José Enrico Monteiro Lo Buono

University of São Paulo

Title: Temporary and reversible meiotic arrest of bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes: In vitro pre-maturation and maturation and possible effects on epigenetic regulation

Mary Herbert, PhD

Monash University

Title: Reproductive technologies to reduce risk of mitochondrial DNA disease

Noemi Monferini, PhD

Institute of Developmental Biology of Marseille

Title: From primordial follicle to embryo: Advances and limitations of in vitro folliculogenesis

Alberto Maria Luciano, PhD

University of Milan

Title: From competence to reserve: How far can we push oocyte technologies?

Damon Smith, MS

Texas A&M University

Title: Practical management techniques to improve in vitro embryo production in beef donors

Peter J. Hansen, PhD

University of Florida

Title: Speculations as to how choline acts on the preimplantation embryo to program postnatal phenotype

Paula Cortat, DVM, MSc, MBA

São Paulo Research Foundation

Title: Development, optimization, and validation of an in vitro model based on sperm-bovine oviductal epithelial cell interaction for the assessment of bull fertility

Pablo Ross, DVM, MS, PhD

STgenetics

Title: Improving cattle production efficiency through advanced reproductive technologies

Chase Weldon, MEd, NCC, LPC

Colorado State University

Title: Interviewing with intention

Jonas Baroni, MScRes, DVM

Trans Ova Genetics

Title: Your next chapter: From academia to industry—Skills, strategy, and professional growth

Pilar Ferré-Pujol, PhD

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Title: Enhancing oocyte cryopreservation with two-dimensional nanocarbons: Bridging reproductive biology and materials science

Ivan Bedzhov, PhD

Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine

Title: Cellular mechanisms of embryonic development and dormancy

Hector Nava-Trujillo, DVM, MSc

University of Missouri

Title: Effect of in vitro embryo production on fetal insulin-like growth factor signaling

Nicolas Plachta, PhD

Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Title: Imaging preimplantation development in real time

Andrea Carolina Carrillo Gomez, MS

Universidad EAFIT - Escuela de Administración, Finanzas e Instituto Tecnológico

Title: Mitigation of bovine oocyte aging through NMN supplementation during in vitro maturation

Marc-André Sirard, DVM, PhD

Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle (CRDSI), Université Laval

Title: The oocyte legacy; short-term embryo quality to next generation phenotype

Sohail Luka, PhD

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, European Commission

Title: European Union funding for doctoral candidates worldwide: The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN)

Sohail Luka is a policy officer at the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, European Commission. He is former deputy chief of staff for the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management (2014-2019) and has held other European Union positions with the foreign affairs service (the European External Action Service). He also worked on research policy at the European Commission. During 2008, he acted as presidency advisor for the Minister of Research & Higher Education of Slovenia and was based in Ljubljana.

Specializing in molecular microbial genetics, Luka received his BSc from Ain Shams University (Cairo) and PhD from the University of Tennessee (USA). He occupied several academic positions in Egypt, and then in Italy as visiting professor at the International Institute for Genetics and Biophysics. He is the author of many articles in the scientific literature.

During 1997 to 2005, he worked at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in Brussels as external relations manager for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

He speaks English, Italian, Arabic, French, and Greek. He is a musician of classical Arabic music and judo coach/Referee.

Lee Rivers

Fulbright US Student Program

Title: Empower your future: The Fulbright path to skills, knowledge, and global connections

Lee Rivers serves at the lead outreach and recruitment specialist for the Fulbright US Student Program (FUSP). Lee is based in the Institute of International Education's (IIE) Houston office. Since 2008, Lee has worked at IIE promoting federally funded exchanges through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, Boren Awards, and the Fulbright US Student and Scholar Programs. In his current role, Lee develops the outreach and recruitment strategy in alignment with program key performance indicators and goals. He oversees the coordination of FUSP's presence at conferences and campuses, as well as virtual outreach. In addition, Lee manages external relationships with strategic outreach partners. Prior to his work at IIE, Lee studied in Australia as a Gilman Scholar and participated in a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. As an advocate for educational opportunities abroad, Lee is passionate about increasing access for underrepresented populations.

