Assistant Manager of the IVF Laboratory at the IVI-RMA, Madrid, Spain, since 2010 to 2020. Having graduates from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid in 1999, completed a PhD in 2003, and joined IVI Madrid as an Embryologist in 2006. My research interests include studies by polarized light of structures of oocytes, measures of genetic expression of granulosa cells and oocytes, the embryo kinetics of embryos according to type of sperm sample and the impact of in-vitro maturation in oocytes. Dr. Agudo is author or co-author of 1 book chapter and 13 articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Agudo has also participated as researcher in competitive projects both as emerging researcher (Comunidad of Madrid), and as lead researcher (FIS Projects), besides acting as regular editor in specialized journals in the field of reproductive medicine.

Dr. Agudo has been involved in teaching since his early career, imparting postgraduate courses since 2006 and as university professor since 2002. Presently he is the Coordinator in IVF Reproduction Module from the Master in Biology and Technology of Assisted Human Reproduction of European University of Madrid and Coordinator of the lab training since 2016 of this Master.

IVF Laboratory Consultant since 2018 in IVI-RMA Global.

Danilo Cimadomo is the Science and Research Manager of the GeneraLife centers.

He received BSc and MSc degrees cum laude at the University of Pavia in “Medical Biotechnologies” and “Molecular Biology and Genetics”, respectively, an advanced course in "Novel technologies in molecular medicine" at the University of Padua, and a Ph.D. in “Morphogenesis and Tissue Engineering” at the University of Rome “Sapienza”.

After two internships at the University of Pavia and at the University of Cambridge (UK), he started working at the GENERA centers in Italy where he contributed to the validation, implementation and monitoring of a blastocyst stage-based aneuploidy testing program for PGT in collaboration with the laboratory GENETYX (now Igenomix Italy).

His Research is focused on the strategies to predict embryo competence and their clinical application in IVF.

He is reviewer for several international journals in the field of reproductive medicine and associate editor of Human Reproduction Update, member of the executive committee of SIERR (Italian society of embryology, research and reproduction), member of the ESHRE (European society of human reproduction and embryology) working group that updated the guidelines for human embryo biopsy, and basic science officer of the ESHRE special interest group in “implantation and early pregnancy” (SIGIEP).

He is Author or co-Author of more than 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals in the field of developmental biology, IVF and embryo selection.

Giovanni Coticchio holds a BSc in Biology, a MMedSci degree in Assisted Reproduction Technologies, a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology and a qualification of full professor. He is Scientific Director of 9.baby Family and Fertility Center, one of the largest and established IVF networks in Italy. He has published ninety-six peer-reviewed papers, several book chapters and two books. Since June 2021, he las been member of the Executive Committee of the European Society of Human Reproduction (ESHRE).

• Director of IVI-RMA Las Palmas.
• Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Alicante in 1989 with outstanding qualification, and residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hospital Universitario Materno Infantil at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1995.
• Coordinator of the Human Reproduction Department at Hospital Universitario Materno Infantil in Las Palmas before moving to IVI in 2004.
• Main areas of interest: oocyte vitrification, ovarian stimulation in oncological patients and Fertility Preservation.
• Coordinator of IVI´s Fertility Preservation Program.
• Member of the Spanish Fertility Society Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group.
• Contribution to 38 peer reviewed publications, 55 book chapters and more than 100 abstracts throughout his career.
• Member of the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF), Obstetrics and Gynecology Spanish Society (SEGO), European Society of Human Reproduction and Embriology (ESHRE) and International Society for Fertility Preservation (ISFP).

Director of Clinic IVI Seville since January of 2005.
Gynaecologist specialized in Human Reproduction since 2003 in IVI Seville.
Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering in Pablo Olavide University, Seville since 2011.
Associate Professor of Human Reproductive Technology in University of Seville since 2015.
Ph.D. in medicine from the “Valencia Universitat” a Doctoral Thesis with European Accreditation. 2012. The research, in The Queen’s Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, was nominated by the magazine "Time" as one of the top 10 year technological ideas in the world, selected by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, published in "Human Reproduction".
Executive Master en Dirección y Administración de Instituciones Sanitarias en Esade, Madrid, 2015, Universidad Ramón Llull
MSc in Statistics and Research Methodology by the “Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona”. 2008
MSc in Human Reproduction in “Universidad Rey Juan Carlos of Madrid”. 2009
M.D. Degree “University of Seville with date of expedition in June of 1996.
Specialty as Gynaecologist and Obstetrician in the University of Seville. “Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena” with date of expedition in June of 2002.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

94 Communications in International Congress.
26 Chapter’s Book.
45 International Journal Publications.
15 h-index

Nicolás Garrido Puchalt, Ph.D., M.Sc., is the Director of IVI Foundation, and Director of Research Administration at IVI RMA Global. Dr. Garrido obtained his B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Valencia in 1997, followed by a Post-graduate Research Fellowship at the Department of Gynaecology, Heinrich-Heine University, in Düsseldorf, Germany.

