Annual Meeting

Assistant Professor
Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois

Senior Co-Chair: Krista McCoy, East Carolina University, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Ashley Cloud, University of Kansas Medical Center, USA

The Maternal Lactocrine Continuum Programming Uterine Capacity. Frank (Skip) Bartol, Auburn University, USA

Ovarian Metabolism of an Environmentally Relevant Phthalate Mixture. Genoa R. Warner, Zhong Li, Madeline L. Houde, Cassandra E.  Atkinson, Daryl D. Meling, Catheryne Chiang, Jodi A. Flaws 

Worldwide Pollution by Persistent Organic Pollutants Impacts the Sperm DNA Methylation of Inuit Men in a Dose-Dependent Manner.  Marie-Charlotte Dumargne, Xiaojian Shao, Mathieu Dalvai, Gunnar Toft, Jens Peter Bonde, Marie
Michelle Simon, Tony Kwan, Vanessa Dumeaux, Donovan Chan, Guillaume Bourque, Tomi Pastinen, Sarah Kimmins, Jacquetta Trasler, Janice Bailey

Maternal Programming of Fetal Development Via Endocrine Disruptors. Almudena Veiga Lopez, Michigan State University, USA


Session 2 - William Hansel Ovarian Biology Symposium: New Models of PCOS
Senior Co-Chair: Hugh Clarke, McGill University Health Centre, Canada
Trainee Co-Chair: Emily Suzanne Brehm, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

American Society for Reproductive Medicine-SSR Exchange Lecture: Engineering Reproduction. Teresa Woodruff, Northwestern University, USA

Follicle Stimulating Hormone Stimulation Restores Ovarian Microenvironment of Beef Heifers with Androgen Excess to Reduce Inflammation. Sarah Springman, Mohamed Nafziger, Alex Abedel-Majed, Kerri Snider, Jeff Bochantin, Jeff Bergman, Renee M. McFee, John S. Davis, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp  

Impaired Follicle Development in Female Mice Lacking Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 4 (Erbb4) In Ovarian Granulosa Cells.  Florence Naillat, Ville Veikkolainen, Milena Doroszko, Nsrein Ali, Ilkka Miinalainen, Claes Ohlsson, Matti Poutanen, Nafis Rahman, Klaus Elenius, Seppo J. Vainio 

PCOS and Metabolic Dysfunction: Is It All About Androgens? Annie Newell-Fugate, Texas A&M University, USA

Senior Co-Chair: Amander Clark, University of California Los Angeles, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Brittany Foster, Louisiana State University, USA

iPSCs in Mitochondrial Medicine. Alessandro Prigione, Max Delbruck Berlin, Germany

Differentiation of Primate Primordial Germ Cell-Like Cells Using Mouse Xenogeneic Reconstituted Testis. Enrique Sosa, Esmeralda Villavicencio, Ernesto J. Rojas, Amander T. Clark

Developmental Kinetics and Transcriptome Dynamics of Stem Cell Specification in the Spermatogenic Lineage. Nathan Law, Melissa J. Oatley, Jon M. Oatley

Lineage and Heterogeneity in Primordial Germ Cells. Diana Laird, University of California San Francisco, USA   


Session 4 - Making Good Sperm
Senior Co-Chair: Rich Cardullo, University of California Riverside, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Alison Ermisch, Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, USA

The Atypical Centriole of the Sperm. Tomer Avidor-Reiss, University of Toledo, USA

Mitochondrial Porin, VDAC2, Has Unexpected Roles in Sperm Flagella Formation. Jessica Dunleavy, Denis Korneev, Donna Merriner, Anne O'Connor, Grant Dewson, Moira O'Bryan  

FAM170A Loss Causes Subfertility and Defective Sperm Motility in Mice. Darius Devlin, Kaori Nozawa, Masahito Ikawa, Martin M. Matzuk

The Evolution of Cooperative Sperm in Peromyscus Mice, Heidi Fisher, University of Maryland, USA

Senior Co-Chair: Tony DeFalco, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Saniya Rattan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

New Insights into Ovarian Development and Function. Dagmar Wilhelm, The University of Melbourne, Australia

Human Sex Reversal Is Caused by Duplication or Deletion of Core Enhancers Upstream of SOX9. Brittany Croft, Thomas Ohnesorg, Jacky Hewitt, Josephine Bowles,
Alexander Quinn, Jacqueline Tan, Vincent Corbin, Emanuele Pelosi, Jocelyn van den Bergen, Rajini Sreenivasan, Ingrid Knarston, Gorjana Robevska, Dung Chi Vu, John Hutson

