*CME Approved | Attendees can gain up to 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™*
*Program is subject to change*
DECEMBER 5-7, 2025
THE METROPOLITAN CLUB
FOUNDATION FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE CONFERENCE (FRMC-2025) On Translational Reproductive Biology and Clinical Reproductive Endocrinology
THE METROPOLITAN CLUB, NEW YORK CITY December 5-7, 2025
“THINK
TARGET AUDIENCES
Medical students – free attendance; Residents, fellows, postdocs – discounted attendance. Obstetricians & Gynecologists and Reproductive Endocrinologist & Infertility Specialists
Reproductive Biologists and embryologists - discounted attendance
Geneticists, Ethicists
Fertility nurses, Nurse practitioners, Sonographers - discounted attendance
Science journalists – free attendance
Investors & administrators in the field
Industry
Lawyers
• To demonstrate to clinicians in the field what ongoing bench research can contribute to better understanding of physiological processes relevant to clinical practice.
• To demonstrate to basic scientists in the field what the basic knowledge needs of clinicians are.
• To learn to “think differently” by critically assessing current clinical practice patterns in attempts to improve treatment outcomes.
• To present most up-to-date basic science as well as clinical knowledge to lead to a better understanding between basic scientists and clinicians in reproductive medicine.
• To demonstrate how improved cooperation between basic science and clinical medicine can improve patient care.
• To outline an alternative thinking pattern that allows for the critical evaluation of clinical practice patterns in their respective effectiveness.
Metropolitan Club One East Sixtieth Street New York, New York
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
Trebron Management, Inc., New York, NY
CME ACCREDITATION ORGANIZATION To Be Announced
In its usually mildly irreverent way, the FRMC will over three conference days again link evolving basic science with clinical practice, in the process facilitating translational progress between bench and clinic. 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 is possible now!
Starting with its first event in 2016, the FRMC, built its program around the motto, “think differently.” Consequently, the FRMC always offers materials not heard and/or seen elsewhere. To remain on the cutting edge of new developments, the conference content evolves slowly over the preceding year. With the human zygote being the ultimate stem cell for everything, a conference dedicated to reproductive clinical endocrinology and infertility as well as reproductive biology, of course, never lacks subjects of interest, and the FRMC has become internationally known for every year presenting a varying potpourri of interesting subjects, presented by leading experts from all over the world.
Like every year, the conference is scheduled the weekend following the Thanksgiving weekend and just days after the lightening of New York City’s famous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center By moving the conference venue and headquarter hotel this year, moreover, literally only a few steps away from Rockefeller Center where the tree is located, the conference made this year an extra special effort not only - as is now widely acknowledged – in putting again together the year ’ s likely most interesting scientific conference in the field, but by also in giving attendees this year the opportunity to experience New York City in its most beautiful neighborhood at its most beautiful and special time of the year
~ The Conference Chairs on behalf of the sponsoring organizations
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 of Reproductive Cell Biology, Bedford Research Foundation, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics (JARG), Senior Visiting Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction-New York, New York, N Y , USA; Visiting Researcher, Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, N Y , USA
Ali H. Brivanlou, PhD, USA
Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Professor, Director, The Brivanlou Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, Rockefeller University New York, NY, USA.
Eve Feinberg, MD
Dr. Feinberg is a Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and serves as the REI Fellowship Program Director and the Medical Director for Northwestern Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine. She is an Editorial Editor for Fertility and Sterility and is a co-host on the Fertility and Sterility On-Air podcast Dr Feinberg recently served a 3 year term as a Director at Large on the Executive Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Dr Feinberg is the founder and president of the Chicago Coalition for Family Building, a not for profit that awards grants for fertility treatment and adoption.
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.
Samuel Z. Williams, MD, PhD, USA
Wendy D. Havens Associate Professor of Women’s Health and Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the Director of Columbia University Fertility Center, New York, N Y , USA
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, Professor of Reproductive Cell Biology, Bedford Research Foundation, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics (JARG), Senior Visiting Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction-New York, New York, N.Y., USA; Visiting Researcher, Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, N Y , USA
David H. Barad, MD, MS, FACOG, Director of Clinical ART and Senior Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction, New York, N Y , USA
Eve Feinberg, PhD, is a Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and serves as the REI Fellowship Program Director and the Medical Director for Northwestern Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine She is an Editorial Editor for Fertility and Sterility and is a co-host on the Fertility and Sterility On-Air podcast Dr Feinberg recently served a 3 year term as a Director at Large on the Executive Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Dr Feinberg is the founder and president of the Chicago Coalition for Family Building, a not for profit that awards grants for fertility treatment and adoption.