Muhammad Sohail Siddique, DVM

University of Florida

Title: Environment to epigenome: Novel impacts of stressors on post-ejaculatory sperm function

Peter Sutovsky, PhD

University of Missouri

Title: Andrology in the age of precision agriculture: Looking back while moving forward

Simón Sánchez Gómez, DVM

Corporación Universitaria Lasallista

Title: Effect of sericin supplementation in synthetic oviductal fluid medium for in vitro maturation of canine oocytes

Simón Sánchez Gómez is a veterinarian from Corporación Universitaria Lasallista (Medellín, Colombia), graduating in October 2023. He specializes in animal biotechnology and canine clinical ethology. His experience includes working on in vitro embryo production at Politécnico Colobiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid and providing consultations on canine behavioral issues.

In 2024, he was a finalist in the IETS Undergraduate Poster Competition for his research on sericin supplementation in the in vitro maturation of canine oocytes. Additionally, Gómez completed a diploma in clinical ethology at Universidad CES. He aims to pursue a master's degree in genetics and reproductive biotechnology to advance innovative techniques in the field.

Gabriela Mastromonaca, PhD

Toronto Zoo

Title: ARTs in wildlife species: A story of successes, challenges and future aspirations

Gabriela Mastromonaco has dedicated more than 25 years to advancing assisted reproductive technologies in both livestock and wildlife species, with a particular emphasis on in vitro embryo production using IVF and SCNT methods. She earned her PhD in biomedical sciences from the University of Guelph and joined the Toronto Zoo in 2007 as Manager of Reproductive Sciences. In this role, she has been responsible for implementing research projects that explore fundamental questions regarding the reproductive biology of wildlife species and integrating these findings into conservation management programs.

As a longstanding member of IETS, Mastromonaco served as chair of the Committee on Companion Animals, Non-Domestic, and Endangered Species (CANDES) from 2014 to 2020. During her tenure, she organized pre-conference symposia and special journal editions on a range of topics, from ovarian manipulation to biobanking in CANDES, fostering knowledge sharing between established and emerging researchers and practitioners. Additionally, she maintains adjunct professor positions at four Canadian universities, demonstrating her commitment to training the next generation of professionals in reproductive sciences.

Mohamed Hedia

Ghent University and University of Antwerp

Title: Does maternal health influence the outcomes of in vitro embryo production? The mare model

Mohamed Hedia is a DVM and researcher specializing in reproductive biology and embryology. He got his bachelor of veterinary sciences at Cairo University, and a recognition of his academic performance and dedication led to his appointment as a teaching assistant of animal reproduction for five years. Parallelly, he pursued advanced studies, obtaining his master's degree in animal reproduction from Cairo University. Currently, Mohamed is a PhD candidate at Ghent University and the University of Antwerp, supported by a scholarship from Egypt. His doctoral research focuses on the intricate interplay between maternal health and the development of oocytes and embryos. Through his investigations, Mohamed aims to deepen our understanding of reproductive processes, paving the way for advancements in animal breeding and assisted reproductive technologies.

Islam Saadeldin, DVM, MVSc, PhD

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center and Zagazig University

Title: Unlocking a decade of embryo-derived EVs research: Discoveries made and paths ahead

Islam M. Saadeldin, a distinguished scholar and winner of the 2022 IETS Early Career Achievement Award, has a rich academic background and a notable trajectory in the field of veterinary medicine. He earned his DVM and master's degrees from Zagazig University (Zagazig, Egypt), and his PhD degree at Seoul National University (Seoul, South Korea), where he later contributed as a postdoctoral researcher. Saadeldin's exceptional contributions include 2 edited books and more than 200 scholarly publications, encompassing research papers, reviews, conference proceedings, and book chapters, which significantly contribute to the domain of advanced reproductive biotechnology. His research extends across various facets of reproductive biotechnology, including somatic cell nuclear transfer, transgenesis, endometrial organoids, and adult and embryonic stem cells. Saadeldin's scholarly pursuits delve into the intricate roles played by extracellular vesicles in embryo communication and modeling the dynamic interactions between embryonic and maternal compartments.

