted to the field of fertility preservation, with special interest on ovarian cortex transplantation, uterus transplantation, follicular activation and poor response in IVF. Dr Diaz-Garcia was part of the first team achieving a live birth after uterus transplantation in humans and was the lead of the Valencian Program for Fertility Preservation, one of the largest fertility preservation programs worldwide.
His academic career goes back to 2011 as an Associate Professor at the Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Valencia and from 2020 at the EGA Institute of Women’s Health at University College London.
At the present, he is the Medical Director of IVI London, where he combines his medical duties in the field of infertility with his surgical activities and academic tasks
Michel De Vos, MD, PhD, is a senior medical director at Brussels IVF, 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 (MD 1997), has been a gynaecologist since 2006 and holds a PhD in medicine from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom (2007). 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). His main research focus is on fertility treatment in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and on fertility preservation. He is the current Chair of the In Vitro Maturation Special Interest Group of the ASRM.
He is a member of the Female Oncofertility Scientific Committee of The Oncofertility Consortium of Michigan State University
Training
Specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology: UCLA
Diplomate of The Am Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Sub-specialty in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility: UCLA
Diplomate of the Am Board of Ob-Gyn, Reprod Endocr. and Infertility.
By endorsement of US diplomas:
Specialist in OB-GYN and subspecialist in Reprod Endocr and Infert in France and Switzerland
Editorship
* Editorial Board of Fertility and Sterility:
* Editorial Editor 2021 –
* Former Associate Editor Human Reproduction
* Ad hoc Reviewer: Journal Clin Endocr and Metab, Lancet
Past positions
* Professor and Head Division Reprod Endocr and Infert.
2004-2008: University Hospitals of Geneva and Lausanne; Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland
* Professor and Head Division Reprod Endocr and Infert
2008-2017: Hopital Cochin Medical Center; Paris France
Dr Cesar Diaz-Garcia completed his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid and Pitié-Salpêtrière University in Paris. He specialized in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at La Fe University Hospital of Valencia (University of Valencia), where he was awarded with the Best Resident Award in 2009. He obtained the European PhD at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Valencia under the supervision of Prof Mats Brannstrom.
His scientific career has been devoted to the field of fertility preservation, with special interest on ovarian cortex transplantation, uterus transplantation, follicular activation and poor response in IVF. Dr Diaz-Garcia was part of the first team achieving a live birth after uterus transplantation in humans and was the lead of the Valencian Program for Fertility Preservation, one of the largest fertility preservation programs worldwide.
His academic career goes back to 2011 as an Associate Professor at the Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Valencia and from 2020 at the EGA Institute of Women’s Health at University College London.
At the present, he is the Medical Director of IVI London, where he combines his medical duties in the field of infertility with his surgical activities and academic tasks
Marie-Madeleine Dolmans,
Belgium
Bart Fauser, MD, PhD, FRCOG, is a Professor Em. of Reproductive Medicine, former Head of the Department for Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology and former Chair of the Division of Woman & Baby at the University of Utrecht and the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
He is a Fellow ad Eundum of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG), Honorary member of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), executive Board member and scientific director of the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS), international member of the (US) National Academy of Medicine, Editor in Chief of Reproductive Biomedicine Online (RBMO), Night in the order of the Netherlands Lion, past member of the board of the Dutch Medical Research Counsel (ZonMW), past Editor in Chief of Human reproduction Update, and past Professor and Division Chief at the Erasmus Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
He previously held posts as a Fulbright scholar at the University of California, San Diego; visiting professorships at Stanford University School of Medicine (California, USA), Free University (Brussels, Belgium), University of Siena (Italy), University of Southampton (UK), and the University of Adelaide (Australia). He was a past chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) steering committee for infertility guidelines.
His major research interests include the pathophysiology of human ovarian function (including PCOS, and POI), ovarian stimulation, IVF and women’s health (including contraception, menopause and healthy aging). He has published close to 500 peer-reviewed articles (Hirsch factor > 100), is one of the most cited authors in reproductive medicine and his work has been widely covered in the national and international lay press
Professor Thomas Freour, PharmD, PhD, is a clinical embryologist, head of the infertility department of the University Hospital of Nantes, France. He is also director of research and innovation of the IVF lab of the clinica Dexeus in Barcelona, Spain. He authored more than 100 publications, and is currently Associate Editor at Human Reproduction Journal. His main fields of interest are clinical and fundamental embryology, and innovation in IVF, including Artificial Intelligence.
Giovanni Coticchio holds a MMedSci degree in Assisted Reproduction Technologies, a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology and a qualification of full professor. He is Scientific Director of 9.baby, GeneraLife IVF, Bologna, Italy. He has published over one hundred peer-reviewed papers, several book chapters and two books. Since June 2021, he has served as member of the Executive Committee of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).
Dr Cesar Diaz-Garcia completed his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid and Pitié-Salpêtrière University in Paris. He specialized in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at La Fe University Hospital of Valencia (University of Valencia), where he was awarded with the Best Resident Award in 2009. He obtained the European PhD at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Valencia under the supervision of Prof Mats Brannstrom.
