CONFERENCE VENUE
Convene
237 Park Ave New York, NY
CONFERENCE SPONSORS
The Foundation for Reproductive Medicine (FRM)
A Not-For-Profit Research Foundation
21 East 69th Street, New York, NY, 10021
T: (646) 882-0840, F: (212) 988-0250
www foundationforreprodmed com
The Center for Human Reproduction (CHR)
An International Fertility and Research Center
21 East 69th Street, New York, NY, 10021
T: (646) 882-0840, F: (212) 988-0250
https://www.centerforhumanreprod.com
The International Do No Harm Group in IVF (IDNHG-IVF)
A Not-For-Profit Foundation
21 East 69th Street, New York, NY, 10021
T: (646) 882-0840 F: (212) 988-0250
https://www.donoharmivf.com/
Building on the extraordinary success of the 2023 conference, the FRMC over 3 days will once again present an absolutely unique program in reproductive medicine, connecting in a single lecture room between evolving basic science and cutting-edge clinical practice, - in the process facilitating translational collaborations between bench and clinic As in past years, the principal purpose of the conference is to demonstrate to clinicians what is possible and to inform basic scientists about what is needed The intent is not to dream about the future, but to demonstrate what currently IS ALREADY achievable
“To think differently” has not only been the principal motto of the FRMC since its inception in 2018 but will always remain the principal motto of the conference, as the idea of questioning mainstream thinking has been at the core of the conference’s success since its beginning
In addition, the FRMC, however, also frequently premieres new treatment paradigms and selects its international speaker faculty accordingly. As new findings are reported in basic sciences and clinical journals, the conference content, therefore, evolves over the preceding year by following current scientific and clinical developments Since the embryo contains practically universal information about almost everything in human biology - life, death, regeneration, immune tolerance, etc - the earliest stages of embryo development never fall out of fashion Embryo biology, therefore, has always occupied and important place on the program and will likely always maintain its importance
Considering the many unresolved treatment issues in reproductive medicine, the FMRC has always also seen urgency in clarifying what does and does not positively affect treatment outcomes in clinical infertility practice, - especially if conclusions have remained controversial The FMRC, indeed, can proudly point out to have plaid a key role in affecting, and often correcting, daily clinical practice long before other conferences on such important issues as the general concept of embryo selection, including preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), and regarding several other recent “add-ons” to IVF practice. Worldwide declines in IVF live birth rates since 2010-2013 have, unfortunately, still not attracted the attention they deserve Never bashful in addressing controversies, FRMC 2024, therefore, will stay the course in attempting to define underlying causes for this unfortunate worldwide trend
Other big themes the conference will continue to address are the general scientific publication crisis in medicine, which, of course, also affects reproductive endocrinology and infertility, the increasing industrialization of medicine through mostly equity investments and purchases of clinical service organizations which especially over the last decade has greatly impacted the field of infertility. The declining societal trust in science in general is closely interwoven with the publication crisis in medicine characterized by record numbers of retractions papers in even highly regarded journals, often authored This crisis has over the last year been highlighted by highly regarded academics being accused of misconduct in their publications and/or plagiarism The latter also relates to the longoverdue recognition that not only prospectively randomized trials, but also so-called “real-world data” often offer valuable contributions to the establishment of best evidence in medicine. That a “real-world” of clinical needs, economics, and political realities also exists in the fertility field was for the first time integrated into the 2023 FRMC program and, considering, the overwhelming response to this subject by the audience, will not only be resumed but expanded in the 2024 program
Following the annual lightening of New York City’s famous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center that formally opens the city’s Christmas season by only several days, the timing of the FRMC thus offers not only what, likely, is the most interesting professional conference in reproductive medicine anywhere in the world, but also a unique time for visiting New York City We in addition have moved the conference out of the at times too bustling Broadway area into a more quiet location, - though even closer to Fifth Avenue and the Christmas tree
Eli Y. Adashi. MD, MS, MA
Former Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Professor of Medical Science, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Member of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine), The Association of American Physicians and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. 2018 recipient of the ASRM Lifetime Achievement Award
David F. Albertini, PhD, USA
Professor, Bedford Research Foundation, Bedford, MA, USA; Visiting Senior Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics (JARG), and a Visiting Researcher at Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
Ali H. Brivanlou, PhD, USA
Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Professor, Director, The Brivanlou Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, Rockefeller University New York, NY, USA
Norbert Gleicher, MD, USA
Medical Director and Chief-Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction- New York, NY, USA; Visiting Researcher, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA; Professor (Adj ), Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria; President, The Foundation for Reproductive Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Raoul Orvieto, MD, Israel
Professor and Head of Infertility and IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, The Tarnesby-Tarnowski Chair for Family Planning and Fertility Regulation, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel; Co-Editor-in-Chief, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Pasquale Patrizio, MD, USA
Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Visiting Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction, New York, NY, USA.
