The theme for the joint annual conference will be “Reproduction in a changing world” featuring an exciting, cutting edge programme of high profile, scientific international and UK speakers, with a wide range of concurrent sessions focusing on specialist areas in fertility and reproductive biology guaranteed to excite, stimulate and motivate!
SRF Careers Day
13.00 Early registration opens, refreshments
14.00-15.00 SRF Early career researchers forum
15.10-16.25 SRF Post doctoral prize session
16.25-16.50 Refreshments
16.50-17.20 SRF-SRB Exchange Lecture
17.20-17.50 SRF/SSR New Investigator Lecture
17.50-18.20 Reproduction Journal Prize Lecture
19.00 Evening programme
Thursday 9 January – Global and Environmental
07:45 Registration, refreshments, exhibition and poster viewing
OPENING PLENARY SESSION 1
09.40 The human tide- Paul Morland, Associate Research Fellow, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
10.10 Where does reproductive science fit into “big picture” conservation – Bill Holt, Visiting Professor, Academic Unit of Reproductive and Development Medicine, University of Sheffield, UK
10.40 Ecotoxicology in the Artic: One health one fertility – Christian Sonne, Professor of Wildlife Population Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
11.10 Refreshments and exhibition
Manned poster presentations and poster judging, odd numbers
12.10 ANNE MCLAREN MEMORIAL LECTURE
Placentation: the platform for life-long health – Professor Graham J Burton, Mary Marshall and Arthur Walton Professor of the Physiology of Reproduction Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, UK
13.00 Lunch, exhibition and poster viewing
14.00 PARALLEL SHORT PAPER SESSIONS 1
To be announced in September
15.30 Exhibition, refreshments and poster viewing
Demo zone
16.20-17.50 UPDATE SESSION 1
| U1A
Clinical |
IVF in a changing world: Emerging techniques and technologies for all
Segmented IVF – time to rethink? Dr Abha Maheswari, Director, Aberdeen Fertility Centre, UK Embryo-endometrial cross talk: How can we mediate the conversation?- Professor Nick Macklon, Medical Director, London Women’s Clinic, Affiliate Professor, University of Copenhagen, Denmark PGT-A,(genetic testing) – Sebastien Mastenbroek, Assistant Professor, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| U1B Science |
|
| U1C
Embryology |
Emerging risks in embryology
DoHAB work – risk associated with extended culture – Peter Ruane, Research Associate, University of Manchester, UK Is misleading research the risk to embryology? – Jack Wilkinson, Research Fellow, Centre for Biostatistics, University of Manchester, Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility, UK Risks of embroyology development: Lessons from animal models – Pascale Chavatte-Palmer, Deputy Research Unit Director, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, INRA, Paris, France |
| U1D Nursing and Counselling | Transgender
Fertility and reproductive issues for trans and non-binary people – Lucy Evans, Endocrine Clinical Nurse Specialist, Tavistock & Portman Clinic, UK Funding transgender fertility treatment – James Barrett, Lead Clinician, Tavistock & Portman Clinic, UK Human capital: Staff training and support in this changing world – Debbie Evans, Director of Clinical Services, Herts & Essex Fertility Centre, UK |
17.50- 19.00 Welcome wine reception in exhibition
Opportunity to meet with poster presenters.