His scientific career has been devoted to the field of fertility preservation, with special interest on ovarian cortex transplantation, uterus transplantation, follicular activation and poor response in IVF. Dr Diaz-Garcia was part of the first team achieving a live birth after uterus transplantation in humans and was the lead of the Valencian Program for Fertility Preservation, one of the largest fertility preservation programs worldwide.
His academic career goes back to 2011 as an Associate Professor at the Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Valencia and from 2020 at the EGA Institute of Women’s Health at University College London.
At the present, he is the Medical Director of IVI London, where he combines his medical duties in the field of infertility with his surgical activities and academic tasks
Anne Goriely
After an undergraduate degree in Engineering (Agronomy) at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), Anne Goriely obtained a PhD studying the development of the nervous system of the Drosophila embryo. She spent 4 years in New York at Cornell Medical School and Rockefeller University, before moving to the UK to work on the nervous system development of the chick embryo. In 2000 she joined the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (University of Oxford) to study the origin of rare human developmental disorders associated with paternal age effects.
She is currently Professor of Human Genetics based at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford. Using a human genetics approach, her group’s main interests lie in elucidating the mechanisms by which we acquire new germline mutations and the implications of such processes in health and disease.
MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine,
Radcliffe Department of Medicine
University of Oxford,
Oxford, UK
Prof. PD. Gernot Hudelist, MD, MSc
Consultant Gynaecologist
Hospital St. John of God
Rudolfinerhaus Private Clinic
Vienna, Austria
Reproductive and Pelvic Surgeon
• Reproductive and Pelvic Surgeon & Sonographer
• Full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Board Member of the EEL (European Endometriosis League)
• Member of the ESGE – SIG (Special Interest Group) for
• Endometriosis
Key areas of interest:
• Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain
• Reproductive Surgery, Gynaecological Oncology
• Gynaecological Ultrasound
• Author and Co-author of over 140 publications in high-ranked peer reviewed scientific journals
• Prof. Gernot Hudelist has experience of over 5000 surgical procedures for endometriosis with over 2000 procedures for deep endometriosis (DE)
• Prof. Gernot Hudelist is involved in several international multicenter studies (IDEA; #ENZIAN)
Sergio Haimovich, Israel/Spain
Sergio Haimovich
• PhD in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Cum Laude) Barcelona Autonomous University
• Director of the Gynecology Department. Laniado University Hospital. Netanya, Israel.
• Head of the Hysteroscopy Unit. Gynecology Department at the Del Mar University Hospital. Barcelona, España
• Vice Chair of the AAGL Hysteroscopy SIG
• Director of the International School of Laser in Gynecology. Nadezhda Hospital. Sofia, Bulgaria.
• Co-Chair and co-Founder of the “Global Community of Hysteroscopy”
• Clinical Assistant Professor Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion. Israel
• Clinical Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Republic University of Uruguay
Prof. PD. Gernot Hudelist, MD, MSc
Consultant Gynaecologist
Hospital St. John of God
Rudolfinerhaus Private Clinic
Vienna, Austria
Reproductive and Pelvic Surgeon
• Reproductive and Pelvic Surgeon & Sonographer
• Full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Board Member of the EEL (European Endometriosis League)
• Member of the ESGE – SIG (Special Interest Group) for
• Endometriosis
Key areas of interest:
• Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain
• Reproductive Surgery, Gynaecological Oncology
• Gynaecological Ultrasound
• Author and Co-author of over 140 publications in high-ranked peer reviewed scientific journals
• Prof. Gernot Hudelist has experience of over 5000 surgical procedures for endometriosis with over 2000 procedures for deep endometriosis (DE)
• Prof. Gernot Hudelist is involved in several international multicenter studies (IDEA; #ENZIAN)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Johannes Ott , born in September 1980 in Vienna, Austria, currently is the deputy head of the Clinical Division of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles with a main focus on polycystic ovary syndrome, fertility surgery, recurrent miscarriage, artificial reproduction, thyroid function and autoimmune thyroiditis.
Johnny S. Younis , MD, completed his medical education, specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and sub-specialization in Reproductive Medicine at the Hadassah Medical Center, Ein-Karem, Jerusalem. He is currently the director of Reproductive Medicine at the Tzafon – Padeh Medical Center – Poriya. He is a full professor at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, affiliated with Bar-Ilan University. He is the past Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Circle and the past Chair of the Admission Committee at the Faculty of Medicine. In addition, he is the past Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Examination Board, the Scientific Council, Israeli Medical Association. Since October 2018, he has been the Vice-Dean for Clinical education at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Galilee. His current interests are low ovarian reserve, ovarian reserve biomarkers, endometriosis, and controlled ovarian stimulation. He has published over 100 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, mainly as the primary author, and has presented his work at many national and international scientific meetings
Qualifications:
1974 Biochemistry and Physiology BSc (1st class honours), King’s College, London University.
1978 Medicine, MBBS, King’s College Hospital, London University.
1984 Obstetrics and Gynaecology, MRCOG.
2014 Obstetrics and Gynaecology, FRCOG.
Present post 1992-:
Professor of Fetal Medicine, King’s College, London University.
