Faculty
Prof. Leila Adamyan
In 1972 Prof. Adamyan graduated from I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Institute. Since 1972 she has been working in the National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology named after V.I. Kulakov
– Honorary Member of the AAGL (2012) and ACOG (2017)
– Head Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology of Ministry of Health of Russian Federation, Vice-President Russian Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
– President of Russian Association of Endometriosis, Society for Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Russian Association of Gynecologists-Endoscopists
Prof. Adamyan has over 1000 national and international publications, including 14 monographs and guidelines, 5 atlases and 11 chapters.
Maria Afonso, Portugal
Diogo Ayres-de-Campos, Portugal
DIOGO AYRES-DE-CAMPOS, MD, PhD is currently Associate Professor at the Medical School – University of Lisbon, Portugal, and Chair of the Obstetrics Department at the Santa Maria University Hospital, Lisbon.
His main scientific areas of interest are intrapartum fetal monitoring and obstetric simulation. He is a co-inventor of the “Omniview-SisPorto®” program for computer analysis of fetal monitoring signals (Speculum, Lisbon, Portugal, 2006), the clinical record database Obscare (Virtualcare, Porto, Portugal), and was the medical consultant for the development of the “Lucina®” obstetric simulator (CAE Healthcare, Montreal, Canada, 2014).
He has published 122 papers in international Medline-indexed journals, edited 4 books, authored 17 international book chapters, written 1 international book, and has given 181 invited lectures at international scientific meetings.
He is the President-Elect of the “European Association of Perinatal Medicine – EAPM”, a Council Member of the “European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynecology – EBCOG”, and co-ordinator of EBCOG Part 2 Exam – Evaluation of clinical skills. From 2010-2018 he integrated the “Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health committee” at the “International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology – FIGO”, where he co-ordinated the 2015 revision of the “FIGO guidelines on intrapartum fetal monitoring”. He participated in the World Health Organisation consensus panels for “Recommendations on antenatal care” and “Intrapartum care and reduction of unnecessary caesarean section” in 2016.
Franz Bahlmann, Germany
Professor Barratt is Head of Division Systems Medicine, Head of the Reproductive Medicine Group at the University of Dundee as well as a clinical scientist (Hon) with NHS Tayside. He graduated with an Honours degree in Zoology and then completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (University of Wales, Swansea). His PhD, also in Zoology, was under the supervision of Jack Cohen at the University of Birmingham.
His formative post-doctoral studies and ART experience was gained at the University of Sheffield [with Ian Cooke] where they specialized in natural cycle IVF. From 1997-2005 he was the Scientific Director of the ART Centre at the Birmingham Women’s Hospital.
Professor Barratt has been awarded a number of honors for outstanding contributions to the discipline e.g. Young Andrologist of the Year (American Andrology Society), the Professor Sir Robert Edwards keynote lecture at ESHRE.
He is a regularly invited speaker at national and international scientific conferences/workshops. He was a member of the WHO Male Fertility Semen Analysis Taskforce (for both the 4th and 5th editions) and director of the WHO (2012-2017) Male Fertility Expert Working Group which devised a new system for the diagnosis and treatment of the infertile male.
He was a member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for 6 years.
Professor Barratt has recently been appointed to editorial board of WHO for development of new Semen Analysis manual (6th edition).
He has been on the Editorial Board of Human Reproduction, Human Fertility, Biology of Reproduction, Human Reproduction Update, Journal of Andrology and is currently Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Human Reproduction (Impact factor 5 year 3.6)
His life’s ambition is to see – live – Wales comprehensively beat the All Blacks.
Research
We are primarily focused on understanding the function of the human spermatozoa and identifying the key factors in the process of sperm egg interation.
Our research uses cutting edge technology combined with selected samples from patients with well-defined pathology. As such the research has a very strong translational focus.
Our primary collaborators in Dundee are the IVF clinic at NHS Tayside, Abertay University’s Dr Sean Brown, Professor Paul Wyatt (Drug Discovery Unit, SLS), and Paul Andrews (National Phenotypic Screening Centre, SLS)
We are funded by NHS Tayside, MRC, Chief Scientists Office (Scotland), Astra Zeneca and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
We regularly contribute to public debates on reproductive issues: e.g. impact of male age.
Joelle Belaisch Allart, France
Education
Graduated from Tel Aviv University (TAU), Board certified in Ob/Gyn in Israel and USA.
1983;1992: Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, in Israel and USA
1984-1987, NIH Fellow in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, Department of Ob/Gyn, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia
2009: Member of world College of Reproduction; Chairmen of Scientific Program, Venice, Italy
Medical Experience
1989: Professor, Tel Aviv University
1991-2007: Chairmen, Department of Gynecology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, and Golda Campus
1997: Incumbent of the Tarnesby Chair of Fertility and Fertility Regulation Tel Aviv University
1999-2005, President, Israeli Menopause Association
Currently, IVF unite, Laniado Medical Center
Congress Experience
1989: Secretary, 6th world Congress in “In Vitro Fertilization’, Jerusalem
Founder and Chairman of the Mediterranean Sea Congress, Eilat
2006: Co-Founder, World Congress on Controversies in Obesity, Diabetes and Hypertension (CODHy)
2006–2007: Founder & Co-Chair, Gender Based Medicine World Congress
1999 – present: Founder and Chairmen, COGI-World Congress of Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility
Scientific Publications
About 400 Scientific Publications; 2 books written 12 books edited
Reviewer and previously editorial board in International Journals including F&S
Founder and editor of a Series of debates entitled “Controversies” in the “J of IVF and Genetics”
Supervisor of MD thesis to numerous doctors
Advisor to start up and medical device companies
Biking, Hiking, Skiing, Reading history
Pierluigi Benedetti Panici, Italy
Prof. Pierluigi Benedetti Panici is the Director of University Department of Gynecological and Obstetrics Sciences and Urological Sciences Umberto I Hospital, University “Sapienza” of Rome since October 2016 onward.
After the medical degree ‘cum laude’ at University “Sapienza” of Rome in 1975, he was medical assistant at the Department of Gynecologic Oncology of National Cancer Institute (Milan) and at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Catholic University (Rome). He was also Honorary Assistant at Breast Unit Cancer Research Found Guy’s Hospital of London in 1983 and Assistant Professor and Head of the Gynecology Oncology Section from 1986 to 1991 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Catholic University (Rome).
He has a great experience in Gynecologic-Oncologic Surgery and paid particular attention to this research field along time.
He is primary operator of more than 9000 major gynaecological oncology surgical procedures for gynaecological cancer (cervix, endometrium, ovary, vulva, vagina) and of more than 12.000 major gynaecological surgery procedures for benign disease, including major operative laparoscopies, pelvic floor reconstructive surgery, operative hysteroscopies.
Finally, he is author of more than 500 international publications with a H-index Scopus score of 60.
He is member of numerous scientific societies.
Grants
• Poster Award – S.G.O.’s, 26° Annual Meeting, The Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, San Francisco, 1995.
• Visiting Professor al Memorial Sloan Kettering Center di New York Barbara Moore Jordan Foundation Conference, 1997.
• Visiting Professor al Comprehensive Cancer Center Um Sylvester, University of Miami, School of Medicine, 1999.
• Poster Award – Best Endometriosis Paper – 31th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, 2002.
• “Kurt Semm Award for Excellence in Laparoscopy”, Best Oral Presentation at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, Las Vegas, 2003.
• “Wertheim Award” for outstanding in Gynecologic Oncology, Austrian Society of Gynecologic Oncology. ASGO, Vienna, 2005.
• Resectoscopic versus bipolar electrode excision of endometrial polyps: A randomized Study. 3rd prize Golden hysteroscope award. American Association of Gynecological, Laparoscopists, AAGL, Chicago, 2005.
• Histological analysis of endometrioma: what the surgeon needs to know.1st prize Carlo Romanini Award. American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, AAGL, Chicago, 2005.
• 2nd Place “Kott Award for Best New Minimally Invasive Technique”, 37th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, Washington, 2007.
Prof. Isaac Blickstein
Education
The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
Academic affiliation
Professor, The Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel; Affiliate Professor, University of Tampa, Fl.
Positions held to date
Editor – 1 journal, Guest Editor – 4 journals, Associate Editor – 2 journals, Member of the Editorial Board of 8 journals, Reviewer of 40 journals, Visisting Professor at 58 universities.
Main Publications:
298 Original articles and Editorials
70 Chapters in books
5 Books (including BMA Award winning for best medical book in Obstetrics and Gynecology 2005)
477 presentations at International scientific meetings
Current office
Faculty of the Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaplan Medical Center, Unit of High Risk Pregnancy and Delivery Room
Chairman: The Working Group on Multiple Pregnancy of the International Society for Twin Studies, Research Committee on multiple pregnancy of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine
Board member: The Fetus as a Patient Society, The World Association of Prenatal Medicine, International Society for Twin Studies, Affiliate member of the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine
Sub-specialty: Perinatal Medicine, Main research area: Multiple Pregnancy
Hobbies: Medicine in art and history, gourmet food
Dr Francesc Xavier Bosch conducts epidemiological research focusing on cancers linked to infectious agents. His main research studies focus on cancer of the liver, the cervix, the skin, vagina, anus, penis and cancers of the head and neck. He has also conducted studies on diet and colorectal cancer and headed a program of implementation and methodological research in cancer registration.
Dr Bosch’s research projects on viruses and cancer have been instrumental in demonstrating the causal role of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in cervical cancer and played a catalytic role for the initiation of the first vaccine trials and for the evaluation of HPV tests as screening tools. Dr Bosch was an early introducer of the now called molecular epidemiology, by designing studies that integrate novel biological assays at DNA level to assess exposure to viral carcinogens. Relevant epidemiological field studies have been carried out in over 35 countries around the world, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The final and more practical goal of his research has extended into the application of the aetiological knowledge to the prevention of cancer.