Sonia Gayete-Lafuente, MD, PhD, is an MD, PhD, OBGYN, and REI (Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility) specialist based in New York, originally from Barcelona, Spain, with many years of experience as a Gynecologist, Fertility Specialist, and as Clinical Researcher, with a robust background From March 2021 to December 2023, she completed her Clinical Research Fellowship at Yale University's OBGYN Department, focusing on Fertility Preservation in young patients with cancer and conditions predisposing to ovarian insufficiency such as Turner Syndrome, completing her PhD and publishing several papers in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility during this time Since January 2024, she has been a Clinical Research Fellow at the Foundation for Reproductive Medicine (FRM) at the Center for Human Reproduction (CHR) in New York Here, she is engaged in both basic research studies on Reproductive Immunology and Embryology and clinical trials on advanced fertility treatments for complex infertile populations, aiming to develop evidence-based therapies in the field of Reproductive Medicine, New York, N.Y., USA.
Norbert Gleicher, MD, FACOG, FACS, Medical Director and Chief Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction
– New York, President, The Foundation for Reproductive Medicine; Visiting Researcher Laboratory for Stem Cell and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, Prof (Adj ), Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vienna University School of Medicine, Vienna, Austria, Founding Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics (JARG) and American Journal for Reproductive Immunology (AJRI), New York, N.Y., USA
Robert J. Kiltz, MD, Founder and Director of CNY Fertility, one of the larger and structurally most innovative fertility clinic chains in the U.S., propagating a holistic medical approach for fertility treatments that is also “affordable ”
Antonio La Marca, MD, PhD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chair of the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department at the University Hospital of Modena, Director of the Residency Program in Ob&Gyn, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Editor-in-Chief of Minerva Obstetrics and Gynecology, Modena, Italy
Milton K. H, Leong, MDCM, DSc (McGill), FACOG, FROG, FHKCOG, FHKAM, FRCS( C ), Clinic Director of the Women’s Clinic in Hong Kong and Professor, Mc Gill University, Montreal, Canada
Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, PhD, is a researcher and expert in the fields of economics and public health, focusing on the intersection of healthcare systems, policy, and behavioral economics. His work aims to improve health outcomes through innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and policy-making.
Cari Nicholas-Farrell, PhD, MS, doctoral and postdoctoral research studies were dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility focusing on various aspects of infertility Her main career goal is to contribute to the improvement of fertility diagnostics and therapeutics Currently, Dr Nicholas-Farrell is the IVF Laboratory Supervisor for the Endocrinology, Andrology and Embryology departments at the CHR. In addition to her role as Supervisor, Dr. Nicholas-Farrell is a Senior Clinical Embryologist and a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Scientist Her long-term career goal to be an IVF Laboratory Director that collaborates with scientists and clinicians to conduct translational research using a bench to bedside approach to understand the underlying issues that contribute to reproductive disorders and find innovative ways to alleviate infertility, New York, N Y , USA
Shoukhrat Mitalipov, PhD, Professor and Director of the Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)
Raoul Orvieto, MD, 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.
Pasquale Patrizio, MD, MBE, HCLD FACOG, Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive sciences, Director, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA; Visiting Senior Scientist, The Center for Human Reproduction, New York, N Y , USA
Nicolas Rivron, PhD, Group Leader, Laboratory for Synthetic Development, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA)/ the Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
Zeev Shoham, MD, is a full professor at Hadassah Medical School, affiliated with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. He is a leading authority in reproductive medicine and infertility and until recently he served as the Director of the Fertility and IVF Unit at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot, Israel
With a career spanning several decades, Professor Shoham has published over 160 peer-reviewed articles in the field of reproductive medicine He is internationally recognized for pioneering the protocol of double ovarian stimulation, a groundbreaking approach in IVF, particularly beneficial for poor ovarian responders
Professor Shoham is also the co-editor of the widely acclaimed textbook Assisted Reproductive Techniques, a foundational resource used by clinicians and researchers worldwide. Beyond his academic and clinical contributions, he is the co-founder of IVF-Worldwide com, the largest global platform for IVF clinics and professionals This initiative promotes collaboration, disseminates cutting-edge research, and conducts global surveys on ART practices, significantly advancing evidence-based fertility care
Through his leadership and innovations, Professor Shoham has played a central role in shaping modern IVF practice and uniting the global reproductive medicine community.