Liesl Nel-Themaat, PhD

Nel-Themaat Solutions, LLC, and Stanford University

Liesl Nel-Themaat has been in the field of assisted reproduction for more than 20 years, with the past 11 years in clinical IVF. She possesses a unique combination of a strong academic background, broad technical experience and extensive leadership, and management training. Through a multi-dimensional approach, she has helped to improve patient care and outcomes in assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Nel-Themaat currently is the IVF Lab Director and Associate Clinical Professor at the Stanford University Fertility and Reproductive Health program and the Embryology Lab Director for IVF Phoenix. She was formerly the Regional Lab Director for Shady Grove Fertility in Colorado as well as the former IVF Lab Director at University of Colorado Advanced Reproductive Medicine. She received her bachelor of science degree from Stellenbosch University (Stellenbosch, South Africa), her PhD in reproductive physiology from Louisiana State University, (making her one of Bob Godke’s “Repro Rangers”) and an Executive MBA from the University of Denver.

Nel-Themaat has and continues to serve on several national and international boards and committees. These include having served as President of the ASRM Society for Reproductive Biologists and Technologists (SRBT), founder and current chair of the SRBT global Outreach Committee, co-founder and first president of the Colorado Association of Reproductive Technologists (CART), a founding member of the International IVF Initiative (i3), former Board member of the College of Reproductive Biology (CRB) and is known for starting World Embryologist Day. Nel-Themaat is an active member of ASRM, SRBT, SMRU, AAB, ABB, CRB and has a distinguished record of publications.

Her goal is to advance the field by building strong, high performing lab teams, by carefully evaluating and adapting appropriately to industry trends, by training and educating the current and next generations, and by participating in collaborative research that enhances our understanding of reproduction.”

In her free time, Nel-Themaat loves to spend time with her husband and two children, preferably in nature.

T. Arthur Chang, PhD, HCLD

The University of Texas at San Antonio

T. Arthur Chang, PhD, HCLD, is an associate professor at the division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) at The University of Texas Health Science Center, and the director of Clinical Assisted Reproductive Technology Laboratories at UT Health Women’s Health Center (San Antonio, Texas). Chang received his bachelor's degree in animal science from National Taiwan University (Taipei, Taiwan) and his MS and PhD in endocrinology and reproductive physiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, Wisconsin). He is board certified as High-complexity Clinical Laboratory Director (HCLD), Embryology Laboratory Director (ELD), and Clinical Consultant (CC) by the American Board of Bioanalysis (ABB).

Chang's clinical and research interests include IVF, embryology, implantation, 3D and extended embryo culture, artificial embryo, PGT, ART laboratory management and business models, as well as nonhuman primate model for reproductive medicine. He has served on numerous leadership and committee positions worldwide, including American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM; Board, committee chair), Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART; Board, committee chairs), Society of Reproductive Biologists and Technologists (SRBT; President, Board, committee chairs), American Association of Bioanalysts - College of Reproductive Biology (AAB-CRB; President, Board, committee chairs), Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE; Board, committee and SIG co-chairs), Taiwanese Society for Reproductive Medicine (TSRM), and Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR). He is associate editor for Journal of Assisted Reproduction & Genetics (JARG), section editor for Reproductive Biology & Endocrinology (RB&E), accreditation inspection team leader for College of American Pathologists (CAP), off-site director for ART and CLIA laboratories, and consultant to governments and the industry. He has received ASRM Service Milestone Award and 7 times ASRM Star Award for his research and professional service contributions.