Director Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King’s College Hospital, London
Awards:
1. Ian Donald Gold Award for Highest Contribution in Ultrasound, International Society Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1999
2. Eric Saling Award for Highest Scientific Contribution in Perinatal Medicine, World Association of Perinatal Medicine, 2001
3. Excellence in Letters, Culture and Science, Government of Cyprus, 2004
4. Honorary Fellowship of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, USA 2004
5. Membership of the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine, Barcelona, Spain 2005.
6. Spinoza Chair, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2010
7. European Maternity Prize for distinction in professional career and dedication to the field of Perinatal Medicine, European Association of Perinatal Medicine, 2014
8. Eardley Holland Gold Medal for outstanding contribution to the science, practice and/or teaching of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2015
9. Naguib Pasha Mahfouz Award, Cairo University, Egypt, 2018
10. Medal of exceptional services to the Republic of Cyprus, 2018
11. Member of the USA National Academy of Medicine in recognition for outstanding professional achievement and commitment to health and medicine, USA 2020
12. Argo award given to distinguished figures of the Greek diaspora for excelling in their field and promoting Greece abroad, Athens Greece 2021.
13. Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, Highest award of the Republic of Cyprus, 2021
14. Gold Cross of The Order of the Phoenix, Republic of Greece, 2022
15. Fellowship of Kings College, London University, UK, 2022
16. Chesley award. Highest award of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy in recognition of sustained and substantial contribution to research in pre-eclampsia. 2022.
17. Honorary Doctorates in Medicine
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece 2005
• University of Warsaw, Poland 2009
• University of Bucharest, Romania 2009
• University of Jinan, China 2010
• Palacky University of Olomouc, Czeck Republic 2011
• University of Ioannina, Greece 2012
• European University of Cyprus, Cyprus 2013
• University of Thessaly, Greece 2016
• Aristotelion University of Thessaloniki, Greece 2017
• Medical University of Preven, Bulgaria 2017
• University of Cyprus, Cyprus 2017
• University of Leuven, Belgium 2019
• University of Pao Paolo, Argentina 2019
Scientific Activities:
• Published 1,603 peer-review papers in Scientific Journals. His h-index is 184 (highest of all obstetricians and gyaecologists in the world) and his work has been cited more than 135 thousand times.
• Edited or wrote 14 books. Introduced internet based courses for health care professionals and patients
• Supervised 66 doctors to undertake research leading to postgraduate qualifications and has provided training in Fetal Medicine to 600 doctors from 50 countries.
Professional Activities:
1. Director of the Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King’s College Hospital
This centre, which was opened in 1984 by Princess Diana, was the first Fetal Medicine Centre in Britain and is the biggest one in the world. More than 20,000 patients are examined each year and many of these patients are referred from other hospitals in Britain and other countries because of serious complications of pregnancy. In addition, more than 200 doctors from all over the world visit the centre to observe and receive training.
2. Founder and Chairman of the Fetal Medicine Foundation
This charity was set up in 1995. The main source of income is a private clinic which donates all its profits to the charity. The aims are to promote research and training in Fetal Medicine throughout the World. More than £45,000,000 have been donated to finance the training of many doctors from all over the world and to carry out major multicentre studies on screening and prevention of preterm delivery and preeclampsia, which are the leading causes of perinatal mortality. The Foundation has also introduced the yearly World Congress in Fetal Medicine and has implemented a series of educational courses throughout the World.
3. Has been a member of several study groups of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the chairman of the Educational Committee of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine and the chairman of the Scientific Committee of the International Society Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
AREAS OF RESEARCH
1. Screening for chromosomal defects
Developed a new method based on a combination of ultrasound findings and maternal serum biochemistry at 11-13 weeks. This method has evolved over the last 26 years from: (i) observational phase to (ii) development of a model, to (iii) controlled clinical implementation, to (iv) establishment of an international network of centres in more than 60 countries for continuing audit and development. It has also evolved by the introduction of new sonographic and biochemical markers into the most effective method of early screening worldwide. Recently, several studies have examined the effectiveness of cfDNA analysis of maternal blood and a proposal that this method should be offered contingent on the results of the combined test.
2. Screening for fetal abnormalities
Described a sonographic method for the prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida, which is now performed world wide. Continuing research arising from the ultrasound screening programme at 11-13 weeks has established the effectiveness of this scan in firstly, detecting a wide range of fetal defects, with emphasis on cardiac abnormalities, which are the commonest cause of neonatal and infant mortality from congenital defects, and secondly, describing more that 50 congenital defects and genetic syndromes in association with increased nuchal translucency thickness.
3. Screening for and prevention of preterm birth
Preterm birth is the main cause of perinatal death and handicap in survivors. A series of studies over the last 15 years have established that first, effective screening can be provided by sonographic measurement of cervical length at 20 weeks, second, a major multicentre RCT has shown that cervical cerclage does not prevent preterm birth, third, a major multicentre RCT has shown that the prophylactic
use of progesterone in women with a short cervix can reduce the rate of preterm birth by about 40%, fourth, two major multicentre RCTs have shown that the use of a cervical pessary in singleton and twin pregnancies does not prevent preterm birth.
