Plenary lectures

Danilo Cimadomo

Danilo Cimadomo is an embryologist and molecular biologist with a PhD in “Morphogenesis and tissue engineering”. He is Embryological Science, Research and Education Manager of IVIRMA Italia, and Director of AI and data management for embryological research of IVIRMA Global Research Alliance. He is coordinator of the SIERR special interest group in embryology. He is part of the SIFES-MR working group drafting good practice recommendations for IVF. He is Coordinator of the ESHRE special interest group Implantation and Early Pregnancy. He participated to the ESHRE working groups updating the good practice recommendations for embryo biopsy and for RIF management. He has authored >150 papers focused on IVF from basic and clinical science standpoints. He is Associate Editor of Human Reproduction and of Reproductive BioMedicine Online. He is co-coordinator of the Master “Biology and Biotechnology of Reproduction: from Research to Clinics” at the University of Pavia.

Helen M. Picton

Prof Helen Picton is Professor of Reproduction and Early Development in the School of Medicine at Leeds University, UK. Her research is focussed on the cell and molecular biology of oogenesis, folliculogenesis and embryogenesis in large animals and humans. This fundamental research is used to understand female infertile aetiologies, to improve infertility treatments and to develop methods for female fertility preservation. She has published over 130 research papers, reviews and book chapters. She is the Director of 2 MSc programmes in Clinical Embryology and ART hosted by Leeds University and was Scientific Director of Leeds Fertility within the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (1999-2021). She is a former Chair of the UK Society for Reproduction and Fertility and joint executive of the British Fertility Societies and former coordinator of the ESHRE task force on fertility preservation in severe diseases.

Herman Tournaye

Herman Tournaye obtained his MD in 1986 and PhD in 1994 from the Brussels Free University, Belgium.
He is a full Professor at the Medical School of Brussels Free University where he teaches developmental biology and embryology for both biomedical and medical students and reproductive medicine for medical students.
He has authored over 490 peer-reviewed papers, including >55 as a first and >80 as a last author (Web of Science h-index of 70) within the fields of reproductive and developmental biology, andrology, assisted reproduction, genetics and fertility.
He has published ~60 book chapters and is active as a peer reviewer for international high impact journals.
He is currently the Director of Brussels IVF, the Center for Reproductive Medicine of UZBrussel, the University Hospital of the Dutch-speaking Brussels Free University (VUB).