Mitchell Stern, Managing Director and Head of the Healthcare Group at Dresner Partners is the leading investment banker in the fertility (IVF) sector having been involved in over 16 IVF clinic, third party reproduction and fertility lab sales worldwide, including the sale of IGENOMIX, the merger of RMANJ and IVI of Spain, the sale of Advanced Fertility of Chicago to Prelude Fertility (now Inception), the sale of Santa Monica Fertility to Webster Equity Partners, the sale of InVia Fertility to In Vitro Sciences (now First Fertility), the sale of Institute for Human Reproduction to Pinnacle Fertility, the sale of Dominion Fertility to Pinnacle Fertility, the sale of Center of Reproductive Medicine to US Fertility, the sale of IVF1 to Pinnacle Fertility, the sale of Fertility Institute of New Jersey & New York to Axia Women's Health, the sale of RADfertility to CCRM, the sale of The Advanced IVF Institute to CCRM, the sale of Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado to IVIRMA Global, the sale of Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey to Inception Fertility, and the sale of Overlake Reproductive Health
Mark W. Surrey, MD, is a reproductive endocrinologist and reproductive endoscopic surgeon in private practice and the Medical Director of SCRC (Southern Cal Reproductive Center) in Los Angeles, CA
Samuel Z. Williams, MD, PhD , is the Wendy D Havens Associate Professor of Women’s Health and Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the Director of Columbia University Fertility Center, New York, N.Y., USA
DAY 1: Friday, December 5, 2025
08:45-08:50
08:50 - 09:00
Welcome
Norbert Gleicher, MD
The Young Investigator Award
David F. Albertini, PhD
Chair: Norbert Gleicher, MD
09:00 - 09:30
The Opening Lecture: To Be Announced
09:30 - 10:00
The Do-No-Harm in IVF Group Lecture: To Be Announced
10:00 - 10:30
Changes the current wave antisemitism demands in health care and education
Eve Feinberg, MD
10:30 - 11:00
The widely made claim that PGT-A in older women improves IVF outcomes as an example why - in the infertility field - peer review in medical journals urgently must be improved
David H Barad, MD, MS
11:00 - 11:30
The impact of Private Equity ownership of IVF clinics on IVF practice in the U.S. and elsewhere
Pasquale Patrizio, MD, MBE
11:30 - 12:00 Coffee Break
Chair: Eve Feinberg, MD
12:00 - 12:30
The Foundation for Reproductive Medicine Lecture: Translating important basic reproductive biology research into clinical IVF progress
Nicolas Rivron, PhD
12:30 - 13:00
Advancing the accuracy of ovulation trigger timing for highly individualized Oocyte Retrieval (HIER) with a sonographic phenotype denoting follicle maturity at all follicle sizes
Norbert Gleicher, MD
13:00 - 13:20
Grab your lunch and return to your seats for the Day 1 Symposium
13:20 - 14:00
Symposium: Do embryos really self-correct and, if so, how?
Initially demonstrated in a mouse model and more recently in the human experience and in stem cell lines, the fact that embryos even post blastocyst stage can still self-correct is still disputed. We invited several experts to offer their opinions
Chair: David H. Barad, MD, MS
Panelist: Raoul Orvieto, MD
Panelist: Pasquale Patrizio, MD, MBE
Panelist: David F. Albertini
Panelist: To Be Announced
Chair: Pasquale Patrizio, MD, MBE
14:00 - 14:30
Can we delay ovarian aging: The Columbia University Rapamycin Trial to delay menopause
S. Zev Williams, MD, PhD
14:30 - 15:00
The negative effects of practice changes in FET cycles on national pregnancy and live birth rates
Sonia Gayete-Lafuente, MD, PhD
15:00 - 15:30
Individualized in vitro maturation of oocytes to maximize embryo yield and the importance of patient age.
Cari Nicholas-Farrell, PhD, MS
15:30 - 16:00 Coffee Break
Chair: Zeev Shoham, MD
16:00 - 16:30 To Be Determined
16:30 - 17:00
Where Elon Musk could get us to, if he only were interested in reproductive medicine
Eli Y. Adashi, MD, MS, MA
17:00 - 17:30
Haven’t we not spent enough effort, time, and money on the hypothesis of embryo selection?