Gerry Celia, PhD, MBA

Pacific Fertility Center of Los Angeles, Women and Infants Hospital at Brown University, and Virginia Commonwealth University

Gerry Celia grew up in Rhode Island on a small horse farm raising and breeding Morgan horses in the 1980s. This passion leads him to pursue a bachelor's degree in animal science with a focus on reproductive physiology from the University of Connecticut (class of 1994). During this time his interests expanded beyond equine reproduction and he was accepted as an intern at the San Diego Zoo's Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species where he worked on projects ranging from cryopreservation of Arabian oryx sperm to the White rhinoceros breeding program. This experience solidified Celia's desire to pursue a PhD, leading him to move to Ithaca, New York where he began taking graduate classes in the Animal Science Department at Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) while working for GENEX (a livestock breeding cooperative). While at Cornell, Celia became acquainted with Dr. George Osol, chair of the research division at the University of Vermont (UVM) College of Medicine department of OB/GYN. Dr. Osol was an animal scientist who had shifted his focus to human reproduction and offered Celia a full graduate fellowship to study at UVM. Celia was awarded his PhD in 2004 in molecular physiology and biophysics for his work on placentation and maternal adaptation to pregnancy. He followed this with a post-doc in the department of OB/GYN, where he became interested in assisted human reproduction, leading him to leave academia for a career in embryology. Celia is a board-certified Technical Supervisor (ABB), High Complexity Laboratory Director (ABB), and Clinical Consultant (ABB). He has served as the president of both the College of Reproductive Biology (CRB) and the Society for Reproductive Biologists and Technologists (SRBT), and as a board member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and SRBT, although he is perhaps most well-known for founding the Maverick Reproductive Biologists Facebook group.

Most recently, Celia completed his MBA from the College of William and Mary (class of 2023) and serves as the Laboratory Director for the ART programs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCUHealth) and Brown University in Rhode Island (Women and Infants Hospital), and as Executive Laboratory Director for Pacific Fertility Center of Los Angeles. He owns a consulting company—Celia Laboratory Solutions—and is a scientific advisor for Fairtility A.I. and a lecturer for Vitrolife. He currently resides in coastal Virginia with his wife and young son where they continue to raise horses and enjoy life by the ocean.

Klaus Wiemer, PhD, HCLD

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Klaus Wiemer received his master's degree at New Mexico State in reproductive physiology and a PhD from Louisiana State University in reproductive physiology with an emphasis in embryology.

Wiemer has extensive experience in many aspects of human clinical embryology as well as infertility practice management and development. Wiemer has over 35 years of experience directing IVF laboratories and has been an off-site director of several fertility clinics. Wiemer has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in a wide range of topics in clinical embryology. He has received numerous awards for his research, including the Overall Grand Prize awarded by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine as well as LIFE Award for Laboratory Innovation in Fertility and Embryology.

His main interests are in embryo culture systems, improving laboratory outcomes and studying the effects of follicular stimulation on subsequent oocyte and embryo quality. He is currently conducting research on developing an embryo morphology grading system that can be used to predict ploidy, as well as rate and quality of blastocyst development. He was a founding partner of Northwest Center for Reproductive Science as well as Poma Fertility in the Seattle metroplex. He now consults with various IVF centers nationally and internationally as well as related industries. He presently serves as the Corporate Lab Director for Global Premier Fertility based out of Southern California. He is also the head of Clinical Affairs for Fairtility, Inc., an AI company that has developed predictive algorithms in a wide range of embryology. Wiemer has also established two IVF centers that had some of the highest success rates in the Seattle metropolitan area and the United States. He has also assisted in the establishment of IVF centers in other major markets that have been successful both clinically as well as financially.

Wiemer is well-versed in troubleshooting centers and labs and is experienced in experimental design in clinical embryology and directing experimental trials with industry leaders. IVF Centers directed by Wiemer have all seen major improvements in oocyte quality, embryo development, improvements in blastocyst conversion rates, and improvements in efficiencies. He maintains an excellent reputation in the national and international community with extensive experience working in Latin America and is well-connected with related industries and leaders.