Phillippe Bouchard, France
Florence Bretelle, France
Mark Brincat
M.R.C.P. L.R.C.S.(Lond.), F.R.C.O.G.(Lond), F.R.C.P.(Irel.); Ph.D.(U.K.)
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist; Clinical Chairman & Head of Department
Resident Professor in Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Educated: St. Aloysius College [Malta], University of Malta, King’s College Hospital School of Medicine and Dentistry [U.K.], St. George’s Hospital School of Medicine [U.K.].
Qualifications: Member of the Royal College of Surgeons & Licencate of the Royal College of Physicians [U.K., 1979], Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists [U.K., 1986], Doctor of Philosophy [U.K., 1986], Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists [U.K., 1986], Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland [Ireland, 2002], Accreditation Certificate in Obstetrics-Gynaecology [S.A.C., Malta, 2003].
Current employment: Consultant Obstetrician-Gynaecologist – Head of Department, Department of Health, Malta; Former director of Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine & Surgery, University of Malta; Specialist Obstetrician-Gynaecologist in Private Practice.
Research Interests: Collagen disorders; menopause & climacteric; bone metabolism; Gynaecological endocrinology. Associate Dean QMUL, Medical School, and Associate Professor Medical Education, QMUL, London.
Sophie Christin-Maitre, France
Herjan Coelingh Bennink, Netherlands
Herjan Coelingh Bennink (HCB), MD, PhD, trained in Internal Medicine and Gynaecology in Deventer, Leiden and Utrecht, the Netherlands (Dr Pannekoek, Prof Jon van Rood and Prof Ary Haspels) and certified in 1976 as specialist in ObGyn. In 1974 he was Research Fellow at the Center of Reproductive Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA (Prof Jan Behrman). Since 1976 he was director of the Department of Reproductive Endocrinology at the University Hospital in Utrecht. In 1980 he completed his PhD thesis on Gestational Diabetes.
In 1987 HCB joined Organon in the Netherlands as Executive VP of the Women’s Health (WH) R&D programme, where he was responsible for the development of drugs such as recFSH (Puregon) and a GnRH antagonist (Antagon) for IVF, a contraceptive vaginal ring (Nuvaring), a progestin-only implant (Implanon) and a progestin-only pill (Cerazette) for contraception and Tibolone (Livial) for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). From 1997-2005 HCB was visiting professor Reproductive Medicine at the Dutch speaking Free University in Brussels, Belgium (Profs Paul Devroey and André van Steirteghem).
HCB founded Pantarhei Bioscience early 2001 for the development of new drugs for WH applications, such as the natural fetal estrogen Estetrol (E4) for contraception and HRT, a new combined oral contraceptive (COC) preserving sexual function by preventing the loss of testosterone due to COC use (Androgen Restored Contraception) and an immunological method for the treatment of Zona Pellucida 3 (ZP3) antigen expressing ovarian cancer. Late 2014 HCB founded Pantarhei Oncology for the development of drugs for endocrine and reproductive tract cancers such as ZP3 expressing ovarian, prostate and lung cancer and Estetrol for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer.
Prof. George K. Creatsas is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He served as a Dean of the University of Athens Medical School for the years 2003-2007 and as a Vice Rector of the University of Athens Greece (2006-2010).
Professor Creatsas has published more than 376 papers with more than 3234 citations (h index 33) in international peer review Journals in the fields of corrective gynecologic surgery, menopause, pediatric and adolescent gynecology and family planning. He is the Editor of 15 proceedings and 5 books in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is Honorary Chief Editor of the European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care, Chief Editor of the Journal of Adolescent Gynecology- Reproduction and Menopause (Greece) as well as member of the Editorial Board of the Journals: Gynecological Endocrinology and European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.
Professor Creatsas was President and is currently Honorary President of the International Federation of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (FIGIJ). He was also President of the European Society of Contraception (ESC), Vice President of the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (EBCOG), President of the Hellenic Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Hellenic Family Planning Association and member of the Board of the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS). Is currently President of the Hellenic Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. He is also Fellow ad Eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FRCOG) and the American College of Surgeons (FACS), Fellow ad eundem of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG), member of the International Academy of Human Reproduction and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
His main topics of scientific interest are Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology and Reconstructive Gynecologic Surgery as well as Contraception. He has developed a surgical technic for reconstruction of vaginal aplasia modifying the Williams Vaginoplasty. “Creatsas Vaginoplasty”: Creatsas G. et al. Creation of a neovagina after Creatsas modification of Williams vaginoplasty for the treatment of 200 (currently 254) patients with Mayer- Rokitansky- Kuster- Hauser syndrome. Fertil Steril, 94 2010.
He has organized or contributed to the organization of many National and International Congresses, among which are: World Congresses of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (FIGIJ), Congresses of the European Society of Contraception (ESC), Congresses of the European Board College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (EBCOG) and 10 Congresses on Women’s Health and Disease. Proceedings of the above meetings have been published in the Annals of New York Academy of Medicine.
Christopher De Jonge, PhD, HCLD, is Adjunct Professor, Department of Urology, at the University of Minnesota, and Director, Andrology Program at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. He is board-certified as a high-complexity clinical laboratory director and the first person to be certified as “Embryologist” by the American College of Embryology.
In 1989, Christopher received his doctorate in Physiology along with the Rush University Graduate College Award from Rush University in Chicago. In 1995, he received the American Society of Andrology ‘Young Andrologist’ award in recognition of an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of Andrology. He was co-investigator/author of a research publication cited by TIME magazine as “2010 Top Ten Medical Breakthroughs” (Nature Biotechnology, October 2010).
Professor De Jonge twice served on the Editorial Committee for the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination of Human Semen and Sperm–Cervical Mucus Interaction. He served as Editorial Board member for Human Reproduction, Biology of Reproduction, and was Associate/Section Editor for the Journal of Andrology. Currently he is on the Editorial Board of Fertility & Sterility and is Section Editor for Reproductive BioMedicine Online.
Dominique de Ziegler, MD
Current position (from 2017)
Professor and University Consultant
Foch ART Center
Suresnes, France
A Clinical professor
NYU Langone Medical Center
New York, NY
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
Former Associate Editor Human Reproduction
Ad hoc Reviewer: Journal Clin Endocr and Metab, Lancet
Past positions
Assistant Professor
1986-1988: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
University of New Jersey, Newark NJ
Associate professor
1988-1992: Reproductive Medicine
Hopital Antoine Beclere, Paris France
Director, Head of Research and Development
1992-2003 Columbia Laboratories
New York, NY
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
Professor Philippe Descamps is Head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at the University Hospital, Angers, France. He has also held the role of Chairman of the department since l 999. Professor Descamps attained his M.D. in 1989, before specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology in 1993. In 1995, he undertook a research fellowship in gynaecologic oncology at the Cedar’s SinOi Medical Center in Los Angeles, USA under Professor B. Y. Karlan.
A member of numerous scientific and medical societies, including the World Endometriosis Society, the French National Society of Gynaecologic Oncology (SFOG) and the French College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (CNGOF: College National des Gynecologues Obstetriciens Fran9ais) , Professor Decamps is also Vice-President of the French Society of Pelvic Surgery, a position he has held since May 201 l .
Professor Descamps ‘ fields of scientific interest include gynaecologic surgery, specifically genital prolapse, urogynaecology and endometriosis, and gynaecologic cancers, including endometrial, cervical and ovarian .
Editor of medical journal La Lettre du Gynecologue since 2010, Professor Descamps has published 85 articles in English and American journals and also undertaken numerous teaching programmes for the French College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology [CNGOF), including holding courses in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Mali, Brazil and Bosnia.
Societies:
President of International Relations Commission for CNGOF (French College of Ob-Gyn)
Vice-president of the SCGP (French Society of pelvic surgery)
FIGO Executive board member (elected in 2014)
Member of the World Endometriosis Society (WES)
Member of SEUD (Society for endometriosis and uterine disorders)
Publications:
384 publications : 126 in English, 258 in French
(Am J Obstet Gynecol, Obstet Gynecol, Gynecol. Oncol., Cancer,
Fertil Steril, Human Reprod, Int. J. Radiation. Oncol. Biol. Phys., Eur. J. Gyn. Obst., J. Ultrasound Med., Prenatal Diagnosis, J. Inf. Dis.)
479 communications in national and international meetings, including 46 invitations as invited speaker for international meetings (North America, Europe, Africa, Asia).
29 books, including 10 books as main author.
Adam’s primary research focus is clinical trials in early pregnancy care, with a particular focus on miscarriage and infertility. Adam has a split role within the University of Birmingham (UK), working as a Trials Management Team Leader at the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit and as a Senior Clinical Trials Fellow in the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, led by Prof Arri Coomarasamy.
Prof. Giancarlo Di Renzo, Honorary Secretary of FIGO, is Professor and Chair at the University of Perugia (UOP) in Italy. He is Director of both the Reproductive and Perinatal Medicine Center and the Midwifery School at UOP. He is also Director of the Permanent International and European School of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine (PREIS) in Florence. He holds multiple other positions including Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine based in London and Corresponding Editor of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is an Advisory Board Member for the March of Dimes Foundation based in New York. Further, he is a Fellow ad eundem of RCOG and an Honorary Fellow of American COG and Indian COG. Prof. Di Renzo is an Honorary Professor and Doctor Honoris Causa at 15 different Universities throughout Europe, South America, and the United States. He is an Academic Member of the Romanian and Russian Academy of Sciences . Prof. Di Renzo has received six international awards for his work in human reproduction and maternal-infant’s health, scientific research, and teaching. His scientific production comprises over 1,200 papers of which more than 350 have been published in peer reviewed international journals and 80 books. He has been an invited speaker in over 1,500 national and international congresses and meetings and in academic courses in over 105 countries.