4. Screening for and prevention of pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction
This is an important cause of maternal mortality and morbidity and fetal mortality as well as possible causes of adult cardiovascular and endocrine disease. A series of studies over the last 20 years have established that: first, growth restricted fetuses demonstrate fetal hypoxemia and impaired biochemistry, metabolism, hematology and immunology, second, fetal hypoxemia can be predicted non-invasively by Doppler ultrasound demonstrating a redistribution in the fetal circulation, third, effective screening for pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction can be provided by Doppler sonographic measurement of blood fow in the uterine arteries at 20 weeks of pregnancy and fourth screening for pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction can be provided by a combination of Doppler measurement of blood fow in the uterine arteries, mean arterial pressure and serum placental growth factor at 11-13 weeks’ gestation. We performed major multicentre RCTs which showed that the use of low dose aspirin after 20 weeks in high-risk pregnancies does not prevent preeclampsia, but treatment starting from 12 weeks is highly effective.
5. Fetal therapy
Research in our centre over the last 35 years has established a series of effective intrauterine therapeutic interventions including fetal blood transfusions for red cell isoimmunized pregnancies, fetal platelet transfusions for alloimmune thrombocytopenia, pleuro-amniotic shunting for fetal pleural effusions, endoscopic laser separation of communicating placental vessels in monochorionic twins with severe twin transfusion syndrome or selective growth restriction and in collaboration with professors Jan Deprest and Eduard Gratacos endoscopic placement of a balloon in the fetal trachea in fetuses with diaphragm
Luis Alonso Pacheco
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2002-NOW DIRECTOR GYNECOLOGICAL ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY UNIT – CENTRO GUTENBERG
MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2010-NOW REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY CONSULTANT – QUIRÓN SALUD HOSPITAL MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2010-NOW REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY CONSULTANT – CLÍNICA VICTORIA MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2006-2009 GYNECOLOGICAL SURGERY CONSULTANT – HOSPITAL XANIT INTERNACIONAL
BENALMÁDENA
Surgery in the field of minimally invasive gynecological surgery.
EDUCATION
2012 The European Academy. Modern Hysteroscopy Course.
2008 EGES Valencia. Advanced Hysteroscopic surgery.
1998-2002 Hospital Regional Carlos Haya Málaga. Degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
1988-1994 Universidad de Valladolid. Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.
SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY
– Executive Board Member European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE)
– Immediate past Chair AAGL Hysteroscopy SIG
– Spanish Delegate of the SIAEGI (Iberoamerican Society of Gynecological Endoscopy)
– Founder and Main Editor of “Hysteroscopy Newsletter”
– Chairman of the Global Congress on Hysteroscopy
– Director of University Masters degree in Hysteroscopy
– Secretary Endoscopy Section of the Spanish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SEGO)
– Director of the Course “Hysteroscopy and 3D ultrasound in infertility”
– Presentations, Lectures and Talks for Domestic and International Congresses and Meetings
– Editor of four recent published books: “Mastering the techniques in Hysteroscopy”, “Hysteroscopy”, “Atlas of Hysteroscopy” and “Tratado de Histeroscopia”
– Associated professor of Andalusian School of Gynecological Endoscopic Surgery 2006 to 2009
– Associated professor of Endoscopic Gynecological Master University of Bolonia (Italy)
– Professor of Hysteroscopy Course – Campus Dexeus
– Editorial board member of the journal: “Progresos en Obstetricia y Ginecología”
– Editorial board Member of the journal ‘Facts, Views and Vision in Obgyn’.
– Languages: Spanish, English and Italian.
Mariano Buffone, Spain/Argentina
Mariano G Buffone Ph.D. earned his Bachelors and master’s degree in Biochemistry from University of Buenos Aires, Argentina where he also obtained his PhD. He then moved to the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, USA) as a postdoctoral fellow under the direction of professors George L. Gerton and Richard M. Schultz.
In 2010, Dr Buffone moved to Buenos Aires and became Assistant Professor at the Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he leads his research team
Since 2015, he assumed his present position as Professor at the same institution. He was recently appointed as Vice Director of the Institute.
His laboratory seeks to understand the complex process of mammalian sperm capacitation with particular emphasis in the process of acrosomal exocytosis. To this end, his lab uses a wide range of approaches that include the analysis of signaling pathways, single cell imaging experiments, super resolution microscopy and in vivo studies. Dr Buffone has also been very active collaborating with several groups in the United States, Japan, Mexico and Argentina.
pain
Michel De Vos, MD, PhD, is a senior medical director at Brussels IVF, 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 (MD 1997), has been a gynaecologist since 2006 and holds a PhD in medicine from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom (2007). 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). His main research focus is on fertility treatment in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and on fertility preservation. He is the current Chair of the In Vitro Maturation Special Interest Group of the ASRM.
He is a member of the Female Oncofertility Scientific Committee of The Oncofertility Consortium of Michigan State University
Marie-Madeleine Dolmans,
Belgium
Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, Netherlands
Marta Shahbazi is a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB). She obtained her Ph.D. in 2013 at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, and in 2014 she joined the laboratory of Prof. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz at the University of Cambridge to study mammalian embryo development at implantation. As a post-doctoral fellow, she developed a method to culture human embryos beyond implantation in vitro, and explore the consequences of aneuploidy for human embryo development. She joined the LMB in February 2020 to understand self-organization and developmental plasticity in mouse and human embryos.
