Session 117 : Zymot Fertility Symposia
Tuesday, 23rd May (3 pm EDT / 8 pm UK / 9 pm CET)
A webinar kindly sponsored by ZyMōt Fertility Inc.
Synopsis:
Description: International IVF Initiative(I3)- Online Session 117 : Zymot Fertility Symposia [108minutes]
Tuesday, 23rd May (3 pm EDT / 7 pm UK / 8 pm CET)
In this past-tense webinar, a panel of experts gathered to shed light on the topic of microfluidic sperm preparation and its practices worldwide. The event was moderated by Dr. Amy Barrie, Alessandra Parrella, Xavier Vinals Gonzalez, and featured the esteemed presence of Professor Gianpiero D. Palermo.
The webinar kicked off with Olena Kocur, who presented her latest research and publication titled "The Impact of a Compromised Male Genome on ART Outcome." With a focus on the effects of a compromised male genome on assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes, Olena delved into the intricacies of this crucial aspect and offered valuable insights.
Next, Kimberly Kienast took the virtual stage, sharing her personal experiences with sperm preparation and discussing the legal framework surrounding it in Germany. Her presentation titled "100% ZyMōt" shed light on the innovative techniques employed in sperm preparation and German laws.
The final presenter was Dr. Kou Sueoka, who introduced the audience to the application of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Japan. Dr. Sueoka elaborated on the unique Japanese system of validating new medical technologies and treatments, showcasing the advancements and methodologies implemented in Japan's approach to IVF.
The webinar culminated in a lively Q&A session where attendees were encouraged to submit their questions to the panel of experts. This interactive segment provided participants with the opportunity to gain further clarification, discuss specific concerns, and engage in thought-provoking conversations related to microfluidic sperm preparation and its global implications.
Overall, the webinar served as an enriching platform for professionals in the field of reproductive medicine, offering a comprehensive overview of microfluidic sperm preparation practices worldwide, backed by cutting-edge research, real-world experiences, and legal considerations.
Moderators:
Dr. Amy Barrie, Alessandra Parrella, Xavier Vinals Gonzalez with Professor Gianpiero D. Palermo
Presenters:
Olena Kocur "The Impact of a Compromised Male Genome on ART Outcome"
Kienast Kimberly “100% ZyMōt”
Dr. Kou Sueoka “Big in Japan”
Q and A
DR. AMY BARRIE
Dr Amy Barrie is the Group Scientific Director for Care Fertility UK. Amy is a Consultant Clinical Scientist, being one of a handful in the UK that are Fellows of the Royal College of Pathologists. Amy studied Physiology at the University of Manchester, followed by a Master’s degree in Prenatal Genetics and Fetal Medicine at University College London. Amy was awarded a PhD in 2017 entitled ‘Time-lapse Systems: Incubation and Annotation’. Amy has over 10 years’ experience within Clinical Embryology and has a special interest in time-lapse technology used throughout the Care Fertility Group laboratories. In addition to ensuring compliance with the UK regulator’s (the HFEA) requirements and the safe and effective running of the Care Fertility laboratories, Amy is dedicated to ensuring the standard of care provided to all patients is the highest possible.
ALESSANDRA PARRELLA
Alessandra Parrella is a reproductive scientist and clinical embryologist at IVF-Life in Alicante, Spain. She is highly dedicated to the research field working on different research projects and she is fascinated by AI technology applied to reproductive treatments. Before moving to Spain, she worked with Dr. Gianpiero Palermo for five years in the Andrology Laboratory of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. During that period, she had the opportunity to develop and implement new clinical treatments in male factor infertility. In men with high DNA fragmentation, Alessandra has been successful in achieving a high clinical pregnancy rate by selecting spermatozoa through a microfluidic device yielding the highest portion of progressively motile cells characterized by the highest genomic integrity.
Alessandra is currently doing her PhD program at the Biotechnology Department of the University of Alicante, where she is working on her thesis focused on the PLC-z and centrosome expression in spermatozoa cryopreserved with a novel sperm vitrification method developed at IVF-life.
