Session 93: More or Less
Tuesday, 19th April at 3pm EST, 8pm UK, 9pm CET
What time should you denude? When should you ICSI? When should you transfer a blastocyst and when should you wait?
Please join the webinar discussing practical advice about precise timing of IVF lab events. Participate with your questions in this very interactive session.
REGISTER
Moderating:
Dr. Jason Swain and Dr. Rebecca Holmes with Dr. Chelsey Leisinger
Presenting:
“The Importance of Procedure Timing in the IVF Lab” Dr. Jason Swain
"Timing, Timing, Timing" Dr. Denny Sakkas
“Hyaluronic Acid and Embryo Transfer Procedures “ Hubert Joris
“Timing of Blastocyst Transfers” Dr. Alessandra Alteri
“Novel Approach to Developing Technician Benchmarks in the Contemporary Embryology Laboratory” Tricia Adams
DR. JASON SWAIN
Jason E. Swain, PhD, HCLD is the Corporate Laboratory Director of the CCRM IVF Laboratory Network, overseeing a growing network of 11 clinical IVF laboratories in North America. He is responsible for laboratory design, protocol/procedure implementation, as well as staff training and ongoing quality control monitoring for the network embryology, andrology and endocrinology laboratories. Jason also oversees quality control of the CCRM Donor Egg Bank. Dr. Swain is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Rutgers University as well as at the University of Minnesota. He completed his BSc at Hillsdale College in his native Michigan, his MSc in Animal Science at Purdue University and his PhD in Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the University of Michigan in the lab of Dr. Gary Smith, PhD, HCLD. He then had clinical embryology training with Thomas “Rusty” Pool in San Antonio, TX, before becoming a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of OB/GYN and IVF lab director at the University of Michigan. Dr. Swain has published over 45 peer-reviewed articles, edited and authored several book chapters and contributed to various other publications within the field of assisted reproduction. Dr. Swain has served on various committees for ASRM, ESHRE, PCRS and other organizations focused on assisted reproduction. He has given numerous regional, national and international invited lectures on various topics related to the IVF laboratory, is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, sits on the editorial board for 6 journals and acts an ad hoc reviewer for over 25 others. His primary research interests include pursuit of methods to improve in vitro embryo culture conditions through reduction of environmental stressors via modification of both the physical and chemical culture environment.
HUBERT JORIS
Media development manager bij Vitrolife.Hubert started his career in the field of ART in 1989 in Brussels. Following a research project on assisted fertilization by subzonal insemination in the mouse, he took part in the development of a clinical program for assisted fertilization that soon resulted in the first pregnancies after ICSI. During the 15 years that he worked in IVF he was an author in >60 peer reviewed articles related to ICSI, embryology, embryo biopsy, PGT, cryopreservation and pregnancy outcome. He joined vitrolife in 2004 where he is now working with medium research. Other areas where his clinical experience is useful are product development, customer support as well as educational and training activities.
DR. ALESSANDRA ALTERI
Alessandra Alteri obtained her Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology at “Sapienza”- University of Rome. She started her career as an embryologist in 2011 at FertiClinic-Villa Margherita in Rome, and she has been working at IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan since 2015. She is an ESHRE-certified Senior Embryologist. In 2017, she was elected Junior Deputy of The Special Interest Group on Safety and Quality in ART (SQART) of ESHRE, and she is currently Deputy of the ESHRE SQART. She is a member of the Editorial Board of the Notify Library. Since 2021, she has been adjunct Professor of Biology at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan. She has authored over 30 peer-reviewed manuscripts concerning embryology, safety, and quality management.
Current areas of interest include quality and risk management in the IVF laboratory, with particular attention to patient and offspring safety and errors prevention strategies.
DR. TRICIA ADAMS
Tricia L. Adams M.S., T.S, (ABB), is a Laboratory Manager with Ovation Fertility, in Central Louisiana. She participates in the organization and success of two neighboring laboratories who play a role in active research for the Ovation Network and in aiding families on their reproductive journey. Tricia has worked as an embryologist for several years and has obtained her Technical Supervisor Certification and progressed her career within the Ovation Network. Tricia earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Southeastern Louisiana University. As an undergraduate, she participated in transgenic research at the Louisiana State University Reproductive Biology Center. This research led to her acceptance into the LSU Graduate School program. She then completed her Master of Science in Animal Sciences with a focus in Reproductive Physiology and Biotechnology. Tricia has currently been accepted to the Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences PhD-Veterinary Clinical Sciences program at LSU and begins this summer.
DR. REBECCA HOLMES
Rebecca “Bec” Holmes, DPhil, HCDL is the East Coast Corporate Laboratory Director of the CCRM network overseeing three clinical IVF laboratories. She is responsible for protocol/procedure implementation, as well aiding in staff training and ongoing quality control monitoring for the network embryology, andrology and endocrinology laboratories. Her interests lie in streamlining processes by utilizing software and technology to drive efficiencies and safety within IVF labs. Originally from England, Dr Holmes obtained her BSc at Brunel University and her D. Phil in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford where she studied epigenetics. She completed her postdoctoral studies at Cornell University. After completing embryology training in the Boston area she went on to become Technical Director of IVF at Brigham and Women’s Hospital before helping establish the Boston CCRM laboratory and now directing multiple labs within the CCRM network. She has given regional, national and international invited lectures on various topics related to the IVF laboratory, contributed to numerous peer-reviewed articles and runs an embryology society meeting in the New England area.
DR. CHELSEY LEISINGER
Chelsey Leisinger, PhD, HCLD/CC earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University, and her Master’s degree at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in reproductive physiology. She obtained her PhD in biomedical and veterinary medical sciences, with a focus on reproductive physiology, at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.For the past 10 years Dr. Leisinger has been working in human IVF and is currently a laboratory director at Ovation Fertility. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine where she assists in the education of graduate students and the operation of an ART lab for domestic animals.
DR. DENNY SAKKAS
Dr. Denny Sakkas received his undergraduate training at the University of Melbourne, Australia and received his Doctorate of Philosophy at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Dr. Sakkas has been the Laboratory Director of IVF units in Switzerland and England and has aided numerous groups in establishing their own IVF units around the world. He has extensive experience in clinical IVF and reproductive research. He is internationally recognized, having organized conferences and workshops on reproduction related topics, and is frequently invited as a speaker at major conferences worldwide. He has published more than 200 manuscripts and chapters in the field of fertilization, early embryo development and male infertility. He serves on the Editorial Board of leading journals and has been extensively funded in his career, He leads a productive research team investigating many aspects of basic and translational reproductive biology.
Dr Sakkas is Chief Scientific Officer at Boston IVF and consults to a number of clinics and startup companies in the area of IVF. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Previous and current positions include; Chief Scientific Officer at Molecular Biometrics Inc.; Associate Professor at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine ; Director of Assisted Reproductive Treatment Laboratories of the Yale Fertility Center.