Session 149: Green IVF III

Session 149: Green IVF III: Taking Action!

3pm ET/ 7pm UK/ 8pm CET, Tuesday 25th Mar 2025 CHECK REGIONAL TIME

Moderators: Dr Mina Alikani and Dr Jacques Cohen

Panelist: Anna Gorbunova

Presenters:
Preliminary results of the I3 international survey on green views: Fran Farlie

Case study- a greener clinic: Sami Obaya

Ensuring sustainability in IVF: Sabrina Ritossa
Talk kindly sponsored by Vitrolife Group

Q and A

Synopsis

The webinar on sustainability in the IVF industry brought together leading voices in embryology and environmental advocacy for an insightful discussion on how reproductive medicine can evolve to meet urgent ecological demands. Moderated by renowned embryologists Dr. Mina Alikani and Dr. Jacques Cohen, the session featured a panel of experts with diverse experiences and a shared commitment to sustainability.

Together with Anna Gorbunova, also an embryologist and passionate green advocate, they set the tone with a thoughtful perspective on the current state of sustainability efforts within IVF clinics. She emphasized the growing awareness among professionals and the need for actionable change.

Fran Farlie presented the preliminary results of the I3 international survey, which explored global embryologists’ views on environmental responsibility in IVF. The survey highlighted a strong consensus that more should be done to improve sustainability, but also revealed differing opinions on where that responsibility lies—whether with individuals, clinics, or industry stakeholders.

Sami Obaya shared a compelling case study from his clinic in Norway, where sustainable practices have been implemented without compromising laboratory performance. From rethinking daily workflows to integrating eco-conscious technologies, his clinic serves as a model for balancing innovation with environmental stewardship.

Finally, Sabrina Ritossa offered an industry-wide perspective, discussing initiatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of IVF operations. She detailed efforts such as transitioning to electric vehicles, implementing smarter waste disposal systems, and exploring more efficient ways to deliver products and services globally.

Together, the presenters and panelists underscored the urgency of making sustainability a core part of IVF practice, while also inspiring attendees with practical strategies and a sense of collective responsibility.

Dr Mina Alikani

Mina Alikani is a Clinical Consultant and a Board-Certified High Complexity Laboratory Director in assisted human reproduction, with many years of experience in the field.
She is an Editor of Reproductive Biomedicine Online, a leading journal in the field. Mina has authored and co-authored more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and lectured around the world on various topics related to assisted reproduction. 
She currently holds a position as Director of Scientific Affairs with Conceivable Life Sciences and serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of TMRW and Conceivable Life Sciences. She was recently appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor in Reproductive Clinical Sciences, at EVMS School of Health Professions at Old Dominion University. Since 2022, she has proudly served as the president of Alpha Scientists in Reproductive Medicine.

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).

Fran Farlie

Fran is an embryologist with Concept Fertility, where she started her career as a reproductive science practitioner back in 2020. She completed her BSc in Anatomy, Developmental and Human Biology at King’s College London where she was awarded the Hamilton Prize for highest graduating student, followed by her MSc in Human Clinical Embryology and Assisted Conception at the University of Dundee.

While working in the clinical laboratory environment, Fran soon noticed the amount of waste and lack of environmental consideration in medical practice. Inspired by attending an I3 Webinar on Green IVF, Fran had a light-bulb moment and started to challenge the “it has to be that way because that is how it has always been” mindset and sought for more sustainable options. Fran was made the Green Ambassador of her clinic and set up the first Concept Fertility Green Committee. She has since presented at the ARCS Summer Symposium, Fertility UK, ESHRE and ALPHA.

Sami Obaya

Sabrina Ritossa

Sabrina Ritossa Fernandez is the Head of Sustainability at the Vitrolife Group, where she leads the implementation of the company’s sustainability strategy, ensuring alignment with global standards and driving impactful initiatives that integrate environmental and social responsibility into the organisation’s operations. With more than 10 years of experience in sustainability and ESG management, Sabrina has a strong background in sustainable finance, having held key sustainability roles in global investment organisations. Her experience positions her as a leader in driving meaningful change across industries.

Anna Gorbunova