18.15 Sponsor’s symposium
Friday 10 January – Sociological
07.45 Registration, refreshments, exhibition and poster viewing
08.00 Sponsor’s Symposium
PLENARY SESSION 2
09.00 Elective egg freezing: Socio-demographic factors underlying an emerging global trend – Professor Marcia Inhorn, Anthropology and International Affairs, Council on Middle East Studies, Yale University, USA
09.30 New ways to grow a human – Dr Philip Ball, former editor of Nature, Science Writer, UK
10.00 DNA testing fallout. The end of donor anonymity?–Guido Pennings, Professor, Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
10.30 Refreshments and exhibition
Manned poster presentations and poster judging, even numbers
11.30 THE PATRICK STEPTOE MEMORIAL LECTURE
Tim’rous beasties an’ fellow-mortals: reproductive technologies in the 21st century – Andy Greenfield, Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
12.20 Society AGMs
BFS AGM
ACE AGM
SRF AGM
– Marshall Medal – Professor Marilyn Renfree, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
13.20 Lunch, exhibition and poster presentations viewing
14.20 PARALLEL SHORT PAPER SESSIONS 2
to be announced in September
15.50 Exhibition, refreshments and poster viewing
Demo Zone
16.30-18.00 UPDATE SESSION 2
| U2A
Clinical |
LUTEAL PHASE SUPPORT
Physiology of corpus luteum: The science of luteal support – Colin Duncan,Professor of Reproductive Medicine and Science,MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh, UK What’s new in Luteal support – Mostafa Metwally, Consultant Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Jessop Wing, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK Progesterone for prevention of miscarriage- Arri Coomarasamy,Professor of Gynaecology, Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, UK |
| U2B
Science |
Environmental impact on reproduction
Reproductive function in a polluted world: Lessons from animal models – Richard Lea, Reader in Reproductive Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Nottingham University Hospital, UK Environmental influences on a metabolic function and fertility – Vasantha Padmanabhan, Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, USA Environmental influences on early life development and susceptibility to adult disease – Kirsty Walters, Senior Lecturer, Ovarian Biology Laboratory UNSW Sydney, Australia |
| U2C
Embroylogy |
Emerging techniques and technologies
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning – for embryo selection – Marcos Meseguer, Senior Embryologist, IVI Valencia, Spain Microfluidics for assisted reproductive technologies – Dr Séverine Le Gac, Professor, University of Twente, Belgium Human spermbots for cancer-relevant drug delivery – Dr Christine Schmidt, Division of Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester, UK |
| U2D – Nursing | Surrogacy update
The surrogacy journey –Sarah Templeman, Nurse Manager, Herts & Essex Fertility Centre, UK and Natalie Gamble, Fertility Lawyer, Natalie Gamble Associates, UK The role of the lawyer in surrogacy – it’s not all legal – Helen Prosser, Lawyer, Brilliant Beginnings, UK Single parent surrogacy–Francesca Steyn, Head of Nursing, The Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health, London UK |
18:00 Sponsor’s symposium
19.30 Conference dinner
Saturday 11 January – Technological
7.45 Registration, exhibition, refreshments and poster viewing
7.50 Sponsor’s symposium
PLENARY SESSION 3
9.00 Transgenic technologies: Gene editing in reproduction – Speaker to be confirmed
9.30 Microbiomes, reproductive health and fertility – Dr Jacques Ravel, Professor of Microbiology, University of Maryland, USA
10.00 FNUK Update
10.10 BOB EDWARDS MEMORIAL LECTURE
Clinical embryology and andrology- Steve Troup, President, Association of Clinical Embryologists, UK
11.00 Exhibition and refreshments
11.30 – 12.30 PARALLEL SHORT PAPERS SESSIONS 3
12.30 Lunch, exhibition and poster viewing
13.30-14.30 UPDATE SESSION 3
| U3A
Clinical & Embryology |
Future challenges Regulating innovation in a changing world – Peter Thompson, Chief Executive, HFEA, UK Metabolic approaches to treating male fertility – Dr Channa Jayasena, Clinical Senior Lecturer Endocrinology, Imperial College London and Hammersmith Hospital, UK |
| U3B
Science |
Reproductive challenges of animal conservation
Fertility preservation in wild and domestic species – Pierre Comizzoli, Staff Scientist, Department of Reproductive Sciences, Centre for Species Survival, Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park, Washington DC, USA Bringing back the white rhino using frozen sperm |
| U3C | Nurses role in fertility diagnostics
The nurse role in diagnostics– Amanda Cook, Senior Nurse CRGH The role of ultrasound in infertility management – a nurse perspective– Jane Mutch, Matron The Hewitt Fertility Centre |
FINAL PLENARY SESSION
14.35 Debate: This house believes in legalising genetic enhancement of humans
Speakers tbc
15.15 Evolution of female promiscuity
Speaker tbc
15.45 Prize giving
16.00 Closing remarks – Jane Stewart, Chair, British Fertility Society, UK