Estrogen Regulates Key Developmental Pathways to Determine Somatic Cell Fate in The Gonad. Deidre Mattiske, Andrew Pask   

The Battle of The Sexes:  Setting the Gonad on The Male Trajectory. Blanche Capel, Duke University Medical Center, USA

Professor
University of Melbourne, Australia

Senior Co-Chair: Francesca Duncan, Northwestern University, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Kathryn Grive, Cornell University, USA

Developmental Mechanisms for Protracted Female Fertility: Insights from the Naked Mole-Rat. Ned Place, Cornell University, USA

Increased Expression of Kifc1 And Kifc5b Targeting Endogenous-Sirna Contribute to The Age-Related Decline in Oocyte Quality. Bettina Mihalas, Nicole J. Camlin, Miguel J. Xavier, Alexandra E. Peters, Janet E. Holt; Jessie M. Sutherland, Eileen A. Mclaughlin, Andrew L. Eamens, Brett Nixon  

The Telomere Length of Spermatozoa as An Epigenetic Biomarker of Sperm Quality and Aging. Mingju Cao, Peter Chan, Marie-Claude Léveillé, Bernard Robaire

The Conversion of a Homeostatic to Reactive Matrix: Hyaluronan And The Aging Ovarian Stroma. Michele Pritchard, University of Kansas Medical Center, USA

Senior Co-Chair: Joao Ramalho-Santos, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Trainee Co-Chair: Saniya Rattan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 

How CRISPR/Cas9 'Gene Drive' Technology in Laboratory Mice Could Make the Impossible Possible.  Kimberly Cooper, University of California San Diego, USA

In Utero Imaging of Clock Gene Expression Reveals the Development of the Circadian Clock. Keenan Bates, Ron McCarthy, Tatiana Simon, Jacob Amme, Sarah England, Erik Harzog   

A Genetic Toolbox for Functional In Vivo And Structural in Situ Analysis of the Mouse Testis. David Fleck, Naofumi Uesaka, Justine Fischoeder, Lina Kenzler, Jennifer Spehr, Marc Spehr   

Editing the Non-Human Primate Genome. Erika Sasaki, Keio University School of Medicine, Japan


Session 9 - Becoming Haploid
Senior Co-Chair: Andy Childs, Imperial College London, UK
Trainee Co-Chair: Brittany Croft, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia

Molecular and Evolutionary Strategies of Meiotic Cheating by Selfish Elements. Takashi Akera, University of Pennsylvania, USA

Control of Anaphase Onset in Mammalian Female Meiosis I. Lenka Radonova, Michal Skultety, Kristina Kovacovicova, Jaroslava Sebestova, Thang Quang Dang-Nguyen, Michael Hopkins, Bela Novak, Martin Anger

Interplay Between Caspase 9 And X-Linked Cellular Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein (XIAP) In the Elimination of Mouse Oocytes During Fetal and Neonatal Ovarian Development. Xueqing Liu, Fatima EI Mansouri, Teruko Taketo   

Phenotypic Variation in Female Reproductive Parameters in Genetically Diverse Mice: A Window to Understand Human Infertility. Ewelina Bolcun-Filas, Jackson Laboratory, USA       

Session 10 - The Virendra B. Mahesh Neuroendocrine Session: Neuroendocrine Control of Metabolism
Senior Co-Chair: Djurdjica Coss, University of California Riverside, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Heather Talbott, Oregon National Primate Research Center, USA

Conflicting Desires: A POMC Switch for Breeding and Feeding. Jennifer Hill, University of Toledo, USA

Translational Control in The Gonadotrope: Musashi Mediates Crosstalk Between Metabolism and Reproduction.  Ana Rita Silva Moreira, Tiffany K. Miles, Anessa Haney, Linda Hardy, Melody L. Allensworth, Michael G. Kharas, Christopher J. Lengner, Melanie C. MacNicol, Angus M. MacNicol, Gwen V. Childs, Angela K. Odle

Gonadotrope-Specific Acvr2a and Acvr2b Conditional Knockout Animals Are Hypogonadal and Fsh-Deficient. Gauthier Schang, Luisina Ongaro, Ulrich Boehm, Se-Jin Lee, Daniel Bernard   

Dissecting the Brain Mechanisms Underpinning PCOS. Rebecca Campbell, University of Otago, New Zealand

Senior Co-Chair: Indrani Bagchi, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Riley Thompson, University of Tennessee, USA

Comparative Insights into How Uterine Glands Function in Pregnancy Establishment. Tom Spencer, University of Missouri, USA

WNK1 in the Uterus: A Previously Undescribed Role in Implantation. Ru-pin Alicia Chi, Nyssa Adams, San-pin Wu Chou-long Huang, John Lydon, Francesco DeMayo