Photo courtesy of MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Rossella E. Nappi – Born in Naples (Italy) – 1965
Full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chief of the Research Center for Reproductive Medicine and Gynecological Endocrinology-Menopause Unit, IRCCS San Matteo Foundation, University of Pavia (Italy)
MD, PhD
Gynecologist, Endocrinologist, Sexologist
Dr Nappi’s major interests are in the field of psychoneuroendocrinology of female reproductive and post-reproductive life with a special focus on women’s sexual health. She has published around 350 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and international books with around 19000 citations (HF Google Scholar 76).
She is a well-known speaker on women’s health from adolescence to menopause. She has been very active in many international meetings and research projects in the field of contraception, menopause and female sexual dysfunction.
She is past president of the International Society for the Study of Women Sexual Health (ISSWSH). At present, she is permanent member of the advisory board of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology (ISGE) and of the International Academy of Human Reproduction (IAHR) and President Elect of the International Menopause Society (IMS).
Qualifications:
1974 Biochemistry and Physiology BSc (1st class honours), King’s College, London University.
1978 Medicine, MBBS, King’s College Hospital, London University.
1984 Obstetrics and Gynaecology, MRCOG.
2014 Obstetrics and Gynaecology, FRCOG.
Present post 1992-:
Professor of Fetal Medicine, King’s College, London University.
Director Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King’s College Hospital, London
Awards:
1. Ian Donald Gold Award for Highest Contribution in Ultrasound, International Society Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1999
2. Eric Saling Award for Highest Scientific Contribution in Perinatal Medicine, World Association of Perinatal Medicine, 2001
3. Excellence in Letters, Culture and Science, Government of Cyprus, 2004
4. Honorary Fellowship of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, USA 2004
5. Membership of the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine, Barcelona, Spain 2005.
6. Spinoza Chair, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2010
7. European Maternity Prize for distinction in professional career and dedication to the field of Perinatal Medicine, European Association of Perinatal Medicine, 2014
8. Eardley Holland Gold Medal for outstanding contribution to the science, practice and/or teaching of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2015
9. Naguib Pasha Mahfouz Award, Cairo University, Egypt, 2018
10. Medal of exceptional services to the Republic of Cyprus, 2018
11. Member of the USA National Academy of Medicine in recognition for outstanding professional achievement and commitment to health and medicine, USA 2020
12. Argo award given to distinguished figures of the Greek diaspora for excelling in their field and promoting Greece abroad, Athens Greece 2021.
13. Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, Highest award of the Republic of Cyprus, 2021
14. Gold Cross of The Order of the Phoenix, Republic of Greece, 2022
15. Fellowship of Kings College, London University, UK, 2022
16. Chesley award. Highest award of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy in recognition of sustained and substantial contribution to research in pre-eclampsia. 2022.
17. Honorary Doctorates in Medicine
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece 2005
• University of Warsaw, Poland 2009
• University of Bucharest, Romania 2009
• University of Jinan, China 2010
• Palacky University of Olomouc, Czeck Republic 2011
• University of Ioannina, Greece 2012
• European University of Cyprus, Cyprus 2013
• University of Thessaly, Greece 2016
• Aristotelion University of Thessaloniki, Greece 2017
• Medical University of Preven, Bulgaria 2017
• University of Cyprus, Cyprus 2017
• University of Leuven, Belgium 2019
• University of Pao Paolo, Argentina 2019
Scientific Activities:
• Published 1,603 peer-review papers in Scientific Journals. His h-index is 184 (highest of all obstetricians and gyaecologists in the world) and his work has been cited more than 135 thousand times.
• Edited or wrote 14 books. Introduced internet based courses for health care professionals and patients
• Supervised 66 doctors to undertake research leading to postgraduate qualifications and has provided training in Fetal Medicine to 600 doctors from 50 countries.
Professional Activities:
1. Director of the Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King’s College Hospital
This centre, which was opened in 1984 by Princess Diana, was the first Fetal Medicine Centre in Britain and is the biggest one in the world. More than 20,000 patients are examined each year and many of these patients are referred from other hospitals in Britain and other countries because of serious complications of pregnancy. In addition, more than 200 doctors from all over the world visit the centre to observe and receive training.
2. Founder and Chairman of the Fetal Medicine Foundation
This charity was set up in 1995. The main source of income is a private clinic which donates all its profits to the charity. The aims are to promote research and training in Fetal Medicine throughout the World. More than £45,000,000 have been donated to finance the training of many doctors from all over the world and to carry out major multicentre studies on screening and prevention of preterm delivery and preeclampsia, which are the leading causes of perinatal mortality. The Foundation has also introduced the yearly World Congress in Fetal Medicine and has implemented a series of educational courses throughout the World.