Marie-Madeleine Dolmans, Belgium
Prof. 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 was born in Tournai (Belgium) on 16 July, 1947.
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.
Professor Olivier Donnez, M.D. Ph.D. received his medical degree in 2000 and his PhD in 2013 from the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL). He is actually Co-founder and Co-CEO of the Institut du sein et de Chirurgie gynécologique d’Avignon (I.C.A.) since 2016. He is gynaecological and oncological surgeon in polyclinic Urbain V in Avignon, France from 2015. He was the head of department of gynaecology and in vitro fertilization, CHU Dinant Godinne UCL Namur in Belgium from 2005 until 2015. He is involved in research projects in the “Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique”, GYNE pole, of the UCL.
Olivier Donnez is member of the European Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE), European society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), American association of gynaecologic laparoscopist (AAGL), International society of fertility preservation (ISFP)
He is member of the advisory board of the Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE). He is reviewer for the European Journal of Obstertrics and Gynecology, Plos One, The Journal of Minimally invasive Gynecology and Gynecological surgery. He is a member of the editorial board of Fertility and Sterility.
His daily practice is mainly devoted on the laparoscopic surgical management of benign and oncologic gynaecological pathology and reproductive medicine. His research interests deep nodular endometriosis, uterine fibroids, isthmocele and deep neuromuscular blockade.
He has authored or co-authored more than 60 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has delivered more than 120 presentations at international congresses on gynaecological endoscopy and anaesthesiology.
Prof. Dr. Christian Egarter was appointed as specialist for OB/GYN at the University of Vienna in 1988. From 1991-1993 he was Head of the Department of OB/GYN in Vöcklabruck, Upper Austria. Thereafter, he returned to Vienna to become Deputy Head of the Department of Obstetrics. Since 2007 he served as Deputy Head of the Department of Gynecological Endocrinology & Reproductive Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna and became Head of the Department in 2011. In 2012 Prof. Egarter became President of the “Austrian Society for Sterility, Fertility, and Endocrinology” and Vice-president of the “Austrian Family Planning Society”. In 2014 he was appointed as Member of the Bioethics Commission at the Federal Chancellery of the Austrian government. Prof. Egarter published more than 300 papers in national and international journals and the elaborate number of research grants includes the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science and Concerted Actions of the EU Commission.
Michael L. Eisenberg, MD earned his bachelor degree from Rice University and his medical doctorate from Yale School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in urology at the University of California, San Francisco and a Male Reproductive Medicine and Microsurgery fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He is board certified in urology.
He joined Stanford University in 2011 to start the Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery program. Dr. Eisenberg serves as an associate editor of Fertility and Sterility and Andrology, on the editorial board of the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, and as an ad hoc referee for dozens of leading medical journals and has himself authored numerous peer-reviewed articles. His laboratory seeks to understand the association between a man’s reproductive and overall health by analyzing large clinical and administrative databases. He also has active collaborations with several groups examining pathways of spermatogenesis.
Marc Even, France
Dan Farine, MD, is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Toronto. He is cross-appointed to the Departments of Medicine and Public Health. And an honorary professor at the Universities of Vienna and Moscow
He received his medical degree at Tel-Aviv University and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Toronto in 1986. He finished his fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) at Columbia University, New York in 1988, after which he was appointed as a perinatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH) in Toronto (the largest obstetrical unit in Canada). He became Head of MFM at MSH in 1990 and Head of Obstetrics in that hospital in 1992. He was Head of the MFM Division at the University of Toronto from 2004−2012.
Dr Farine has published more than 180 peer-reviewed papers, of which nine received research awards. These included two Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) best paper awards and several best poster awards, as well as awards from the Society for Gynaecologic Investigation (SGI) and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC). He is an Editor of a book on new technologies in labour monitoring and Co-editor of textbooks on obesity and malignancies in pregnancy. He has authored 20 book chapters.
Dr Farine has had several different appointments in the area of medical education. His last position was heading up the MFM Fellowship Program at the University of Toronto. He has received five awards for his teaching capabilities.
He was a member and Head of the MFM Committee of SOGC for many years (1998−2009), and was involved in writing many of the SOGC guidelines. He is the founder of the Canadian Society of MFM.
Bart C.J.M. Fauser, Netherlands
Bart C.J.M. Fauser, MD, PhD, FRCOG, is Emeritus Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the University of Utrecht and the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. He is the former Head of the Department for Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology and Chair of the Division of Woman & Baby at the University Medical Center, Utrecht. Professor Fauser is also a member of the board of the Dutch Medical research Counsel (ZonMW), Editor in Chief of Reproductive Biomedicine Online, and PAST chair of the World Health Organisation (WHO) steering committee for infertility guidelines, and visiting professor at the London Women’s Clinic, London, UK.Professor Fauser previously held posts as visiting professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, California, USA; Free University, Brussels, Belgium; University of Siena, Italy; University of Southampton, United Kingdom; and the University of Adelaide, Australia. In addition, he held the following positions: Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, San Diego, California, USA (1987–1988); Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology and Director of Center of Reproductive Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (1996–2003), and Editor-in-Chief for Human Reproduction Update (2001–2007),
His major research interests include the pathophysiology of human ovarian function. He has published over 440 peer-reviewed articles, with a Hirsch factor of 100. He has served on many international editorial boards, has been active in many international societies, acted as referee for all major journals and his work has been widely covered in the national and international lay press.
Hervé FERNANDEZ is professor of gynecology obstetric since 1992 and editor of the official review of French College of Gynecology Obstetric (CNGOF).
His focuses are the fields of surgery and specifically infertility surgery, hysteroscopy, vaginal surgery and urogynecology.
He is member of staff of CNGOF.
He published more than 400 papers in the international journals.
Professor Simon Fishel worked with the original pioneering team of Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards (Nobel Laureate in 2010) who produced the world’s first IVF baby in 1978. He is Founder and President of the CARE Fertility Group – the UK’s largest independent provider of fertility services. He began his research career at the University of Cambridge in 1975 with Robert Edwards. He was the first to demonstrate that embryos responded to their environment (1978) and, later, the production of chorionic gonadotrophin by the human embryo (1984). In 1978 he became a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge and the recipient of the prestigious Beit Memorial Foundation Award. In 1980 he was appointed the Deputy Scientific Director under Edwards at the newly established world first private IVF clinic, Bourn Hall, UK until 985 when he moved to Nottingham. His pioneering work in IVF has resulted in many international honorary awards, and he has over 200 published papers and four books. In 1992 he founded the world’s first degree course in IVF and he has advised several international Government committees reviewing policy and legislation on IVF, including advisors to the Vatican. In 2009 Simon was honoured by the Liverpool John Moores University with their highest award of ‘University Fellow’ for “outstanding contribution to science and to humanity”.
Indrio Flavia, Italy
Dr. Forte earned her medical degree at the University of Western Ontario, Canada and received her Family Medicine training at McMaster University, Canada. She completed a Women’s Health Scholar Fellowship at the University of Toronto, Canada.
Since 2002 she has been a staff physician at the Mount Sinai Academic Family Health Team where she practices and teaches full-spectrum family medicine including intrapartum care.
Dr. Forte is an assistant professor in the Dept of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto where she is currently serving as the inaugural Maternity Care Lead.
Her areas of academic interest are Medical education and Maternity Care education, with a focus on teacher learner relationships and professional identity formation.
Dr Forte is a co-author on the recently published 2019 -Physical Activity in Pregnancy Guidelines.
Professor Rene Frydman,
Current Positions and Rank:
Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris XIand Head of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of AntoineBeclereHospital, since 1990 – Director of Research Unit on Reproductive Medecine
Awards of Distinction:
Officer of the French Legion d’Honneur
Areas of Special Interest and Accomplishments:My special areas of interest in Gynecology and Obstetrics include infertility and high- risk pregnancy. My work in infertility led the first baby born in France as a result of in vitro fertilization in 1982, after embryo freezing in 1986, after PGD in 2000, after oocyte cryoperservation 2010.
My other area of interest has been biomedical ethics. My work in this realm led to many invitations to debate the moral issues created by the use of the techniques of artificial procreation. I have had an active participation in the preparation on the law on bioethics.
I have actively worked with the Medecins du Monde and Medecins sans Frontieres.
Dr. Luca Gianaroli is specialist in Reproductive Medicine since the end of the Seventies. He is the Scientific Director of S.I.S.Me.R. (Italian Society for the Study of Reproductive Medicine) and he holds the position of Scientific Director of I.I.A.R.G., the International Institutes of Advanced Reproduction and Genetics and of IIRM SA. He is also Honorary Professor at the School of Biosciences of the University of Kent.
Active member of several international scientific societies in which he has covered and currently covers roles of primary importance, he has served as Chairman of the Italian Society of Reproduction and of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). He is a member of the ESHRE Certification Committee and he is the coordinator of the Steering Committee of the ESHRE ART Centre Certification. He is also a member of the steering committee of the ESHRE Certification for Reproductive Endoscopic Surgeons.
In 2014 he was appointed as Fellow ad eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Anne GOMPEL, MD, PhD
Professor “Classe Exceptionnelle 2ème echelon” of Reproductive Endocrinology and Gynecology, Université Paris Descartes, ex-Head of the Gynecology Endocrinology at Port Royal Cochin Hospital in Paris. She belongs to INSERM-UMR1124. She was trained in endocrinology, medical gynecology and received a MD from Paris University in 1981 and a PhD in 1987. She got a specialization in Endocrinology and Medical Gynecology in 1981. During all these years she has developed some basic biological research on breast cells and hormones focusing on the role of Progesterone and progestins on normal and breast cancer cells. This research was mostly conducted at INSERM. And some clinical research on Hormones and Vascular risk, Endometriosis and more recently belongs to a National « Centre de Référence » for Hereditary Angioedema (CREAK) . She also had a long activity of expert and member of the committee at the Regulatory Agencies for drugs in France, Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits de santé ”(AFSSAPS) and at the Transparence (HAS°).She has National Academic responsibilities in the management of the speciality of Gynecology as the General Secretary of the » National College of Professors of medical Gynecology», member of the National Conceal of Universities (CNU) and the board of the National College of Reproduction, Development and Medical reproduction. She used to be a member of the Board of Menopause international societies (EMAS,IMS) and is actually an EC of ESC. She has published extensively in the fields of menopause, contraception, and breast cancer. She is on the Editorial Board of Climacteric and Menopause international and reviewer of various international Journals.