Intrauterine Inhibition of Chemokine Receptor 4 Signaling Modulates Local and Systemic Inflammation in Ovine Pregnancy. Stacia McIntosh, Clara Maxam, Marlie Maestas, Kelsey Quinn, Ryan Ashley   

Embryo-Maternal Interaction Prior To Implantation in Cattle. Pat Lonergan, University College Dublin, Ireland


Session 12 - The John J. Eppig Session: Modulation of Oocyte Growth
Senior Co-Chair: Richard Schultz, University of California Davis, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Kelsey Brooks, Oregon National Primate Research Center, USA

Wrestling with Reproduction: The Critical Roles of Protein Sumoylation In Oocyte Development. Stephanie Pangas, PhD, Baylor College, USA

The Orphan Nuclear Receptor Nr5a2 Regulates Primordial Follicle Activation. Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn, Anthony Estienne, H. Duygu Saatcioglu, David Pepin, Bruce D. Murphy   

Tgfβ/Smad Signaling Regulates Transzonal Projection (Tzp) Formation in Growing Follicles of The Mouse Ovary. Sofia Granados-Aparici, Qin Yang, Hugh Clarke   

Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Germ Cell Development. Guang Hu, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, USA


Session 13 - Genomic Insights into Reproductive Success
Senior Co-Chair: Folami Ideraabdullah, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Benjamin Duran, Ohio State University, USA

Genomic Insights into Reproductive Success. Pierre Ray, CHU-Grenoble Alpes, France

Dynamic Evolution of Male Fertility Genes in Humans and Other Great Apes. Marta Tomaszkiewicz, Arslan A. Zaidi, Danling Ye, Kristoffer Sahlin, Rahul Vegesna, Paul Medvedev, Kate Anthony, Corey Liebowitz, Michael DeGiorgio, Mark D. Shriver, Kateryna D. Makova  

Integrated Epigenome, Exome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Molecular Subtypes and Suggest Homeotic Transformation in Uterine Fibroids. Jitu George, Huihui Fan, Benjamin Johnson, Anindita Chatterjee, Amanda L. Patterson, Julie Koewitz, Marie Adams, Zachary Madaj, Hui Shen, Jose M. Teixeira  

Genes and Mechanism of Androgenetic Hydatidiform Moles: An Answer to A 40-Year Old Question. Rima Slim, McGill University, Canada       


Session 14 - In and Out of the Testis Through the Blood-Testis Barrier
Senior Co-Chair: Jannette Dufour, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Jess Dunleavy, Monash University, Australia

Sperm and Cancer/Testis Antigens Egress Mouse Testes to Maintain Immune Protection. Kenneth Tung, University of Virginia, USA

ATP-Induced Calcium Signals and Contractions in Testicular Peritubular Cells. Lina Kenzler, David Fleck, Nadine Mundt, Robert Moosmann, Jennifer Spehr, Marc Spehr 

The Role of ECM in Testicular Organoid Development. Maxwell Edmonds, Hanna Pulaski, Kyle E. Orwig, Teresa K. Woodruff   

Use of Endogenously Produced BTB Modifiers to Enhance Efficacy of Non-Hormonal Male Contraceptives. C. Yan Cheng, Population Council, USA


Session 15 - Alternative Instructions: Rewiring Reproductive Cancers
Senior Co-Chair: Kanako Hayashi, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Fei Zhao, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, USA

Epigenetic Rewiring of Ovarian Cancer for Cancer Therapy. Ken Nephew, Indiana University, USA

Anti-apoptotic Based Fertoprotective Agents do not Protect the Ovarian Stroma from Radiation-induced Fibrosis in the Nonhuman Primate. Sharrón Manuel, Mary B. Zelinski, Brian W. Johnson, Megan J. Larmore, Michele T. Pritchard, Francesca E. Duncan

TGFbeta is Critical for Stromal and Epithelial Paracrine Signaling in Endometrial Cancer. Diana Monsivais, Maya L. Kriseman, Julio Agno, Ramya Masand, Chad Creighton, Martin M. Matzuk 

Tackling Endometrial Cancer:  A New Frontier, Julie Kim, Northwestern University, USA

Principal Investigator
NIEHS/NIH
Reproductive Developmental Biology Lab

Senior Co-Chair: Deborah Sloboda, McMaster University, Canada
Trainee Co-Chair: Arpita Bhurke, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

Gene X Environment Interactions and Preterm Birth. Jerry Strauss, Virginia Commonwealth University

