Session 118: 80s Famous (Part 1)
Synopsis:
Description: International IVF Initiative(I3)- Online Session 11 : 80s Famous [143 minutes]Date: Tuesday, 30th May: Time: 3 pm EST / 8 pm UK / 9 pm CET
80s Famous- The Things That Shaped ART Today: Part 1
Moderators: Karin Dawson, Dr. Steve Davies, Dr. Joe Conaghan
Presenters: Dr. Kimball Pomeroy, Corey Burke, Dr. Jacques Cohen
This webinar delved into the progress of in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques since the 1980s, offering a nostalgic exploration of the field while shedding light on lesser-known aspects of IVF. The aim was to provide insights into the historical context and scientific breakthroughs that have shaped modern IVF, particularly focusing on techniques that may not have been widely understood.
The expert speakers and mentors from the 80s discussed the evolution of techniques, starting from the early days in the 1980s up to the present day. They highlighted significant milestones and key discoveries that have revolutionized the field, emphasizing the challenges faced by scientists and clinicians during the early years of IVF. The speakers shared how these challenges were overcome, leading to the refinement and enhancement of IVF techniques.
The presenters and their topics were as follows:
Dr. Pomeroy discussed the development and advancements in culture media used in IVF, providing insights into the science behind these techniques.
Corey Burke with "Sperm Freezing, Sperm Banking Then and Now" explored the history of sperm freezing and sperm banking in the context of a changing world, comparing the techniques used in the past to those employed in the present.
Dr. Cohen presented the historical context of male infertility and its relationship to in vitro fertilization, offering valuable perspectives an unique insights on this aspect of IVF.
The webinar concluded with a Q&A session, where attendees were encouraged to actively participate by asking questions and engaging in discussions with the panel of experts.
Overall, this webinar provided a comprehensive overview of the progress made in IVF techniques, allowing participants to gain a deeper understanding of the historical significance and scientific advancements that have shaped the field of fertility treatments.
Moderators:
Karin Dawson, Dr. Steve Davies, Dr. Joe Conaghan
Presenters:
Dr. Kimball Pomeroy "We just mixed sperm and ova together - the evolution of culture media."
Corey Burke “Sperm freezing, sperm banking then and now”.
A lecture kindly sponsored by Cryos International
Dr. Jacques Cohen "The history of male infertility and fertilization in vitro"
Q & A
KARIN DAWSON
Karin Dawson was one of the first embryologist in the field of IVF and started working at Hammersmith Hospital in 1982. Karin went on to make significant contributions to the training of embryologists and laboratory processes and regulations. She was a founder member of the Association of Clinical Embryologists (ACE) which was set up in 1992 which she chaired for 10 yours along with the ACE training committee. During that time ACE established training schemes for embryologists, the Diploma and Certificate in Embryology for which Karin was an examiner and assessor. These were the first recognised qualifications to bring embryologists in line with other Clinical Scientist disciplines. Karin also sat on committees with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology authority (HFEA) establishing laboratory standards and protocols. She was also the first embryologist to be appointed by the Dept of Health and was an inspector for the HFEA and the Registration Council of Scientists. Karin also has substantial experience of Quality management systems and latterly working in the NHS in Quality Governance.
DR. STEVE DAVIES
Dr Davies has four decades of experience in embryology. Trained as Biochemist and subsequently completed PhD with theme of Oocyte maturation in mice. He trained as clinical embryologist at Hammersmith Hospital in London. In 1991, Dr Davies (Scientific Director and Senior Embryologist) co-founded Embryogenesis IVF clinic in Athens, Greece. For 30 years Embryogenesis was one of the largest and most successful IVF centers in Greece. Embryogenesis was responsible for multiple pioneering events in Greece including 1st pregnancy after PGT-M for b- thalassaemia, 1st pregnancy with ICSI, TESE, 1st clinic to open in house PGT-A department with FISH, Arrays, NGS, Introduction of time-lapse in Greece in 2011 & winner of Clinical Award for oral presentation ESHRE 2012. He is ESHRE certified Clinical Embryologist since 2008.
In 2022 Embryogenesis now merged with Hygeia IVF in Athens to create one of the largest IVF centers in Europe, and Dr Davies continues as Laboratory director of the facility.