Alessandra Graziottin is:
– specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Oncology, and certified Psychotherapist in Sexual Medicine;
– Director of the Centre of Gynaecology and Medical Sexology at the H. San Raffaele Resnati in Milano;
– Founder and Chairman of the Alessandra Graziottin Foundation for the cure and care of pain in women NPO;
– Consultant Professor at the Advanced Master in Andrology and Sexual Medicine of the University of Firenze;
– member of the Scientific Board for the “Comorbidity and Psychopathology” Area of the Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Motilità dell’Apparato Digerente (GISMAD);
– member of the Core Faculty of the European School of Oncology (ESO);
– member of the permanent International Organizing Committee (IOC) of Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Infertility (COGI).
Prof. Graziottin has published 22 scientific books (as author, co-author or editor); more than 90 chapters of scientific books, 116 refereed papers and more than 300 proceeding contributions and non-refereed articles; 7 lay books and 8 educational booklets for women.
In June 2004 she was awarded the Honorary Membership by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).
Michaël Grynberg is an internationally known, board-certified, specialist in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Andrology. He is Professor and Director of the Department of Reproductive Medicine & Fertility Preservation in Antoine Béclère University hospital. He has been founding member of the French Society of Fertility Preservation and is currently the president elect. He is also a member of the Reproductive Endocrinology special interest group of the ESHRE and the Head of the Fertility Department within the French College of Obstetrician Gynecologists. He has authored 3 books, 362 scientific papers (54 book chapters, 153 peer-reviewed publications and 134 abstracts). Among his many contributions to the field: a) He pioneered the technique of in vitro maturation of oocytes (IVM) for women; b) Reproted the role of ZO-1 in trophoblastic cells differentiation in human placenta; c) Described the Follicular Output RaTe (FORT) as a mean to assess follicular responsiveness to exogenous FSH; d) Reported differential regulation of ovarian anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) by Estradiol through α- and β- Estrogen receptors; e) Investigated the role of AMH for preventing primordial ovarian follicle loss and fertility alteration following cyclophosphamide administration. His main research interests include: Improving the efficiency of ART, ovarian aging, fertility preservation strategies for cancer and non-medical conditions.
Samir Hamamah is Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the medical school and University Hospital of Montpelier, France. He is also Chair of the Reproductive Biology Department and Chair of the assisted reproductive technology/pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (ART/ PGD) division at Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital, Montpellier.
He also holds the post of Director at the INSERM U1230, heading the Early Embryonic Development and Human Pluripotency programme, which aims to understand the early embryonic development of the egg to the blastocyst stage. He is a member of the French National AIDS Council and President of the French National University Council of Reproductive Medicine and Medical Gynecology. Professor Hamamah’s research interests include gene expression profiles of human cumulus–oocyte complexes, non-invasive oocyte and embryo biomarkers, controlled ovarian stimulation protocols and endometrial receptivity.
Professor Hamamah has published widely, with more than 165 publications in peer-reviewed journals, 54 book chapters and 10 books. He has been invited to speak at more than 350 national and international meetings, and has been awarded several prestigious prizes, including the Prix de la Société d’Andrologie de Langue Française in 1991, Prix de l’International Society of Andrology in 1993, Prix de la Société Française pour l’Etude de la Fertilité in 1993, and the Lauréat Fondation Aventis in 2002.
Joyce Harper, BSc, PhD, FRC Path
Joyce Harper is Professor of Reproductive Science at University College London in the Institute for Women’s Health where she is head of the Reproductive Health Department, Principal Investigator of the Reproductive Science Group, Director of Education and Director of the Centre for Reproductive Health. She is a Director of the Embryology and PGD Academy which she established with Alpesh Doshi in 2014 and founder of Global Women Connected.
She has worked in the fields of IVF and reproductive genetics since 1987, written over 180 scientific papers and published two textbooks. After researching into preimplantation genetics for over 20 years, she is now looking at the social, legal and ethical aspects of assisted reproductive technologies, from social egg freezing to genome editing.
Joyce is a passionate educator at all levels, from the general public to PhD students. She is currently writing a book on women’s health, especially the reproductive years. She is invited to numerous international meetings, including key note and plenary lectures. She is regularly interviewed by TV, radio and the press.
Joyce has had many senior roles in the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. She was a director of the British Fertility Society and International Society of Prenatal Diagnosis and a founding member of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society. She is chair of the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority Horizon Scanning Group and an advisor to the HFEA Science and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee. She was a member of the Nuffield Council for Bioethics working group on genome editing. She is currently a director of the International Society of IVF and co-founder of the Fertility Education Initiative.
Hans Ivar Hanevik is a gynecologist working as medical director for the fertility clinic at Telemark Hospital Trust, Porsgrunn, Norway. Hanevik was formerly head of the Norwegian association for assisted reproduction, and is a current member of the Norwegian Biotechnology Council. He is a part-time researcher at the National Institute of Public Health where he investigates the reproductive health of children born after ART.
Asma Khalil is a professor subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine at St George’s Hospital, University of London. She also has a Masters degree in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and an MRC scholarship.
She has published more than 150 peer reviewed papers, and many published review articles and chapters. She was awarded many research prizes, both at national and international meetings. Her research interests include multiple pregnancy, hypertensive disease in pregnancy and fetal growth restriction. She is committed to the implementation of clinical guidelines in practice and believes that they could reduce inequalities in care across the NHS. She is a member of the NICE Quality Standards and co-chairs the South West Maternity Network. She also chairs the Steering Committee of the Maternity Engagement Project to improve the outcomes of multiple pregnancies. She is a member of the national fetal medicine Clinical Study Group. She has active collaborations with international societies, particularly in developing countries.
She is an active member of the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists (RCOG), British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society (BMFMS), International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG), International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP) and Society of Reproductie Investigation (SRI). She works closely with the team in the Twin and Multiple Birth Association (TAMBA).
Ludwig Kiesel, MD PhD
Training
1975-1981 School of Medicine, Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, Germany and Royal Free Hospital Medical School, Univer¬sity of London, UK
1981 Medical doctorate (M. D.), University of Heidelberg, Germany
1982 ECFMG (American Medical Exam)
1981-1982 Postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, USA
1992 Ph. D. Thesis at the University of Heidelberg, Germany
Clinical positions
1983-1990 Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg
1989 Board examination in Obstetrics and Gyneco¬logy
1990-1992 Faculty member, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg
1992-2000 Faculty member, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tübingen, Subspeciality training in gynecologic oncology, reproductive medicine and obstetrics
2000 – present Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Muenster
Board memberships of professional national and international societies
Representative of the German Menopause Society (CAMS)
President, Society of German Society of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine (DGGEF) 2017-
Past President, German Menopause Society (DMG) 2004-2010
Board Member, German Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (DGGG)
Past President, German Joint Societies of Reproduction (DVR) 2006-2009
Member, German Joint Societies of Reproduction (DVR) 2006-present
Past President, German Endometriosis Foundation (SEF) 2008-2012
Board Member of the German Endometriosis Foundation (SEF) 2008-present
Board Member of the World Endometriosis Society (WES) 2011-2017
Member of the European Endometriosis League (EEL)
Member of the Board of the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) 2019
Chairman, Board of the Regional Cancer Center (Tumorzentrum Münsterland) 2006-present
Board member, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Münster, Germany
Editorial Board Member Gynecological Endocrinology (Journal of ISGE)
Guidelines
Member of the European Endometriosis Guideline Group (ESHRE)
Member of the German Endometriosis Giodeline Group (DGGG)
Member of the World Endometriosis Society Consensus Board (WES)
Congress President:
Congress of the German Endometriosis Society (SEF) Münster 2005
Congress of the Joint German Reproductive Societies (DVR) Münster 2005
Congress of the German Endocrine Society (DGE) Münster 2005
Annual Meeting of the German Menopause Society (DMG) Münster 2005
Congress of the Geman Gynaecology Society NRW Münster 2006
Congress of the Joint German Reproductive Societies Münster 2013
Annual Meeting of the German-Hungarian Gynecological Society Hungary 2017
Antonio La Marca is professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Mother-Infant Deaprtment of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy and he is the Medical Director of Clinica Eugin Modena, Italy.
He graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Siena in 1996, specializing in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the same institution in 2001. In 2006 he obtained the PhD, again at the University of Siena. The PhD thesis was on Biology of germ cells. He has been working at the Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the University Hospital of Modena since 2003. His clinical activity covers all the field of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery and has taken part in thousands of IVF, laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgical procedures.
Present scientific interests include: ovarian reserve and pharmacological manipulation of ovarian activity. His “most impacting” articles were on the physiological significance of AMH and AFC, their measurement and clinical utility. Moreover he has published a long list of original articles dealing with the prediction of ovarian reserve and response in IVF and the personalization of ovarian stimulation protocols. He is author or co-author of 128 articles published on peer-reviewed journals and authored many chapters on national and international textbooks. He has been Invited speaker in more than a hundred international congresses.
He is involved in several phase 3 and 4 trials as Principal Investigator and is recipient of many research funds competitively assigned. He is active member of many national and international professional and scientific societies and consultant for Italian Ministry of Health for the female fertility related issues.