Loss of REST in Uterine Leiomyoma leads to an Altered Progesterone Response. Ashley Cloud, Michelle McWilliams, Faezeh Koohestani, Sornakala Ganeshkumar, Sumedha Gunewardena, Vargheese Chennathukuzhi

Human Fetal Membranes Induce Vital Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation: Potential Relevance for Tissue Damage Contributing to Preterm Birth. Mancy Tong, Vikki M. Abrahams

Pregnancy Length, Parturition and the Telomere Gestational Clock. Mark Phillippe, Massachusetts General Hospital


Session 17 - Impact of Climate Change on Reproduction

Senior Co-Chair: Janice Bailey, Québec Research Funds for Nature and Technologies, Canada
Trainee Co-Chair: Katie Chiang, University of Illinois - Champaign/Urbana, USA

Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination in Marine Turtles: Is the Future Female. Peter Dutton, National Marine Fisheries Service

Heat Stress Increases the Incidence of Uterine Disease in Dairy Cattle Without Affecting the Vaginal Bacteria Load.  Paula Molinari, I. Martin Sheldon, John J. Bromfield 

Heat Stress-induced Changes in the Expression of Cellular and Extracellular Vesicle-coupled MiRNAs in In Vitro Cultured Bovine Granulosa Cells. Samuel Gebremedhn, Ahmed Gad, Jozef Laurincik, Radek Prochazka, Hoda Samir Aglan, Michael Hoelker, Karl Schellander, Dawit Tesfaye

Physiological Mechanisms Through Which Heat Stress Compromises Reproduction in Pigs. Jason Ross, Iowa State University


Session 18 - RNA Modifications in Reproduction

Senior Co-Chair: Sue Hammoud, University of Michigan, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Anne-Sophie Pépin, McGill University, Canada

Sperm RNA Code: How Many More Secrets? Qi Chen, University of Nevada, Reno

Single Cell RNA-Sequencing Reveals Critical Role of Interferon Signaling in Human Peri-Implantation Stage Embryos. Rachel West, Hao Ming, Deirdre M. Logsdon, Rebecca A. Kile, Courtney K. Grimm, Sandeep Rajput, Jiangwen Sun, William  B. Schoolcraft, Rebecca L. Krisher, Zongliang Jiang, Ye Yuan

The Roles of Retrotransposon Reactivation in Human Preimplantation Development.  Andrew Modzelewski, Anne Biton, Gang Chen, Martin Kinisu, Yang Wan, Lin He   

Role of RNA Uridylation In Germ Line Differentiation.  Marcos Morgan, University of Edinburgh, UK


Session 19 - Reproductive Tract Modulation of Sperm Function
Senior Co-Chair: Rebecca Krisher, Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Liliya Gabelev, University of California - Berkley, USA

Disruption of Semen Liquefaction in the Female Reproductive Tract: A Potential Novel Contraceptive. Wipawee Winuthayanon, Washington State University

Reversing Poor Gamete Quality and Protecting Embryogenesis in Older Fathers. Macarena Gonzalez, Haley S. Connaughton, Rebecca L. Robker     

Sperm-Associated Beta-Defensin 22 Influences the Female Immune Response to Seminal Fluid and Is A Determinant of Fertility and Fecundity in Mice. Sarah Robertson, Ricky A. Mathias, Honyueng Chan, Peck Y. Chin, John S. Schjenken   

The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in the Female Reproductive Tract.  Patricia Martin-DeLeon, University of Delaware


Session 20 - Mechanisms of Early Embryo Development
Senior Co-Chair: Naojiro Minami, Kyoto University, Japan
Trainee Co-Chair: Malavika Adur, Iowa State University, USA

Transcriptional and Epigenetic Reprogramming During Bovine Preimplantation Development. Pablo Ross, University of California Davis

Unraveling the Transcriptome by Single Cell RNA-Seq Of Porcine Oocytes and Parthenogenetic Preimplantation Embryos. Piotr  Pawlak, Natalia Derebecka, Arkadiusz Kajdasz, Zofia E. Madeja, Ewelina Warzych, Joanna Wesoly, Dorota Lechniak   

Investigating the Role of Zinc in Murine Preimplantation Embryo Development and The Effect on Cell Fate Determination in The Blastocyst. Julia Balough, Francesca E. Duncan, Thomas V. O'Halloran, Teresa K. Woodruff

Investigating Embryonic Chromosomal Instability in Preimplantation Development. Shawn Chavez, Oregon Health & Science University, USA

Trainee Co-Chair: Bryan McLendon, Texas A&M University

Early Life Adversity: Impacts On The Mother, The Placenta And Offspring. Deborah Sloboda, McMaster University, Canada 