3. Has been a member of several study groups of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the chairman of the Educational Committee of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine and the chairman of the Scientific Committee of the International Society Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
AREAS OF RESEARCH
1. Screening for chromosomal defects
Developed a new method based on a combination of ultrasound findings and maternal serum biochemistry at 11-13 weeks. This method has evolved over the last 26 years from: (i) observational phase to (ii) development of a model, to (iii) controlled clinical implementation, to (iv) establishment of an international network of centres in more than 60 countries for continuing audit and development. It has also evolved by the introduction of new sonographic and biochemical markers into the most effective method of early screening worldwide. Recently, several studies have examined the effectiveness of cfDNA analysis of maternal blood and a proposal that this method should be offered contingent on the results of the combined test.
2. Screening for fetal abnormalities
Described a sonographic method for the prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida, which is now performed world wide. Continuing research arising from the ultrasound screening programme at 11-13 weeks has established the effectiveness of this scan in firstly, detecting a wide range of fetal defects, with emphasis on cardiac abnormalities, which are the commonest cause of neonatal and infant mortality from congenital defects, and secondly, describing more that 50 congenital defects and genetic syndromes in association with increased nuchal translucency thickness.
3. Screening for and prevention of preterm birth
Preterm birth is the main cause of perinatal death and handicap in survivors. A series of studies over the last 15 years have established that first, effective screening can be provided by sonographic measurement of cervical length at 20 weeks, second, a major multicentre RCT has shown that cervical cerclage does not prevent preterm birth, third, a major multicentre RCT has shown that the prophylactic
use of progesterone in women with a short cervix can reduce the rate of preterm birth by about 40%, fourth, two major multicentre RCTs have shown that the use of a cervical pessary in singleton and twin pregnancies does not prevent preterm birth.
4. Screening for and prevention of pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction
This is an important cause of maternal mortality and morbidity and fetal mortality as well as possible causes of adult cardiovascular and endocrine disease. A series of studies over the last 20 years have established that: first, growth restricted fetuses demonstrate fetal hypoxemia and impaired biochemistry, metabolism, hematology and immunology, second, fetal hypoxemia can be predicted non-invasively by Doppler ultrasound demonstrating a redistribution in the fetal circulation, third, effective screening for pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction can be provided by Doppler sonographic measurement of blood fow in the uterine arteries at 20 weeks of pregnancy and fourth screening for pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction can be provided by a combination of Doppler measurement of blood fow in the uterine arteries, mean arterial pressure and serum placental growth factor at 11-13 weeks’ gestation. We performed major multicentre RCTs which showed that the use of low dose aspirin after 20 weeks in high-risk pregnancies does not prevent preeclampsia, but treatment starting from 12 weeks is highly effective.
5. Fetal therapy
Research in our centre over the last 35 years has established a series of effective intrauterine therapeutic interventions including fetal blood transfusions for red cell isoimmunized pregnancies, fetal platelet transfusions for alloimmune thrombocytopenia, pleuro-amniotic shunting for fetal pleural effusions, endoscopic laser separation of communicating placental vessels in monochorionic twins with severe twin transfusion syndrome or selective growth restriction and in collaboration with professors Jan Deprest and Eduard Gratacos endoscopic placement of a balloon in the fetal trachea in fetuses with diaphragm
Nick Panay BSc MBBS FRCOG MFSRH
Present position
Consultant Gynecologist, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Professor of Practice, Imperial College London
Guest Professor, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University
President, International Menopause Society.
Summary CV
As director of the Menopause & PMS Centres at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals, Nick leads a busy clinical and research team which publishes widely, presents at scientific meetings and trains health professionals at all levels.
He set up his Gynaecological Endocrinology (Gynae Endo) Research Unit within the Women’s Health Research Centre of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. He also runs a research programme at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (C & W). He and his team of research fellows and research nurses run an active research programme consisting of translational, clinical and pharmaceutically sponsored research in menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), premenstrual syndrome, androgens and contraception.
Nick has authored more than 200 peer reviewed publications with greater than 10000 citations to date, and has a Google Scholar h index of 49. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences, as an invited keynote and plenary speaker.
Through his work with a number of societies, councils and women’s groups he campaigns actively for women’s health issues both nationally and internationally.
His affiliations include:
Past Chairman of The British Menopause Society (BMS),
Medical Advisory Council Member, BMS
Chairman of The National Association for Premenstrual Syndromes,
Clinical Advisory Board Member, International Association for Premenstrual Disorders,
Patron of Daisy Network
Past Council Member and Honorary Director of Conferences, RCOG,
Past President and Council Member, Royal Society of Medicine (O & G Division).
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Johannes Ott , born in September 1980 in Vienna, Austria, currently is the deputy head of the Clinical Division of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles with a main focus on polycystic ovary syndrome, fertility surgery, recurrent miscarriage, artificial reproduction, thyroid function and autoimmune thyroiditis.
Luis Alonso Pacheco
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2002-NOW DIRECTOR GYNECOLOGICAL ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY UNIT – CENTRO GUTENBERG
MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2010-NOW REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY CONSULTANT – QUIRÓN SALUD HOSPITAL MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2010-NOW REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY CONSULTANT – CLÍNICA VICTORIA MÁLAGA
Surgery in the field of reproductive medicine in order to re-establish fertility or create better conditions to improve ART outcomes.