Dr. Elena Labarta. MD, Ph.D, is an attending physician at Valencian Institute of Infertility (IVI), Valencia, Spain, where she serves as a specialist in Human Reproduction and Assisted Reproductive Techniques, and as a surgeon specialized in Endoscopic surgery since 2005.
Since 2008, she is associate professor and medical coordinator of several Master related to Human Assisted Reproduction by the University of Valencia.
Dr. Labarta has participated in several clinical research projects and has contributed to over 25 publications on assisted reproduction in peer reviewed international journal and written more than 45 book chapters. She is an international speaker.
She has obtained the title of Master in Advanced Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgery by the University of Valencia (2009) and the Master Level in Reproductive Endoscopic Surgery by the ESHRE-ECRES programme (2017).
Dr. Labarta was awarded a Doctor Cum Laude in Medicine, University of Valencia in 2014, the title of her thesis being “Influence of Ovarian stimulation during in vitro fertilization treatment on the incidence of embryo aneuploidies”.
Dr Labarta´s research is now focused on the predictive value of luteal serum progesterone levels in ART; Ovarian Stimulation and Embryo Quality; and Uterine Evaluation and treatment in infertile patients, and the impact of autologous mitochondrial transfer on Oocyte and Embryo Quality in IVF Patients, among others.
Professor Joop S.E. Laven is professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and was initially trained at the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands. After Medical school he completed his Ph.D. thesis on clinical and experimental aspects of varicocele at Utrecht University in 1991. From 1991 till 1997 he continued his training at the University Medical Center St. Radboud in Nijmegen. In 1997 he became board certified in OBGYN (FRCOG) and moved to the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam. In 2000 he became certified subspecialist Reproductive Medicine. He is a member of ESHRE, ASRM, the Endocrine Society, the Society of Gynaecological Investigation (SGI) and the Royal Dutch College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He is the past president of the Dutch Society of Reproductive Medicine.
For many years he had a particular interest in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome covering the full spectrum from the effects of the syndrome during adolescence and adult life on the menstrual cycle, fertility, body weight and cosmetic aspects. During the last decade the research focussed on more fundamental effects that PCOS may have on quality of life and long-term health risks as well as the genetic basis of the disease. More recently he was also involved in Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) exploring the genetic basis of PCOS, premature ovarian insufficiency, menarche and menopause.
Clinical work focuses on women’s health in particular reproductive endocrinology and menopause as well as on infertility treatment and ART and pregnancy outcome in infertile couples especially women with PCOS. For many years he is involved in preconception care and counselling as well as organizing life style modification programs. He is the person Responsible for the Rotterdam Erasmus MC Reproductive Medicine Unit, which performs approximately 2500 IVF cycles, 600 IUI cycles and about 250 cycles of ovulation induction per annum. Within the outpatient clinic of the unit about 10,000 individual patient visits take place on a yearly basis. He works as a full-time clinician and is currently head of the Division of Reproductive Medicine of the department of OBGYN at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.
He has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers and several reviews as well as chapters in books, and has delivered over 200 lectures to international scientific audiences. Books to which he has contributed include Endocrinology, De Groot and Jameson, IVF in the complicated patient, Insulin Resistance and PCOS. He is a member of the editorial board of Human Reproduction Update and the Journal of Endocrine Society.
Currently he is living together with Annemarie Rietveld, he is the proud father of 4 sons: Niels, Pim, Jannes and Loek. In his rare free private time you might see him fly-fishing or biking or just being lazy on these Sunday afternoons listening to Van Morrison.
Gabriel LIVERA is professor at University of Paris and head of the Laboratory of Development of Gonads at CEA, Fontenay aux Roses. His team is deeply involved in the understanding of basic fundamental biological processes in germ cells and scrutinize the main pollutants that threaten fertility in modern societies. G Livera and his collaborators pursue the characterization of stem germ cells in the ovary and explore the potential of pluripotent cells to model human oogenesis. Over the last years they identified new essential meiotic genes involved in unsuspected gametogenic functions ; MEIOB gene encodes an RPA paralog specializing DNA repair during meiosis, MEIOC gene is a key orchestrator of the mitotic/meiotic switch in the germ line. His team also identified the deleterious effect of heavy metals, endocrine disruptors and ionizing radiation in the developing germ line both using mouse and human cells and sophisticated organ cultures or xenograft experiments.
Roger A. Lobo, M.D. received his medical degree from Georgetown University Medical School in Washington, D.C., and completed his residency in Obstetrics and
Gynecology at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital at the University of Chicago. He went on to complete a clinical research fellowship in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles.
He has since held numerous teaching positions, including Assistant and Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he was later promoted to full Professor. In 1995 he came to the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City where he was named the Willard C. Rappleye Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Chairman of the Department. He was also appointed Director of the Center for Reproductive Sciences at the College of Physicians and Surgeons and Director of the Sloane Hospital for Women, Columbia University Medical Center, one of the most prestigious women’s health centers in the country. He remains as a Full tenured Professor in the Department and is Fellowship Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
In addition to a successful career in academics, Dr. Lobo has excelled in other aspects of professional medicine, serving as the Director of the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Training Program at the University of Southern California for 11 years and was a member of the subspecialty division of the American Board. He has provided outside consulting services for many large pharmaceutical laboratories. He has functioned as Editor, Editorial Board member and/or Consultant for over 30 peer-reviewed medical journals in his field, and has authored over 510 articles and 22 books. Dr. Lobo helped found the Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation (Reproductive Sciences) and served as Editor-in-Chief from its inception until July, 2006. He was President of the Society for the years 1997-1998. He is also a member of many other prestigious societies and has been on the board and president of these societies as well. He has received several awards over the years for teaching, service and his research. He has been on the Board of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and was the society’s President in 2011.
He has contributed Chapters to and edited several important medical textbooks. His book Treatment of the Post-Menopausal Woman is in its Third Edition. Another text, Menopause, was published in early 2000. Currently, Dr. Lobo is the lead Editor for the Seventh Edition of Contemporary Gynecology, published in 2016.
Dr. Lobo has done extensive research in various areas of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. His primary research interests are in reproductive endocrinology, specifically in hyperandrogenic disorders and polycystic ovary syndrome. He also carried out extensive research in gamete biology, induction of ovulation, IVF, and estrogen metabolism and the treatment of postmenopausal women. He has excelled in his areas of clinical interest and practice which include reproductive endocrinology, infertility, and menopause.
Pier Luigi Lopalco, Italy
Emma Lucas, UK
Nick Macklon is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Copenhagen and Medical Director of London Womens Clinic. His previous appointments include Professorships and Departmental Chair in Utrecht and in Southampton. He currently holds Visiting Professorships at the University of Adelaide and the University of Kent.
His main research interests relate to human implantation, endometrial function and periconceptional medicine. He is a well known international speaker and his external roles include associate editorships of leading journals in the field and membership of the ESHRE Executive Committee.
Ariel Many MD MHA
Professor
Director, Labor & Delivery Division,
Lis Maternity Hospital
Sourasky Tel Aviv Medical Center
Tel Aviv University
1990 – MD- Tel Aviv University
1991 – Residency in OB& GYN at Tel Aviv Medical Center
1993-1995 – Clinical and research fellowship- Magee Women’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2004-2005 – Research associate at Mount Sinai research Institute, Toronto, Canada
2014-2018 – Chairman, Israeli Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine
Dr Many published numerous publications in perinatology and Obstetrics, currently interested in Preeclampsia, advanced maternal age and delivery patterns of different populations.
Professor Roberto Marci received his medical degree in 1991 at Rome University “La Sapienza”. In 1995 he completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and then attended for several years the Unit of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endocrinology in the Department of Gynaecology-Obstetrics, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Switzerland where he received his PhD degree in 2000. In 2001 he moved to the Unit of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endocrinology, Department of Gynaecology-Obstetrics, University of L’Aquila, Italy, where he held the position of Assistant Professor. He is currently working as an Associate Professor at Ferrara University where he put in place and directed the Infertility Unit in Arcispedale Sant’Anna Hospital, and introduced a special service for the clinical management of endometriosis. In 2014 he was the Residency Program Director of both Ferrara University Hospital’s residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Ferrara University Hospital’s Midwifery School. In 2015 he held the position of Inviting Professor at the University of Geneva (CH) where he contributed to the design and development of the Endometriosis Unit at the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG). Since 2017 he has been a member of the Starring Group for the drafting of WHO Guidelines in the field of Reproductive Medicine. He is an acknowledged reviewer and member of several editorial boards for scientific journals. He was member of the board of national and international societies including Association of Italian University Gynaecologists (AGUI), Mediterranean Society for Reproductive Medicine (MSRM). His main research activity is directed to the study of Reproductive Medicine, Endocrinological Gynaecology and Endometriosis.
Chris Meijer, Netherlands
Micheline Misrahi
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Universities
Paris-South-Paris-Saclay and Molecular Genetics of Reproductive and Metabolic diseases
Bicetre Hospital, France
Research Interests: Molecular and cellular mechanisms in Reproductive Endocrinology. Nuclear receptors, membrane receptors. Gonadotropins and their receptors. Thyrotropin receptor. Reproductive genetics. Genetics of male and female infertility. Primary ovarian insufficiency. Disorders of puberty. Genetic diseases of GPCR.
Ben (Willem) Mol is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University. Ben is focused on the organisation of multi-centric evaluative research in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Fertility. The research is focused mainly upon everyday practices. As a Professor, Ben considers his most important task to be the stimulation and innovation of evaluative research in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine.