Using A Genetic Model of Epigenetic Inheritance to Determine the Inter- and Transgenerational Impacts of Paternal High-Fat Diet on The Sperm Epigenome and Descendant Phenotypes. Anne-Sophie Pépin, Christine Lafleur, Vanessa Dumeaux, Deborah M. Sloboda, Sarah Kimmins 

Lasting Brain DNA Methylation Perturbations And Cognitive Impairments Following Preimplantation Alcohol Exposure. Lisa-Marie Legault, Mélanie Breton-Larrivée, Anthony Lemieux, Maxime Caron, Clara Amegandjin, Daniel Sinnett, Elsa Rossignol, Graziella Dicristo, Serge McGraw

Metabolic Induction of Epigenetic Modifications in Early Embryos. Roger Sturmey, The Hull York Medical School, UK


Session 22 - Ovarian Conversations
Senior Co-Chair: Claude Robert, Université Laval, Canada
Trainee Co- Chair: Chihiro Emori, The Jackson Laboratory, USA

Progesterone Receptor Action in the Primate Ovulatory Follicle, Jon Hennebold, Oregon Health & Science University, USA

Participation of The Adenosine Salvage Pathway and Cyclic AMP Modulation in Mouse Oocyte Energy Metabolism.  Dulama Richani, Cathy F. Lavea, Raji Kanakkaparambil, Angelique H. Riepsamen, Michael J. Bertoldo, Sonia Bustamante, Robert B. Gilchrist

Cargo Proteins in Luteal Extracellular Vesicles Have Catalytic Activity That May Regulate Activation of Luteal Resident Immune Cells. Martyna Lupicka, Joy L. Pate   

Photostimulated Ovarian Recrudescence: The Role of Gonadotropins. Kelly Young, California State University – Long Branch, USA       


Session 23 - CHA Health Systems Symposium on Epigenetic Modulation of Pluripotency
Senior Co-Chair: Marisa Bartolomei, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Ariane Lismer, McGill University, Canada

Chromatin Reprogramming During Mammalian Gametogenesis and Early Development. Wei Xie, Tsinghua University, China

Epigenetic Dysregulation of the Ido1 Gene Induced by BPA and TBBPA Exposure is Associated with Fetal Loss in Mice.  Jasmine Reed, Sarah E. Latchney, Philip Spinelli, Martha Susiarjo  

Role of Prmt6 and Asymmetric Dimethylation Of H3R2 On Mouse Preimplantation Embryos. Shinnosuke Honda, Yuri Kunimoto, Naojiro Minami

Understanding Human Pluripotent States and Their Applications. Thorold Theunissen, Washington University, USA


Session 24 - Sperm-Egg Conversations
Senior Co-Chair: Rafael Fissore, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Nikola Sekulovski, Southern Illinois University, USA

Anita Payne New Perspectives on Reproductive Biology Lecture: Bouncer and SPACA4 – Small Proteins with Big Roles in Fertilization.  Andrea Pauli, Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Austria

TRPV4 is the Temperature-Sensitive Ion Channel of Human Sperm. Nadine Mundt, Marc Spehr, Polina Lishko  

Sperm-Oocyte Communication Via PYK2 Requires CD9 Expression by The Oocyte. William Kinsey, Huizhen Wang 

Sperm Signaling in ART and Science, Pablo Visconti, University of Massachusetts – Amherst, USA


Session 25 - Mixed Signals: Unraveling Pathways in Diseases of The Female Reproductive Tract
Senior Co-Chair: Shannon Hawkins, Indiana University, USA
Trainee Co-Chair: Diana Monsivais, Baylor College of Medicine, USA

Society for Reproduction and Fertility-SSR Exchange Lecture: Understanding the Role of Endometrial Hypoxia to Improve Management of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding. Jackie Maybin, University of Edinburgh, UK

Macrophages in Endometriosis Exhibit Phenotypic Heterogeneity and have Potential as Therapeutic Targets. Chloe Hogg, Beth Henderson, Prakash Ramachandran, Neil Henderson, Andrew W. Horne, Jeff W. Pollard, Erin Greaves    

The Efficacy of Niclosamide On the Intra-Abdominal Inflammatory Environment in Endometriosis. Kanako Hayashi, Mingxin Shi, Allison Whorton, Arpan Roy, Nikola Sekulovski, James A. MacLean  

The Versatile Fibroblast, Maestro of Endometrial Homeostasis and Pregnancy Success, is Derailed in Endometriosis.  Linda C. Giudice, University of California San Francisco, USA
                                                                                             

Assistant Professor
Texas A&M University
Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Justus-Liebig-University
Institute of Anatomy & Cell Biology
Giessen, Germany

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Ottawa, Canada