XAVIER VINALS GONZALEZ
Together with his laboratory-based embryology, Xavier is an active member of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists. His research has been shared with professionals after having been invited to speak at national and international conferences in the field of human reproduction, where he has shared his interest in reproductive genetics and non-invasive assessment of gametes and embryos. Academically, Xavier is a lecturer for the postgraduate degrees in women’s health, prenatal genetics and fetal medicine at University College London.
PROFESSOR GIANPIERO PALERMO
Professor Gianpiero D. Palermo is a renowned figure in the field of reproductive medicine and andrology. He is the director of assisted fertilization and andrology at The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility and an associate professor at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Palermo is the developer of the revolutionary intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure in 1991, which has helped many men with severe forms of infertility to become fathers. He has personally performed thousands of successful ICSI procedures, which have resulted in many successful pregnancies and births. Dr. Palermo has continued active academic research in all fields of gamete and embryo biology, and has led to more than 12,000 ICSI cycles completed at the CRMI. He is a Blavatnik Family Professor of Reproductive Medicine at The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine of Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Palermo's contributions to the field of reproductive medicine have revolutionized treatment for male-factor infertility and provided hope for couples struggling with infertility.
OLENA KOCUR
Olena Maria Kocur is a Clinical Embryologist and Andrologist at the Ronald O. Perelmanand Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine. Olena has implemented various assays to evaluate sperm nuclear maturity, genome integrity, and fertilization capability of spermatozoa, as well as has successfully performed several hundred ICSI procedures. She has presented several abstracts for oral and poster presentation, nationally and internationally, and has co-authored reviews, text-book chapters, and peer-reviewed manuscripts. Olena is the leading author of two peer-reviewed manuscripts, the first involving the use of microfluidics sperm selection to isolate the most motile spermatozoa with superior genomic integrity to enhance ICSI clinical outcome, and the second investigating the effect of high sperm chromatin fragmentation on embryo aneuploidy and the ability to correct this by microfluidics. One of Olena’s current projects involves assessing the relationship between nuclear maturity of spermatozoa with the occurrence of sperm chromatin fragmentation.
KIENAST KIMBERLY
Kimberly has been the Laboratory Director at Fertility Center Hamburg since 2018. She has worked in IVF for 8 years now, after having obtained her Master’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences from St. Georges, University of London and her Bachelor’s Degree from Royal Holloway, University of London.
During her time at Fertility Center Hamburg she was responsible for introducing time-lapse imaging and ZyMot into routine practice.
She is a ESHRE certified senior clinical embryologist since 2022 and holds the AGRBM certification since 2018.
DR. KOU SUEOKA
Dr. Kou Sueoka is a specialist in reproductive medicine and genetics who has contributed significantly to research on preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and its impact on diagnostic outcomes. He has published numerous research articles on the subject and is currently serving as the Director of Reproductive Medicine and Genetics at Keio University in Tsuruoka, Yamagata. Dr. Sueoka has also conducted research on developing PGD for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other genetic disorders. He received his medical degree from Keio University School of Medicine and has been active in his field for many years.
Specialty Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Specialty Board of Gynecologic Endoscopy
Specialty Board of Clinical Genetics
Specialty Board of Reproductive Medicine
Best Doctors in Japan from 2006 to 2023
1980.8 Graduation of Keio University School of Medicine
1980.9 Resident, Keio University Hospital
1983.6 Post doctoral fellow (Clinical fellow), Keio University School of Medicine
1986.7 Post doctoral fellow (Research fellow), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics (U.S.A., Maryland)
1988.7 Saiseikai Kanagawa Hospital
1991.7 Instructor , Keio University School of Medicine
1997.4 Assistant Professor (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology), Keio University School of Medicine
2000.4 Keio University School of Medicine Associate Professor, (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology)
2001.11 Director of Genetic Counseling Section, Keio University Hospital
2011.8 Vice Director, Center of Clinical Genetics, Keio University Hospital
2013.4 Medical Director, Keio University Hospital Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
2014.2 Special Advisor, Medical Excellence JAPAN
2014.7 Representative Secretary, Japan Society of Fertilization and Implantation
2019 Managing Director, Institute of Genetic Counseling Partners