Ben studied Medicine at the University of Amsterdam. From 1993 to 1997, he worked in the department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the AMC. In 1999 he obtained his doctorate with honours at the Faculty of Medicine of the UvA with his dissertation entitled Evaluating the effectiveness of diagnostic tests: tubal subfertility and ectopic pregnancy. Between 1997 and 2003 he was trained as a Gynaecologist at the University Medical Centre (Universitair Medisch Centrum) in Utrecht. Since 2002, he has been a Senior Researcher in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the AMC. From 2003 to 2007, he worked as a Gynaecologist-Perinatologist at the MMC in Eindhoven, and between 2007-2013 in the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam. Ben was instrumental in initiating the Dutch consortium for Research in Women’s health, in which 70 hospitals collaborate in multicenter trials. Main topics that were evaluated were timing and methods of induction of labour, prevention of preterm birth with pessary, tocolysis, indications for IVF, tubal flushing for infertility and treatment of menorrhagia. The trial initiative has been incorporated by the Dutch Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology and is supported by the Dutch national funder and the Dutch health insurance companies. In 2010, Ben co-initiated the Global Obstetric Network GOnet that aims to better coordinate global efforts in clinical effectiveness research.
Ben came to Australia in 2014 and started at Monash in 2018. Ben holds an NHMRC practitioner fellowship, which was awarded as the highest ranked application in 2014. During his time in Australia, he developed extensive relations with Asian universities. Ben has mentored >100 PhD students and published >1000 papers, many in high impact journals as NEJM, Lancet, JAMA, PLOSmedicine and BMJ. A publication in Nature acknowledged Ben as one the most proliferative medical scientists. Ben is since 2014 the world’s most published author in Obstetrics/Gynaecology.
His ambitions at Monash are to translate the findings of clinical practice, to initiate a Victorian clinical trial network in women’s health research, to extend his global collaborations and to mentor junior colleagues in these ambitions. His professional adage is ‘A day without randomisation is a day without progress.’.
Professor Grant Montgomery FAAHMS, Hon FRSZ, FSRB
Grant Montgomery is Professorial Research Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. He is an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, and Fellow of the Society for Reproduction. He is a Highly-Cited Researcher in Molecular Biology and Genetics with an outstanding track record in reproductive biology and genetic epidemiology. He moved to Australia in 1999 to join a program on gene discovery for human complex traits and diseases where he led local projects and contributed to international genetics consortia for gene discovery for a range of conditions, including endometriosis, twinning, melanoma, migraine, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, reproductive lifespan, and fibroids. In 2016, he moved to the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at UQ where he continues his research on reproductive genomics. He is a world leader in genetics and genomic studies in endometriosis, a disease affecting 7-10% of women, and is conducting follow-up functional studies with colleagues from Melbourne to understand how genetic factors increase endometriosis risk. His group published evidence for genetic control of gene expression in endometrium and identified likely target genes for two genomic regions associated with endometriosis. He also conducts research on systems genetics and is Director of the Genome Innovation Hub at The University of Queensland which aims to develop and implement advanced methods in functional and structural genomics to determine functional implications of genetic variation health and disease.
Professor Geeta Nargund
Founder and Medical Director, CREATE Fertility and Lead Consultant for Reproductive Medicine services at St George’s Hospital, London.
Affiliations: President, International Society for Mild Approaches in Assisted Reproduction (ISMAAR).
Board Member of the British Red Cross.
Board of the charity- London Emergencies Trust.
Director, Walking Egg Foundation, a Belgian Charity.
Member of the Guild of Health Writers, UK.
Founder and CEO, CREATE Health Foundation.
Awards: “Woman of the Year Award for Charity and Community work” by RED magazine in December 2013.
“RBS Chairman’s Award”, as the Asian Woman of the Year at the Asian Women of Achievement awards ceremony, 2014.
Woman of the Year at the 60th Women of Year Anniversary Lunch by Women of the Year, 2015.
Inspirational Woman Award at the 9th Inspiration Awards, 2015.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ) Heroes by the Daily Telegraph in 2015.
Top 10 most influential Asian women in the UK by the Asian Sunday Newspaper to mark International Women’s Day, 2016.
“Doctor of the Year” by the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin in November 2017.
Publications: Professor Nargund has published several peer-reviewed scientific papers including abstracts and also several book chapters in the field of reproductive medicine and advanced ultrasound technology.
SPECIAL INTRESTS: She is a regular blogger on Huffington Post on Health and Lifestyle.
She introduced Fertility Education in London Secondary Schools.
Campaigner for the welfare and safety of women in IVF.
Scott Nelson, UK
Kypros Herodotou NICOLAIDES
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 from 1992:
Professor of Fetal Medicine, King’s College, London,
Awards:
1. Ian Donald Gold Award of the International Society Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, for Highest Contribution in Ultrasound, 1999
2. Eric Saling Award of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine, for highest scientific contribution in 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. Maternity Prize of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, 2014. This is attributed every two years to one Obstetrician and one Neonatologist who have distinguished themselves in their professional career and dedication to the field of Perinatal Medicine.
6. Eardley Holland Gold Medal of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2015. The medal is awarded once every five years to a Fellow or Member of the College for outstanding contribution to the science, practice and/or teaching of O&G. In the award ceremony RCOG President Dr David Richmond said: “Professor Nicolaides is a tremendous figure in our specialty both in the UK and worldwide. His work in fetal medicine has resulted in improvements to maternal and child health. He is a true pioneer and his research has not only advanced the UK’s standing as a lead player in women’s health internationally but he has also trained and mentored generations of doctors who have gone on to achieve great things. We are very pleased he has accepted the award, in recognition for his excellence as an obstetrician and a researcher.”
7. Honorary Doctorate in Medicine: University of Athens in Greece (2005), University of Warsaw in Poland (2009), University of Bucharest in Romania (2009), University of Jinan in China (2010), Spinoza Chair, University of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands (2010), University of Olomouc in Czechia 2011, University of Ioannina in Greece 2012, European University of Cyprus in Cyprus (2013), University of Thessaly in Greece (2016), Aristotelion University of Thessaloniki in Greece (2017),
Scientific Activities:
– Published 1,378 peer-review papers in Scientific Journals. He ranks 237th in the list of the most highly cited researchers, both living and deceased. He ranks 1st amongst all Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. His h-index is 142 and his work has been cited 86,732 times.
– Edited several books and introduced internet based courses for health care professionals and patients in 20 languages
– Supervised 52 research fellows who obtained PhDs and MDs
– Provided training in Fetal Medicine to more than 500 doctors from 50 countries.
– Introduced new methods of fetal therapy, including intrauterine blood transfusions for fetal anemia, thoraco-amniotic shunting for drainage of pleural effusions, endoscopic laser
surgery for severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and endoscopic tracheal occlusion for diaphragmatic hernia.
– Described new methods of screening for fetal abnormalities, including the lemon and banana signs for spina bifida and nuchal translucency for Down’s syndrome which are now the accepted methods of screening throughout the world.
– Introduced new approach for early screening for pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, preterm birth, gestational diabetes, miscarriage and stillbirth, macrosomia and fetal growth restriction.
– Demonstrated the benefit of progesterone in prevention of preterm birth and aspirin in prevention of preeclampsia
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 £22,000,000 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.
Dr. Mona Orady is currently the Director of Robotic Surgery Services at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco California practicing GYN Minimally Invasive Surgery at Dignity Medical Foundation. Formerly she served as the Chief of Quality and Education in OB/GYN at Tawam Hospital in affiliation with John Hopkins Medicine in Alain, UAE. Prior to this, she was the Director of Robotic Surgery Education at the Cleveland Clinic Obstetrics & Gynecology & Women’s Health Institute from 2012-2015, specializing in robotic surgery in benign gynecology. There she developed and oversaw the minimally invasive surgery curriculum for the Gynecology residents at the Cleveland Clinic. She previously spent three years as a Senior Staff Physician in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan. There, she was a member of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecology and Robotic Surgery and was faculty for the AAGL accredited Minimally Invasive Gynecology fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital. She is actively involved in teaching medical students and residents and advancing MIS surgery education with involvement on the Robotic SIG at AAGL and most recently serving for the last 4 years as an active Board member of SLS. After completing a B.Sc. from McMaster University and an M.D. from the University of Western Ontario in 2001, she completed her residency in OB/GYN at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Board Certified from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2007, she is a current a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She was trained in Robotic Surgery in 2009 completing more than 1000 complex cases to date. Her research focus is benign hysterectomy and robotic surgery applications.
Allan Pacey is Professor of Andrology at the University of Sheffield Medical School. His research interests include understanding aspects of human fertility, with particular emphasis on male fertility and has published over 150 papers, book chapters and review articles on the topic. He is a former Secretary (2005-2010) and Chairman (2012-2015) of the British Fertility Society as well as the current Editor in Chief of the BFS journal Human Fertility. In addition, Allan is an accomplished science communicator and broadcaster. Recent television programmes include Britain’s Secret Code Breaker (2011), Donor Unknown (2011), The Great Sperm Race (2009), The Truth About Food (2007), Make me a Baby (2007) and Lab Rats (2004). In 2016 he was awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to Reproductive Medicine.
Santiago Palacios, MD, PhD
Santiago Palacios is the Director of the Palacios Institute of Health and Women’s Medicine, in Madrid, Spain and, in addition, he is the President of the Private Assistance Section of the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SEGO), President of the Spanish Foundation of Women and Health (FEMYS), President of the Hispanic Foundation of Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases (FHOEMO), Professor of Universities and Head of Masters at the Distance University of Madrid (UDIMA) and the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) ). He has also received two recognitions from Doctor Honoris Causa.
He is also Past President and Honorary Member of the Spanish Menopause Society (AEEM), Past Chairman of the Council of Affiliated Menopause Societies (CAMS) of the International Menopause Society (IMS), and Past President of the Ibero American Society of Osteology and Mineral Metabolism (SIBOMM).
Education: Dr. Palacios received his MD degree, completed his residency in obstetrics and gynaecology, and earned his PhD degree from Complutense University of Madrid.
Research and special interests: Dr. Palacios is highly experienced as a principal investigator, having participated in more than 100 clinical trials. His most important areas of research are menopause, osteoporosis and female sexual dysfunction.
