Fast and Furious: New strategies in oocyte and embryo vitrification and warming

Fast and Furious: New strategies in oocyte and embryo vitrification and warming - Dr. Juergen Liebermann

3pm EST/ 8pmUK/ 9pm CET, Tuesday 5th March 2024.

This lecture is kindly sponsored by Future Fertility

In Dr. Juergen Liebermann's presentation, he delves into the cutting-edge advancements in cryopreservation techniques related to in vitro fertilization (IVF), specifically focusing on blastocysts and oocytes. Dr. Liebermann begins by outlining the importance and applications of blastocyst cryopreservation in clinical settings, addressing the surge in IVF cycle demands and the necessity for protocol optimization to enhance success rates.

He offers a historical perspective on vitrification, marking the evolution of techniques and the minimal changes in protocols over the years, despite the significant increase in research and publications on the subject. Highlighting his own research, Dr. Liebermann proposes a simplified, one-step warming protocol aimed at improving pregnancy outcomes while reducing the costs and labor associated with traditional multi-step procedures. Through comprehensive trials and data analysis, he presents findings that support the efficacy of this new approach, detailing its positive impact on survival and hatching rates of thawed blastocysts, as well as its potential to significantly improve IVF success rates across various age groups and embryonic development stages.

Transitioning to oocyte cryopreservation, Dr. Liebermann identifies the challenges within current practices and suggests methodological improvements that prioritize survival and meiotic resumption rates post-thaw. His comparative studies across different cryopreservation media and protocols advocate for a two-minute vitrification and warming process, which has shown to yield high survival and developmental rates, suggesting a more efficient and effective approach to oocyte cryopreservation.

Dr. Liebermann's presentation encapsulates his contribution to the field of reproductive medicine through his innovative research on cryopreservation techniques. By questioning established protocols and rigorously testing new methodologies, he not only advances our understanding of blastocyst and oocyte vitrification but also paves the way for more successful and cost-effective IVF treatments.questioning established protocols and rigorously testing new methodologies, he not only advances our understanding of blastocyst and oocyte vitrification but also paves the way for more successful and cost-effective IVF treatments.