DAY 1: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2024
08:30–08:35
08:35-08:45
Welcome
Norbert Gleicher, MD
The Young Investigator Award
David F. Albertini, PhD
Norbert Gleicher, MD
08:45-09:30
THE OPENING LECTURE
WHO ARE WE? - a medical subspecialty or part of a new industrial complex?
SESSION 1: IMPORTANT NEW DEVELOPMENTS: PART I
Chair: Norbert Gleicher, MD
This session is dedicated to new ideas and/or already existing ideas that call for modifications, new applications or have not found the recognition they deserve
09:30-10:00
The almost limitless opportunity of making gametes and embryos
10:00-10:30
10:30-11:00
Genomic insights into PCOS - causal mechanisms and classification
Fertility restauration in primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) through pluripotent stem cell transplants
11:30-12:00 COFFEE BREAK/POSTER PRESENTATIONS
SESSION 2: IMPORTANT NEW DEVELOPMENTS: PART II
Chair: Raoul Orvieto, MD
This conference last year for the first time introduced the hypothesis that certain biological processes which allow cancer – especially metastatic tumors – to evade the host’s immune system, may have been appropriated by cancer from biological pathways that allow for tolerance of the fetal semi allograft by the maternal immune system and, under those circumstances, basically represent an essential process for survival of the human species We in this session further expand on this subject
12:00-12:30
12:30-13:00
Pregnancy is primarily and immune rather than endocrine condition – with the placenta likely becoming an immunologically privileged and, ultimately, discarded organs
THE INTERNATIONAL DO NO HARM GROUP IN IVF (IDNHG-IVF) LECTURE
How cancer circumvents rejection; – are these processes also active in pregnancy?
13:00-13:20 LUNCH
13:20-14:00
SYMPOSIUM: According to the ASRM, extended embryo culture to blastocyst stage in IVF represents standard of care, -- but is this correct or does it patients?
SESSION 3: PENETRATING THE BLACK BOX OF IMPLANTATION
Chair: Eli Y. Adashi, MD, MS, MAB
14:00-14:20
First ultrasound documentation of implantation in non-human primate model
14:20-15:00
The evolution of embryo models
15:00-15:30
Modeling the interphase between embryo and endometrium to understand embryo implantation in humans
15:30-16:00
COFFEE BREAK/POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Session 4: ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVING DIAGNOSTIC ABILITIES IN INFERTILITY
Chair: Pasquale Patrizio, MD
Like constantly improving therapeutics, so are steady improvements in diagnostics an essential part of progress in medicine. Improvements on both fronts have, however, in recent years too frequently been disappointing. Often tagged under the by now somewhat derogatory term “add-ons” to IVF, this section attempts to highlight a few areas of diagnostic progress over the last year that may somewhat surprise.
16:00-16:20
Trying to achieve a non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis
16:20-16:40
16:40-17:00
An update on whether non-invasive PGT-A is ready for primetime
Targeted gene expression profiling for improved endometrial receptivity testing
17:00-17:20 Somewhat surprising news on endometrial scratching
17:20-17:40
What to expect from A.I. and machine learning in reproductive medicine
17:40-18:00
THE DAILY SUMMARY: QA with the day’s faculty
18:00-20:00 WELCOME RECEPTION
DAY 2: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2024
SESSION 5: ENTERING A PERIOD OF INCREASINGLY CONTROVERSIAL RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS
Chair: David F. Albertini, PhD
Reproductive medicine is increasingly facing complex and often controversial treatment considerations Two among those, however, stand out: (i) Production and clinical use of functional gametes and, ultimately, embryos from stem cells; and (ii) germline interventions in humans to cure disease and in embryos to prevent diseases. This session explores the current status of these efforts.
08:30-09:00
09:00-09:30
Ethics at the very core of fertility research and clinical practice
09:30-10:00
How controversial treatments like germline editing and production of gametes as well as embryos will affect research and clinical practice in reproductive medicine
10:00-10:30
Should CRISPR gene editing be used in human embryos?