In 1989, Dr. Palacios founded the first Spanish unit devoted to the advancement of information on menopause at the Jimenez Diaz Foundation.
Publications and congresses: Dr. Palacios has contributed to more than 400 books and journal articles, nationals and internationals, on women’s health. He is editor in chief and member of the Editorial Board of several indexed journals related to menopause and gynaecology.
He is a frequent speaker in national and international congresses and has participated in more than 1000 presentations.
Nick Panay BSc MRCOG MFSRH
Present position
Consultant Gynaecologist, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine & Surgery
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Chelsea & Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London
Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, Imperial College London
Guest Professor, Beijing OBGYN Hospital, Capital Medical University
Private practice
Director, International Centre for Hormone Health
92 Harley Street London W1G 7HU
Summary CV
Nick Panay is a Consultant Gynaecologist with a Special Interest in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Menopause, PMS, contraception and gynaecological endocrinology.
As director of the West London Menopause & PMS Centre at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals, he heads a busy clinical and research team which publishes widely, presents at scientific meetings and trains health professionals at all levels.
Much of his team’s research has focused on improving the understanding and management of Premature Menopause, PMS, Female Sexual Dysfunction, New HRT and Contraceptive regimens and Complementary Therapies.
He is on the editorial board of Climacteric (The Journal of the International Menopause Society) and Gynecological Endocrinology and is on the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare.
Through his work with a number of councils and women’s groups he campaigns actively for women’s health issues both nationally and internationally. His affiliations include:
Board Member and Secretary General, International Menopause Society,
Chairman of The National Association for Premenstrual Syndromes,
Trustee and medical advisory committee member, British Menopause Society,
Past Chairman of The British Menopause Society,
Past President and current council member, The Royal Society of Medicine (O & G Division),
Patron of Daisy Network (Premature Menopause Society) and
Past Council Member of British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy.
Immediate Past Honorary Director of Conferences RCOG.
Anja Pinborg is a medical doctor and expert in reproductive medicine and clinical professor at Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. She has published 130 original papers and authored seven book-chapters with an h-index of 37. She is executive committee member of ESHRE and is member of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (Vancouver group) and she was president for the Nordic Fertility Society (2011-2015). She is editor in chief for Danish Medical Journal (DMJ) and section editor for RBMOnline. Her main research areas are reproductive epidemiology including safety and quality aspects of ART with focus on child outcomes and clinical trials on optimizing ART and minimizing risks.
Professor Mario Poljak, MD, PhD, specialist in clinical microbiology, is Immediate Past President of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), Europe’s leading society in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases with 9,000+ members from all European countries and all continents.
He is Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Head of Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology and Slovenian HIV/AIDS Reference Centre, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology at Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Professor Poljak´s laboratory offers 80 different molecular and serological assays and is also working on the development of new molecular diagnostic methods, improvement and evaluation of virological methods/assays.
The research of Prof. Poljak and his co-workers is focused on diagnostic aspects and genetic heterogeneity of human papillomaviruses, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, H. pylori and M. tuberculosis, etiopathogenesis of head and neck carcinomas, etiopathogenesis and natural history of HPV-related benign tumors and intrahospital and unusual transmission of blood-born microorganisms.
He is author of more than 350 original research or review articles published in PubMed-cited journals. His papers have been cited more than 9,200 times, his current Hirsch index is 46 and his current Hirsch i10 index is 202.
As invited speaker he gave more than 350 lectures at international and national scientific and professional meetings. He is Editor of Acta Dermatovenerologica APA, Associate Editor of Journal of Clinical Virology and Editorial Board member of Journal of Clinical Microbiology, AIDS Reviews and Papillomavirus Research. He serves as peer reviewer for more than 80 scientific journals.
Dr Pollock is a Senior Research Fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University. He is interested in population-based interventions such as the HPV vaccine and the impact upon infection, disease, and cancers. He is a member of the Scottish HPV Investigator Network (SHINe) and is a Board Trustee for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust for which the primary aim is the elimination of cervical cancer.
Mina Popovic is a PhD student at the Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, within the Ghent Fertility and Stem Cell Team. She has over five years of experience as a clinical embryologist, working at Genea (previously Sydney IVF), in Sydney, Australia. She graduated with Honours from the University of New South Wales, majoring in molecular biology and genetics. Her research is currently focused on investigating the prevalence and impact of genomic instability during early human development. Further areas of interest include preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies, human pluripotent stem cells, in vitro models of human peri-implantation development, as well as gene editing of the human germline for studying embryogenesis. She is passionate about improving patient outcomes through evidence-based ART and balancing the benefits of innovation with the ethical and social implications of assisted conception.
Marine Poulain, France
Annalisa Racca was born in Cuneo, Italy on 26 February, 1987.
She graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Genoa in 2012 and she specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology in the same university in 2018. During the specialization she started a Clinical Fellowship in reproductive medicine at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at the Brussel Vrije Universiteit Hospital. She is following a Clinical Scholars Research Training (Harvard Medical School) and she is working on her PhD thesis about “The role of progesterone in ovarian stimulation” at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine (Brussel Vrije Universiteit Hospital).
Present scientific interests include: endocrinological monitoring during stimulation, endometrial receptivity and endometrial preparation in IVF procedures, pharmacological manipulation of ovarian activity.
Laura Rienzi, Senior Clinical Embryologist, Laboratory Director at the GENERA Centres for Reproductive Medicine and adjunct Professor of Biotechnology, University of Urbino, Italy.
With academic degrees in Biology and Reproductive Medicine, she has an intense activity including educational, editorial, practitioner and author of more than 130 articles, reviews and book chapters. Internationally recognized for her expertise in human clinical embryology and research as evidenced by more than 250 invitations to speak at national and international scientific meetings.
Member of the scientific board of GFMER Global Consultation on WHO Infertility Guidelines, Post-President of the Italian Society of Embryology, Reproduction and Research (SIERR).
In 2008, she founded together with Dr. Filippo Maria Ubaldi the GENERA Centres for Reproductive Medicine where she is Laboratory Director of the 4 Centres in Italy (Rome, Marostica, Umbertide, Naples).
Her current areas of interest include in vitro fertilization, ICSI, studies of human gametes, zygote and embryo morphology in relation to their developmental ability and chromosomal constitution (PGD, PGS), as well as cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes and embryos. In 2016 nominated adjunct Professor of Biotechnology at the University of Urbino in Italy.
Amelia Rodriguez-Aranda, Spain
Dr. Amelia Rodríguez-Aranda took her medical degree in 2001 and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2006 at the University of Seville, Spain.
During her training in reproductive medicine she did some stays in different reproduction clinics: New York, Rome and Madrid before joining Clínica Ginemed, a Reproduction and Gynaecological Centre in Seville in 2006.
In 2010, she joined Clínica Eugin in Barcelona, where she is in charge of the medical direction since March 2013.
She develops her career focused in Human Reproductive Medicine. Her main research interests are learning curve procedures of ART techniques and new ultrasound technologies and their application in human reproduction. She is developing research lines in the application of these techniques, especially when performed in multi-operator reproductive units, ovarian stimulation protocols and management of egg donation programs. She completed her PhD on “ Individualized training in ART” at the UB University of Barcelona in June 2017.
She is present as an invited speaker in many ART and Gynecological congresses with national and international scope.
Eugin Group is nowadays one of the most international medical groups devoted to ART. Since June 2016, Dr. Rodríguez-Aranda is also the medical director of Eugin Group.
Serge Rozenberg is Head of Department and Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the “Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel”, in Brussels, Belgium. He is in charge of the menopause and osteoporosis unit at the University Hospital, St Peter. He has written a thesis on postmenopausal osteoporosis and published 200 articles in international peer reviewed journals on topics such as women’s health, menopause, osteoporosis and reproductive endocrinology. He is on the editorial board of several international journals and has received several awards and grants for his research. He has been president of EMAS and is one of the editors of Maturitas.
Susana Santo, MD, PhD is currently Professor at the Medical School – University of Lisbon, Portugal, and a consultant in obstetrics department at the Santa Maria University Hospital, Lisbon.
Her main scientific areas of interest are fetal medicine, intrapartum fetal monitoring and obstetric simulation. She made part international consensus of “FIGO guidelines on intrapartum fetal monitoring” published in 2015. She is an associated editor of Acta Obstétrica e Ginecológica Portuguesa and a member of the Portuguese College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Samuel Santos-Ribeiro, Portugal
Samuel dos Santos Ribeiro, M.D. Ph.D. obtained his medical degree from Nova Medical School (Lisbon), concluding his training in Obstetrics/Gynaecology at Hospital Santa Maria (Lisbon). He performed the Clinical Scholars Research Training (Harvard Medical School) and a research programme at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (Brussels) with his Ph.D. thesis focusing primarily on the optimisation of endometrial receptivity. He is currently the Scientific Coordinator at IVIRMA Lisbon and an Invited Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon. The primary focus of his ongoing research is the relationship between infertility treatments and endometrial receptivity.
Dr Pietro Santulli, M.D., Ph.D
Graduated from the University Paris Descartes, Faculty of Medicine, (MD in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2010 and PhD in Basic Sciences in 2013), Dr Pietro SANTULLI was named Associated Professor in 2014 and full Professor in Paris in 2018.
He is in charge of the fertility surgery and the ART unit in the department headed by Prof. Charles CHAPRON at Cochin University Hospital in Paris.
His main research activities are the following: (i) Basic research on molecular immunologic and inflammatory bases of endometriosis and endometriosis-related infertility; (ii) Clinical research on the assessment and management (medical and/or surgical) of endometriosis and endometriosis-related infertility; (iii) Clinical research on gynecologic surgery and assisted reproductive technologies in infertility. He authored and coauthored about 80 original articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Gerald P. Schatten, Ph.D.