Mitchel C. Schiewe, PhD

Reproductive Partners Medical Group and Fertility Centers of Orange County

Mitchel C. Schiewe attained his BS and MS degrees studying animal science/reproductive physiology at University at California-Davis (Davis, California) and Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) in the early 1980's, subsequently attaining his PhD in human physiology at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (Bethesda, Maryland). He was a Research Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo and the NIH during his doctoral program. As a graduate student, he competed in the IETS Student Research competition twice (1983: runner-up; 1984: winner) and co-authored two additional studies winning first place acknowledgement in 1985 and 1987. He remained active in the IETS until 1995 as a member of the esteemed Import-Export Committee, Education Committee Chair, and IETS Foundation Board Chair. Upon completing an NSF Associateship post-doc at NIH studying Blastocyst Reconstruction modelling, he entered the world of human IVF in 1992 as an assistant professor at University of California, Irvine (Irvine, California). As a High Complexity Lab Director since 1995, he has continued developing and applying assisted reproductive technologies, including various novel procedures and publications. As a perennial ASRM Star Award recipient, he continues to strive to improve and simplify applied ARTs which optimize clinical outcomes and universal vitrification practices. Schiewe was among the first scientists to study embryo-laser ablation and successfully apply ICSI into clinical practice in 1993 in California/Mexico, then subsequently using fresh and frozen epididymal and testicular sperm in Rome, Italy in 1994/1995. Additionally, he has been of professional service to ASRM, organizing 4 Pre-Congress courses, creating Cryobiology/Vitrification CME courses, and he was a 2-time Chairman of the past Reproductive Biologists Professional Group (RBPG) before aligning them with the Reproductive Lab Technologists PG to form the current Society for Reproductive Biologists & Technologists (SRBT). Schiewe currently serves as the Research Committee Chairman of the SRBT.

Scott Purcell, PhD, HCLD

Virginia Fertility & IVF and Pacific Northwest Fertility and IVF Specialists

Scott Purcell is the laboratory director at Virginia Fertility & IVF in Charlottesville, Virginia, and has served as an off-site laboratory director at both academic and private clinics. He received his undergraduate and MS degrees in the department of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech University (Blacksburg, Virginia) and his PhD in reproductive biology from the Biomedical Sciences Department at Colorado State University (Fort Collins, Colorado). He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the OB/GYN Department at Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri). He is board-certified as a High-complexity Clinical Laboratory Director (HCLD) and as a Technical Supervisor (TS) in andrology and embryology.

Julieta D’Augero, PhD

University College Dublin

Title: Nuclear progesterone receptor in growing bovine oocytes

Dawit Tesfaye, PhD

Colorado State University

Title: Exploring the role of extracellular vesicles in stress adaptation

Shilpa Doultani
Replacing ovum pick-up and in vitro embryo production media suite for IVEP in cattle: The endeavor to lower the cost of embryo production.

Dr. Lotte Stroebech
In vitro embryo production: Cutting-edge insights from an industry perspective.

Lais Barbosa Latorraca
Genomic and Transcriptomic Landscape of Oocyte Growth in Cattle

Fabiana Fernandes Bressan
Cellular Reprogramming and in Vitro Gametogenesis: Insights of New Biotechnologies on Animal Reproduction

Daniell Angel-Velez
Ghent University
The enigma behind equine oocyte vitrification

Marion Papas
Ghent University
Can the endocrinology of the mare predict the outcomes of an OPU-ICSI program?

DVM. PhD. Alejandro de la Fuente will present the lecture "Understanding the dynamics of equine oocyte maturation using a transcriptomic approach". Dr. de la Fuente is a currently postdoc fellow at the Veterinary Assisted Reproduction Laboratory – University of California Davis, USA, where also accomplished master and PhD studies in animal biology. Dr. de la Fuente graduated as veterinarian at the University of Cordoba (Spain) and University of Concepcion (Chile).

Nima Azari Dolatabad will present the lecture "Tips and tricks for an individual in vitro culture of bovine embryos". Nima is currently a PhD candidate at Ghent University, Belgium. He graduated from Yasuj University, Iran and accomplished his master studies at Isfahan University of Technology, Iran.