DR. JOE CONAGHAN
Dr Joe Conaghan has worked in human embryology for 35 years, mainly as a teacher and IVF laboratory director. He trained in Embryology and Andrology at the Hammersmith Hospital in London and graduated with a Ph.D. in human embryology from the Royal Postgraduate Medical School at the University of London in 1994. He is a Board-Certified High-complexity Clinical Laboratory Director in the disciplines of Embryology and Andrology.
Dr. Conaghan has directed numerous facilities in the US including the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) IVF Program (1995-1999) and Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco (1999-2022). He is a faculty lecturer in reproductive technology at San Francisco State University (SFSU; 2002-present). Dr. Conaghan is a strong advocate for quality improvement and innovation in IVF, and is a dedicated mentor/teacher to the next generation of embryologists and IVF laboratory directors.
DR. KIMBALL POMEROY
Dr. Pomeroy is the Chief Science Officer for Ivy Fertility in the US and oversees several IVF laboratories in the US. He has lectured at many scientific meetings and post-graduate courses and has co-authored papers dealing with Covid-19 and the IVF laboratory, best practices for nitrogen storage tanks, risks of cross-contamination of microbes during storage of tissue in liquid nitrogen, the usefulness of embryo morphology in predicting pregnancy and the source of microbial contamination during embryo culture.
Kimball O. Pomeroy received a Ph.D. in Animal Physiology at Colorado State University, and then was a post-doc at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. At the Salk Institute, Dr. Pomeroy worked with Dr. Glen Evans on the Human Genome Project (chromosome 11) and did work in the production of transgenic animals.
He was trained in Bristol, England as a human embryologist and has worked as a consultant for several projects in Mexico, Nepal, China, Bolivia, and the Bahamas. He has served as a member of the SART Executive Board, Chair of the Reproductive Laboratory Technician’s Group, Chair of the College of Reproductive Biology, and a founding member of both the Regulatory Task Force and the Southwest Embryologist Summit. Recently, he has focused his studies on what happens when cryotanks fail and how oocytes regulate their pH.
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COREY BURKE
Corey has worked in the reproductive industry for over 20+ years. Working as an andrologist and embryologist he has helped thousands of couples achieve their dream of becoming parents. Over the years he has run embryology, research, and diagnostic andrology laboratories.In 2014 Mr. Burke joined Cryos International as Tissue Bank Director and started Cryos Internationals egg bank program in Orlando. With 30 years’ experience and delivering to more than 100 countries, Cryos aims to ensure a wide selection of high-quality, extensively screened donor sperm, and donor eggs from all races, ethnicities and phenotypes for tailored fertility treatments. Through medical partnerships, evolving research Cryos continues to improve and expand its global services to assist families in achieving successful, full-term pregnancies. As Tissue Bank Director, Mr. Burke is responsible for the safety and quality of donors and donor products as well as the scientific direction of the laboratories and worldwide egg banking.
This lecture is kindly sponsored by Cryos International
DR. JACQUES COHEN
Jacques Cohen is a reproductive biologist, clinical embryologist and laboratory product developer. He lives in New York but was born and educated in The Netherlands where he started his career in embryology in 1976. He came to the USA via the UK where he worked at Bourn Hall Clinic with Bob Edwards and Patrick Steptoe in the early 1980s. He directed the embryology laboratories of RBA in Atlanta (1985), Cornell University Medical Center in NYC (1989) and Saint Barnabas Medical Center (1995). He retired from clinical embryology in 2003 and pursued a career in setting up and running startup companies sub-specializing in diagnostic and therapeutic aspects in assisted reproductive technology. Companies he has been associated with as product developer and co-founder are Reprogenetics, the first PGTA company, IVF-online later rebranded as Life Global, and Althea Science with the brand IVFqc. More recently he became the Chief Science Officer (CSO) of IVF 2.0 which specializes in IVF Artificial Intelligence (AI) products and the CSO of CONCEIVABLE which is an IVF Robotics company based in Mexico, the UK and USA.
He has (co-)authored more than 300 publications, several textbooks and 14 patents. He is Emeritus Chief Editor of Reproductive Biomedicine Online. He was one of the founders of Alpha – Scientists in Reproductive Medicine, one of the founders of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society – PGDIS and is a founding member of the International IVF Initiative (i3).