2006-2009 GYNECOLOGICAL SURGERY CONSULTANT – HOSPITAL XANIT INTERNACIONAL
BENALMÁDENA
Surgery in the field of minimally invasive gynecological surgery.
EDUCATION
2012 The European Academy. Modern Hysteroscopy Course.
2008 EGES Valencia. Advanced Hysteroscopic surgery.
1998-2002 Hospital Regional Carlos Haya Málaga. Degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
1988-1994 Universidad de Valladolid. Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.
SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY
– Executive Board Member European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE)
– Immediate past Chair AAGL Hysteroscopy SIG
– Spanish Delegate of the SIAEGI (Iberoamerican Society of Gynecological Endoscopy)
– Founder and Main Editor of “Hysteroscopy Newsletter”
– Chairman of the Global Congress on Hysteroscopy
– Director of University Masters degree in Hysteroscopy
– Secretary Endoscopy Section of the Spanish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SEGO)
– Director of the Course “Hysteroscopy and 3D ultrasound in infertility”
– Presentations, Lectures and Talks for Domestic and International Congresses and Meetings
– Editor of four recent published books: “Mastering the techniques in Hysteroscopy”, “Hysteroscopy”, “Atlas of Hysteroscopy” and “Tratado de Histeroscopia”
– Associated professor of Andalusian School of Gynecological Endoscopic Surgery 2006 to 2009
– Associated professor of Endoscopic Gynecological Master University of Bolonia (Italy)
– Professor of Hysteroscopy Course – Campus Dexeus
– Editorial board member of the journal: “Progresos en Obstetricia y Ginecología”
– Editorial board Member of the journal ‘Facts, Views and Vision in Obgyn’.
– Languages: Spanish, English and Italian.
Pierluigi Benedetti Panici, Italy
Nick Panay BSc MBBS FRCOG MFSRH
Present position
Consultant Gynecologist, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Professor of Practice, Imperial College London
Guest Professor, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University
President, International Menopause Society.
Summary CV
As director of the Menopause & PMS Centres at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals, Nick leads a busy clinical and research team which publishes widely, presents at scientific meetings and trains health professionals at all levels.
He set up his Gynaecological Endocrinology (Gynae Endo) Research Unit within the Women’s Health Research Centre of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. He also runs a research programme at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (C & W). He and his team of research fellows and research nurses run an active research programme consisting of translational, clinical and pharmaceutically sponsored research in menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), premenstrual syndrome, androgens and contraception.
Nick has authored more than 200 peer reviewed publications with greater than 10000 citations to date, and has a Google Scholar h index of 49. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences, as an invited keynote and plenary speaker.
Through his work with a number of societies, councils and women’s groups he campaigns actively for women’s health issues both nationally and internationally.
His affiliations include:
Past Chairman of The British Menopause Society (BMS),
Medical Advisory Council Member, BMS
Chairman of The National Association for Premenstrual Syndromes,
Clinical Advisory Board Member, International Association for Premenstrual Disorders,
Patron of Daisy Network
Past Council Member and Honorary Director of Conferences, RCOG,
Past President and Council Member, Royal Society of Medicine (O & G Division).
Paul Pirtea, France
Rossella E. Nappi – Born in Naples (Italy) – 1965
Full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chief of the Research Center for Reproductive Medicine and Gynecological Endocrinology-Menopause Unit, IRCCS San Matteo Foundation, University of Pavia (Italy)
MD, PhD
Gynecologist, Endocrinologist, Sexologist
Dr Nappi’s major interests are in the field of psychoneuroendocrinology of female reproductive and post-reproductive life with a special focus on women’s sexual health. She has published around 350 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and international books with around 19000 citations (HF Google Scholar 76).
She is a well-known speaker on women’s health from adolescence to menopause. She has been very active in many international meetings and research projects in the field of contraception, menopause and female sexual dysfunction.
She is past president of the International Society for the Study of Women Sexual Health (ISSWSH). At present, she is permanent member of the advisory board of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology (ISGE) and of the International Academy of Human Reproduction (IAHR) and President Elect of the International Menopause Society (IMS).
René Wenzl, Austri
Teresa Almeida Santos, Portugal
Teresa Almeida Santos, MD., Ph.D.
Professor- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Director of the Gynecology, Obstetrics, Reproduction and Neonatalogy Department of the Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Portugal
General Secretary of the Portuguese Federation of OB/GYN societies
Shai Carmi is an associate professor at the Hebrew University School of Public Health. His training is in statistical physics and population genetics, and his current research focuses on statistical methods in genetics. Specific areas of study include theoretical population genetics, ancient DNA, genetic genealogy, genome-wide association studies, polygenic risk scores, pre-conception genetic testing, and pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT). His work on PGT includes the development of embryo genotyping methods and the evaluation of PGT for polygenic (complex) diseases and traits.
Sergio Haimovich, Israel/Spain
Sergio Haimovich
• PhD in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Cum Laude) Barcelona Autonomous University
• Director of the Gynecology Department. Laniado University Hospital. Netanya, Israel.
• Head of the Hysteroscopy Unit. Gynecology Department at the Del Mar University Hospital. Barcelona, España
• Vice Chair of the AAGL Hysteroscopy SIG
• Director of the International School of Laser in Gynecology. Nadezhda Hospital. Sofia, Bulgaria.