Professor Schatten is Director of the Pittsburgh Development Center, Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Cell Biology, Bioengineering and Director of the Division of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Schatten has directly trained >50 doctoral and postdoctoral fellows, along with several MD, MD-PhD and DVM trainees. He is active in advanced research training and was the founding director of the FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTION, the premier reproduction training vehicle for MD and PhDs. He is currently President of UNESCO’s International Cell Research Organization. With extensive funding from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Schatten is the recipient of an NIH MERIT, and earlier a Research Career Development, Award, was honored by the Czech Academy of Sciences with their Purkinje Medal of Science, elected as a Delegate of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, a Mentor Awardee of the American Society for Cell Biology, Elected Australian Society for Reproductive Biology President’s Lecturer, awarded the Daniel Mazia Award from Stanford University and a Doctor Honoris Causa (Honorary Doctorate) from the University of Nova Gorica, presented by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, among other honors. The Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole will award their new FOUNDER’S AWARD to him next October during the Frontiers in Stem Cells and Regeneration Course. His > 300 papers on stem cells, regeneration, fertilization, cell biology, development, infertility, assisted reproductive technologies, as well as strategies for rectifying past injustices in scientific careers, have appeared in premier journals including Nature and Science. Dr. Schatten is also an eloquent advocate for research in reproduction, development, regeneration and stem cells.
Nathalie Sermondade is MD, PhD, specialized in Reproductive Biology. She first worked in the Department of Reproductive Biology at the Jean Verdier University Hospital in Bondy, and is currently working at the Tenon Hospital in Paris. Her clinical activity focuses on IVF techniques, gamete donation and fertility preservation. Since her PhD in 2012, she is pursuing a research activity in the field of nutrition and fertility.
Régine Sitruk-Ware, M.D, is a Reproductive Endocrinologist, and a distinguished scientist at the Population Council’s Center for Biomedical Research (CBR). In her previous role of Executive Director of research and development in reproductive biology she conducted translational research for new product candidates and new technologies for men and women with a particular focus on contraceptive molecules that also contribute additional medical benefits.
Before joining the Council, R.Sitruk-Ware taught and conducted clinical research in reproductive endocrinology at the University of Paris for more than ten years. She then had a career in research and development in industry. She is a founding member of the International Menopause Society and was its General Secretary from 2008 to 2011. She was also the program director and principal investigator of the Contraception Research Center from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) from 2001 to 2017. She has written eight books and over 300 articles, addressing men and women’s health care issues. She received her medical doctorate at the University of Paris in France and an Adjunct Professor at Rockefeller University since 2000. She has been named in Time magazine as one of 50 most influential people in Health Care in 2018.
Thiers Soares Raymundo, Brazil
Dr. Thiers Soares Raymundo is currently Chief of Gynecologic Endoscopy Section, Cardoso Fontes Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and member of Gynecologic Endoscopy Section, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is also Professor of Gynecologic Endoscopy Postgraduate Course, Suprema University, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
He is a member of the Board of the Brazilian Society of Videosurgery (SOBRACIL), Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS) and Global Society of Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain (GSEPS). He is also a member of the first Team of Robotic Surgery in Gynecology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Edgardo Somigliana graduated in Medicine in 1994 and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1999. In 2006, he completed a PhD in Prenatal Medicine. Since 2001, he is working as a clinical physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Fondazione Ospedale Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, Italy. Since 2012, he is the Head of the Infertility Unit of the hospital. Since 2016 he is also Associate Professor at the Università degli Studi of Milan, Italy. His major scientific interests are infertility and endometriosis. He is author or co-author of more than 300 articles in international journals.
Jerome F. Strauss, III, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, former Dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, VCU Health System. He is Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Strauss has authored over 330 original articles, and holds 14 issued patents. His honors include the President’s Achievement Award, the Distinguished Scientist Award, and Naftolin Award for Mentorship from the Society for Reproductive Investigation, of which he is a past President; the Society for the Study of Reproduction Research Award; election to the National Academy of Medicine; the Transatlantic Medal of the British Endocrine Society; the Premio Fondo Nestle for Investigations in Nutrition (Mexiuco); the Beacon, Pioneer, and National Research Distinguished Service Awards; the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chuenkong Scholar, China Ministry of Education; the Rector’s Medal, University of Chile; honorary professor, Wuhan University of Science and Technology; the Arnaldo Bruno International Prize in Gynaecology, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (Italian National Academy of Science); and membership in the National Academy of Inventors.
Elizabeth Sullivan, Australia
Nathan Treff is the Chief Science Officer at Genomic Prediction Inc. and has a long history in reproductive genetics. He is adjunct faculty at Rutgers University School of Medicine, where he teaches reproductive genetics. Dr. Treff is the recipient of 2 General Program, 2 SART, and 2 SRBT Prize Paper Awards, and the 2013 New Investigator Award from ASRM. He has published over 100 peer reviewed papers in Reproductive Genetics and serves as a member of the ASRM Research Committee, Senior Associate Editor of JARG, and Editor of Fertility and Sterility. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from Washington State University with postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Wisconsin Madison and the Serono Reproductive Biology Institute. He was the Director of Molecular Biology at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey for 11 years where he developed 3 unique molecular genetic methods for preimplantation genetic testing.
Fulco Van der Veen, Netherlands
Fulco van der Veen, MD, PhD is emeritus professor in Reproductive Medicine at the University of Amsterdam since 2017 and was head of the Center for Reproductive Medicine of the AMC Amsterdam since 1997. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Amsterdam in 1977, received his PhD degree in 1982 and became consultant OBGYN in 1987. His research interests include evaluation research on diverse topics like prediction models in reproductive medicine, preimplantation genetic screening, ectopic pregnancy, male infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome and fertility preservation, and translational research on the Y chromosome and human spermatogonial stemcells. He was co applicant in over 30 research grants. He is author of 400 peer reviewed publications, including top journals like Nature Genetics, NEJM, JAMA, Lancet and supervised 50 PhD students.
Prof. Verguts graduated in 1999 at the University of Leuven, Belgium and finished his residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2004. He further subspecialized in uro-gynaecology and gynaecologic oncology. He got awarded with the Pfizer educational grant in 2007. In 2011 he defended his PhD thesis titled: Can prevention of mesothelial damage during endoscopic surgery decrease adhesion formation and tumorimplantation?” He became a professor at the University Hospital Leuven in 2012. In 2013 he transferred to the Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium where he performs mainly benign laparoscopic surgery (i.e. uro-gyn, myoma’s and endometriosis). He kept on performing robotic myoma surgery at the University Hospital Leuven the years after. He founded and is leading the endometriosis centre in Hasselt, where he is currently holding the position of Clinical Head of Benign Gynaecology.
Prof. Gerard H.A.Visser
Emeritus professor Obstetrics and former head of department, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Member and past chair FIGO Committee Safe Motherhood Newborn Health. Former president of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine. Honorary Fellow of the Flemish, South African, Royal ( British; fellow ad eudem) and Romanian Colleges of O&G and of the German Perinatal Society. Awarded the Maternity price of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine in 2016. Research interests: fetal ( neurological) development, fetal monitoring, IUGR, diabetes and pregnancy. Over 460 PubMed articles, which have been cited over 26.000 times according to Google Scholar; supervisor of 73 completed PhD projects.
Lisa Webber BM BCh MA PhD MRCOG
Consultant Gynaecologist, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine
Lisa Webber is a consultant gynaecologist and RCOG accredited subspecialist in reproductive medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She graduated from Oxford University Medical School and later obtained her PhD at Imperial College London, studying the development of preantral follicles in the normal and polycystic ovary. She trained and later worked as a consultant at University College Hospital London before returning to St Mary’s Hospital at Imperial. She specialises in disorders of ovarian follicle development, and all aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome, including the fertility and non-reproductive effects.
Lisa has published in The Lancet, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and the Journal of Endocrinology. She was a contributing author to the Oxford Textbook of Medicine, the Oxford Textbook of Endocrinology and Diabetes and co-author of a patient information book entitled Infertility: The Facts. She co-chaired the ESHRE guideline on premature ovarian insufficiency.
Jean Philippe Wolf, France
Jessica Ybanez-Morano, MD, MPH, FACOG, CPE
Dr. Jessica Ybanez-Morano practices in Wheeling, West Virginia. She joined the staff of the Virginia Gassaway Women’s Services as the Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery and the Director of Labor and Delivery. She is Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She specializes in reduced site gynecologic laparoscopic techniques and vaginal re-enhancement. She is specifically focused with single-site laparoscopic surgery for gynecology procedures. Currently, she serves as Secretary/Treasurer for SLS 2018 and will be incoming President for SLS in 2020.
Dr. Ybanez-Morano is doubly boarded with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Physician Executives (aka the American Association of Physician Leaders.) She maintains numerous academic positions. She received Professor faculty appointment with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, West Liberty University and West Virginia University School of Medicine.
She graduated with a combined degree. She received her MD/MPH from West Virginia University and the Johns Hopkins University. She is a Fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. She is a Certified Physician Executive and a Diplomate with the American College of Physician Executives. She serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (JSLS.)
Prof. Yariv Yogev graduated medical school in The Technion University, Haifa, Israel and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Helen Schneider Hospital, Rabin Medical Center. He completed his clinical and research fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at Columbia University and St. Lukes-Roosvelt Hospital in New York. Currently, he is full professor at Tel Aviv University and the Chairman of Lis Hospital for Women in Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center which is a tertiary University affiliated Hospital with approximately 12,000 deliveries a year. Prof. Yogev is the past President of the Israel Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, the past moderator of the diabetes in pregnancy program in the American Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) and board member in the Israel residency board exams. He contributed more than 240 peer-reviewed articles, editor of 2 books and wrote many chapters in books, and his main in interest in research are pregnancy complication, especially diabetes and preterm labor.