Clinical utility of polygenic risk scoring: The statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics
10:30-11:00
COFFEE BREAK/POSTER PRESENTATIONS
SESSION 6: PRECISON MEDICINE IN INFERTILITY
CHAIR: MILTON LEONG, MD
The term precision medicine found its application in medicine originally in oncology practice, where it was meant to denote highly individualized anti-cancer treatments geared at specific genetic markers in tumors Since then, the term has, however, found much wider application, basically representing a return from protocol-driven treatment algorithms for everybody toward highly individualized care of patients based on their specific characteristics This session addresses this concept for the various stages of an IVF cycle
11:00-11:30
11:30-12:00
Why precision medicine in infertility practice is essential for achieving best practice but also for expanding affordability of infertility care
12:00-12:30
Ovarian physiology as the basis for precision medicine in the embryology laboratory
Precision medicine in preparing ovaries: androgens, human growth hormone, PRP, etc.
12:30-13:00
Precision medicine through individualizing ovarian stimulation.
13:00-13:15
13:10-14:00
SYMPOSIUM: How to integrate “add-ons” into precision medicine?
Increasing consensus exists that a majority of “add-ons” to IVF have in recent year often entered routine practice without proper prior validation and, therefore, in many (if not most) cases have failed to improve IVF outcomes. They, indeed, quite often –at least in selected sub-population – have adversely affected IVF outcomes and, likely, have been the main reason for stagnating and, indeed, declining live birth rates in IVF To reverse this negative outcome trend, the use of many currently widely utilized “add-ons” must be curtailed, while new “add-ons” must be encouraged,though only after appropriate prior validation studies How this can be best achieved, will be the subject of this symposium
Chair: Norbert Gleicher
SESSION 7: NEWS IN RESEARCH: PART I
Chair: Ali Brivanlou, PhD
14:00-14:30
The interdependence of food, nutrition, and fertility/infertility
14:30-15:00
What is the effect of weight loss on female and male fertility?
15:00-15:30
An introduction to the new anti-obesity drugs for potential pretreatments in female as well as male infertility patients
15:30-16:00
COFFEE BREAK/POSTER PRESENTATIONS
SESSION 8: IMPORTANT NEW RESEARCH DEVELOPMENTS: PART II
16:00 – 16:30 TBD
16:30 – 17:00 TBD
17:30-18:00 TBD
18:00–18:30
THE DAILY SUMMARY: QA with the day’s faculty
19:00 FACULTY DINNER
DAY 3: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2024
SESSION 9: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO “THINK DIFFERENTLY” AND MAKE CHANGES IN WHAT IS CONSIDERED ROUTINE IVF PRACTICE PART I
Chair: Raoul Orvieto, MD
This session attempts to make the principal argument that no medical treatment ever is “appropriate” for every patient and this principle also applies to “standard” treatments,even when defined as such by authoritative bodies, like the ASRM To illustrate this point, we are presenting a few examples, though many more widely utilized treatments in association with IVF could be cited.
08:30-08:50
08:50-09:00
09:10-09:30
Why are we triggering almost everybody at the same lead follicle sizes?
Don’t discard immature oocytes; - rescue them
Don’t culture embryos to blastocyst-stage in everybody
09:30-09:50
09:50-10:10
Elective single embryo transfer should be “elective” and not for everybody
Yes, there are immunologic treatments in infertility that work
10:10-10:30
COFFEE BREAK/POSTER PRESENTATIONS
SESSION
10: THE DECLINING TRUST IN THE SCIENTIFIC/MEDICAL LITERATURE?
Chairs: David H. Barad, MD, MS
Norbert Gleicher, MD
For several reasons, scientific publishing (with medical publishing leading) is in crisis At least partially accelerated by the politization of the COVID-19 pandemic and society’s resulting loss of trust in science in general, driven by several factors, the trend started its ascent years earlier: Logarithmic increases in journals and paper submissions often overwhelming the editorial staff, thereby compromising peer review. The establishment of paper mills as pure profit centers for publishers (of course often with laughable peer review) also did not add to credibility, nor did literally booming numbers of manuscript withdrawals by even very prominent journals. What, however, likely sealed the distrust were scandals involving leading academicians (including presidents of such prominent universities as Harvard and Stanford) accused of plagiarism, falsification of images, and even data manipulations. With so many prominent academic leaders misbehavior, how prevalent must such behavior, therefore, be among the more mortal contributors to the medical literature? We in this section attempt to address how the medical publishing industry may regain trust.
10:30-11:00
11:00-11:30
How the flagship journals of infertility practice, Fertility and Sterility and the other ASRM journals, address the declining trust in medical publishing
THE CENTER FOR HUMAN REPRODUCTION LECTURE:
Reflecting the mutual dependency of health, policy, and politics in a leading medical journal in view of recent armed conflicts in the world
11:30-12:00
Recognizing the limits of “evidence-based medicine” and coming to understand the importance of “real-life data.”
12:00-12:30
12:30–13:00
Reorganizing peer review: More resources and access to original data sets and laboratory books?
THE CLOSING LECTURE TBD