• Co-Chair and co-Founder of the “Global Community of Hysteroscopy”
• Clinical Assistant Professor Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion. Israel
• Clinical Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Republic University of Uruguay
Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, Netherlands
Marta Shahbazi is a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB). She obtained her Ph.D. in 2013 at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, and in 2014 she joined the laboratory of Prof. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz at the University of Cambridge to study mammalian embryo development at implantation. As a post-doctoral fellow, she developed a method to culture human embryos beyond implantation in vitro, and explore the consequences of aneuploidy for human embryo development. She joined the LMB in February 2020 to understand self-organization and developmental plasticity in mouse and human embryos.
Photo courtesy of MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Teresa Almeida Santos, Portugal
Teresa Almeida Santos, MD., Ph.D.
Professor- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Director of the Gynecology, Obstetrics, Reproduction and Neonatalogy Department of the Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Portugal
General Secretary of the Portuguese Federation of OB/GYN societies
Professor Thomas Freour, PharmD, PhD, is a clinical embryologist, head of the infertility department of the University Hospital of Nantes, France. He is also director of research and innovation of the IVF lab of the clinica Dexeus in Barcelona, Spain. He authored more than 100 publications, and is currently Associate Editor at Human Reproduction Journal. His main fields of interest are clinical and fundamental embryology, and innovation in IVF, including Artificial Intelligence.
Michel De Vos, MD, PhD, is a senior medical director at Brussels IVF, 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 (MD 1997), has been a gynaecologist since 2006 and holds a PhD in medicine from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom (2007). 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). His main research focus is on fertility treatment in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and on fertility preservation. He is the current Chair of the In Vitro Maturation Special Interest Group of the ASRM.
He is a member of the Female Oncofertility Scientific Committee of The Oncofertility Consortium of Michigan State University
Prof. Dr. Arne Vanhie is a gynecologist at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium, with a special interest in endometriosis and infertility. He obtained his medical degree at Leuven University, Belgium. During his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology he worked at the University Hospital Leuven and University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a thesis on microRNA as biomarkers for endometriosis. As part of his PhD he worked on a two year project in the baboon model for endometriosis at the Institute of Primate Research in Nairobi, Kenya. After a research fellowship at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University, USA he started working in the Leuven University Fertility Center. The greater part of his clinical practice are couples who need pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT-M) and women with endometriosis-related pain or infertility. Along with his clinical work Prof. Dr. Arne Vanhie is researcher at Leuven University in the Laboratory of Endometrium, Endometriosis and Reproductive Medicine (LEERM). His research is focused on reproductive genetics and non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis.
Andrea Weghofer, MD PhD MSc MBA works as a senior consultant at the Department of Gynecological Endocrinology & Reproductive Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria and serves as the head of the department’s outpatient unit for fertility treatment.
Dr. Weghofer was born and raised in Vienna and graduated from the Medical University of Vienna. She obtained her PhD as the first graduate of the University’s Reproductive Endocrinology program. Dr. Weghofer completed her residency training at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Medical University in Vienna and her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Genetics at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. She is board certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology (including reproductive endocrinology & infertility) and in Human Genetics. In the course of international research collaborations Dr. Weghofer concentrates her research efforts on in vitro fertilization, ovarian senescence and reproductive genetics. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and has won a number of national and international awards for her scientific work. Currently Dr. Weghofer serves as section editor for Reproductive Biomedicine Online and was appointed Vice president of Austria’s Society of Reproductive Medicine.
René Wenzl, Austri
Johnny S. Younis , MD, completed his medical education, specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and sub-specialization in Reproductive Medicine at the Hadassah Medical Center, Ein-Karem, Jerusalem. He is currently the director of Reproductive Medicine at the Tzafon – Padeh Medical Center – Poriya. He is a full professor at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Galilee, affiliated with Bar-Ilan University. He is the past Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Circle and the past Chair of the Admission Committee at the Faculty of Medicine. In addition, he is the past Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Examination Board, the Scientific Council, Israeli Medical Association. Since October 2018, he has been the Vice-Dean for Clinical education at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Galilee. His current interests are low ovarian reserve, ovarian reserve biomarkers, endometriosis, and controlled ovarian stimulation. He has published over 100 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, mainly as the primary author, and has presented his work at many national and international scientific meetings
Training
Specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology: UCLA
Diplomate of The Am Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Sub-specialty in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility: UCLA
Diplomate of the Am Board of Ob-Gyn, Reprod Endocr. and Infertility.
By endorsement of US diplomas:
Specialist in OB-GYN and subspecialist in Reprod Endocr and Infert in France and Switzerland
Editorship
* Editorial Board of Fertility and Sterility:
* Editorial Editor 2021 –
* Former Associate Editor Human Reproduction
* Ad hoc Reviewer: Journal Clin Endocr and Metab, Lancet
Past positions
* Professor and Head Division Reprod Endocr and Infert.
2004-2008: University Hospitals of Geneva and Lausanne; Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland
* Professor and Head Division Reprod Endocr and Infert
2008-2017: Hopital Cochin Medical Center; Paris France