David F Albertini, PhD
17:30 - 18:00 To Be Announced
18:00 -18:15 The Daily Summary - Q&A with the day’s faculty
18:15 - 21:00 Welcome Reception
DAY 2: Saturday, December 6, 2025
Session 5: Driving Towards Precision Medicine in Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility - Part I
Chair: David F Albertini, PhD
08:30 - 09:00
A diapause-like response in human blastocysts following mTOR inhibition and its possible clinical relevance for IVF
Nicolas Rivron, PhD
09:00 - 09:30
09:30 - 10:00
Are there still infertility patients in whom PGT-A may be indicated?
Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, PhD
Why current IVF practice favors IVF clinic interests at the costs of patient interests: The need for Precision Medicine in place of routine protocols.
David H. Barad, MD, MS
10:00 - 10:30
Why the individualized ovulation trigger is of such importance
Raoul Orvieto, MD
10:30 - 11:00 Coffee Break
Session 6: Driving Towards Precision Medicine in Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility - Part II
Chair: Nicolas Rivron, PhD
11:00 - 11:30
The Center for Human Reproduction Lecture: On the way to in vitro gametogenesis
Shoukhrat Mitalipov, PhD
11:30 - 12:00
Preparing ovaries for maximal efficiency: Why are androgen and growth hormone supplementations in selected patients still controversial?
Norbert Gleicher, MD
12:00 - 12:30
Some interesting news on embryo culture media
Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, PhD
12:30 - 13:00 Lunch
13:30 - 14:00
Symposium: The Scientific and economic future of the fertility field
With the almost completed retirement of the first generation of IVF practitioners, the switch from a predominantly malemedical specialty to an almost uniformly female medical specialty, colossal investments by Private Equity into the specialty, formation of national and even international practice chains, and clearly speeded up pace for change in all of medicine, considering the future of REI appeared like an appropriate theme for a symposium.
Chair: Norbert Gleicher, MD
Panelist: Eli Y. Adashi, MD, MS, MA
Panelist: David F. Albertini, PhD
Panelist: Milton Leong, MD
Panelist: Robert J. Kiltz, MD
Panelist: Pasquale Patrizio, MD, MBE
Chair: Milton Leong, MD
14:00 - 14:30
Having been a leading pioneer in the development of the business of infertility in the U.S., where do I see it going? To Be Announced
14:30 - 14:50
Having merged a local clinic network into a larger national network, what I have learned?
Angeline Beltsos, MD
14:50 - 15:10
15:10 - 15:30
Having sold my practice to a Private Equity-owned clinic network, what has been my experience?
Mark Surrey, MD
What you need to know when you are thinking about selling your IVF clinic to a network
Mitchel Stern
15:30 - 16:00 Coffee Break
Chair: Eli Y. Adashi, MD, MS, MA
16:00 - 16:30
The pool of recruitable antral follicles is modifiable, and I can tell you how
Antonio La Marca, MD, PhD
16:30 - 17:00
Why is nobody talking about the fact that clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in autologous IVF have since 2010 steadily declined
Norbert Gleicher, MD
17:00 - 17:30
A year later – what has the progress been with A.I. that is applicable to in Medicine? To Be Announced
17:30 - 18:00
How the CHR between 2023 and 2024 improved ongoing clinical pregnancy rates from 8% to 12% in poorestprognosis patients (medial age 44-45) with at least one transferrable cleavage-stage embryo: Making tested out “mini-steps.”
Sonia
Gayete – Lafuente, MD, PhD
18:00 -18:30
The Daily Summary - Q&A with the day’s faculty
DAY 3: Sunday, December 7, 2025
Session 9: What We May Want to Reconsider in Clinical
Chair: Sonia Gayete – Lafuente, MD, PhD
08:30 - 09:00
The GAMETO announcement about a new fertility technique co-culturing embryos with stem cell line: Breakthrough or exaggeration?
Cari Nicholas, PhD
09:00 - 09:30
Are we suffering from “freezing mania”?
Antonio La Marca, MD, PhD
09:30 - 10:00
The PCOS patient everybody overlooks and, therefore, underestimates in prevalence
Norbert Gleicher, MD
10:00 -10:30 Coffee Break
Session 10: The Latest News at the Latest Hour
Chair: Norbert Gleicher, MD
10:30 - 11:00 To Be Determined
11:00 -11:30 To Be Determined
11:30 - 12:00 To Be Determined
12:00 - 12:30 To Be Determined
12:30 - 13:00 The Closing Lecture: To Be Determined
On behalf of the entire FRM organization we thank you for your support and participation in our annual conference.
We hope that this year ’ s conference helps you to
“THINK DIFFERENTLY“