He obtained his Doctorate Degree from the University of Valencia in 2001, receiving the Extraordinary Prize in 2002, and a Master’s Degree in Research Methodology: Design and Statistics in Health Sciences from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in 2009, in Science and Innovation Management in 2018 and in Project Management in 2020, both from Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. He served as the Director of the Andrology Laboratory and Sperm Bank at the IVI University Institute in Valencia from 2000 until 2016, and lead the IVI Teaching Program starting in 2004, and afterwards the IVI Learning Center until 2017.

He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Valencia, heading numerous research projects funded by the local and federal governments. His research interests include male infertility, sperm physiology, sperm selection techniques, biomarkers of fertility, and statistical approaches to measure ART success.

He authored or co-authored over 350 abstracts, wrote more than 80 book chapters, and 160 original or review articles in scientific journals. He received the Spanish Fertility Society Award in 2002 and 2004, the Spanish Urology Association Award in 2004, the American Society of Andrology Award (2007, 2010, 2011), and the Salud 2000 Foundation Award in 2010, among others.

Dr. Garrido is currently Section Editor at RBM Online, served as Associate Editor for Fertility and Sterility, and is also Ad Hoc Reviewer for the Journal of Assisted Reproduction Genetics, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Human Reproduction, and Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, and Andrology,  in the field, among others and as the editor for a textbook on Male Fertility.

Currently he is also the Coordinator for ESHRE of the Special Interest Group for Andrology.

Professor Peter Humaidan is a specialist in reproductive endocrinology, professor at The Fertility Clinic Skive Regional Hospital, Aarhus University, Denmark and Honorary professor at Odense University, Denmark. During his scientific work he has primarily focused on developing individualized treatment protocols for the infertile patient. His doctoral thesis (DMSc) explored the role of LH during the follicular and luteal phases in controlled ovarian stimulation. His main fields of interest are triggering of ovulation with GnRH agonist, role of LH during the follicular and luteal phases, role of the female genital tract microbiota for reproductive outcomes, OHSS prevention, and role of sperm DNA fragmentation for spontaneous and assisted reproduction. He is the founder of the international society “The Copenhagen GnRHa Triggering Workshop Group” who introduced the GnRHa trigger in modern IVF, changing trigger policies worldwide. Moreover, he is co-founder of the POSEIDON group which suggested a new stratification of the poor responder patient. Finally, he is past board member of the ESHRE SIG Endocrinology Group. He authored and co-authored 230 + articles (H-index 60, Google Scholar) in international peer reviewed journals as well as the Danish guidelines for OHSS prevention, and chapters in textbooks. Peter Humaidan has a wide international scientific network and is frequently invited as a speaker at international conferences.

Shari Mackens (8/7/1987) graduated as a medical doctor from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium, in 2012. Immediately afterwards, she started working at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at the University Hospital Brussels, Belgium, as a PhD student and as a specialist in training in obstetrics and gynecology. From 2012 until 2017, she performed basic science research on endometrial receptivity and human embryo implantation. During these 5 years, she was funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO). Her research was presented in her PhD thesis entitled ‘Hypes and hopes for endometrial receptivity in ART’. At present, she is a gynaecologist at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at the University Hospital Brussels and a professor at the VUB with a specific interest in translational research focusing on the role of the endometrium in ART.

Dr. Marcos Meseguer received his Biological Sciences Degree from the University of Valencia in Spain. He performed a pre-doctoral fellowship in St Mary´s Hospital, Manchester University, United Kingdom.  He received his Ph.D. Degree in Obstetrics and Gynecoloy and the European Doctor Degree in 2002 from the University of Valencia, Spain.

He has also a master degree in Research Methods; Design and Statistics from Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Spain. Actually is Scientific Supervisor and Senior Embriologist in the IVF unit of IVIRMA Valencia.  Dr. Meseguer has received and nominated twice the prize paper of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Four times the Star Award from ASRM. Three times the Lalor Foundation International Award from the American Society of Andrology, three times the research award from the Spanish Society of Fertility and 5 times the research award from the Spanish Society of Embriology.  He received the Robert Edwards prize paper award from RBM on line and was ASRM star award winner. The primary areas of his research are embryology and male infertility.

As Principal Investigator, his work has been funded through 25 projects sponsored by the Spanish Government, including 10 EUREKA. Horizon 2020 EUROSTAR projects (granted to high quality technological projects) supported by the European Community). He has two international patents.  He is part of the group of researchers most cited in the world according to Standford University has published over 175 scientific articles, with 9135 citations and h-index of 53, including the most cited paper in Human Reproduction. Additionally published 70 reviews or book chapters, edited the first time-lapse book and made more than 700 presentations at national and international congresses. He has been the Director of 16 Doctoral Thesis all qualified with "Cum Laude", and actually is directing 7 PhD candidates.

He is also Statistics Advisor of Equipo IVI and Associate Professor of the Master in Biotechnology from Valencia University.

Antonio Pellicer obtained his Medical Degree from the University of Valencia in 1978, his PhD from the same university in 1980 and he carried out the specialization of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University Clinical Hospital in Valencia, and the sub specialization of Reproductive Medicine at Yale University and the University of Mainz, Germany. 

Antonio Pellicer has been Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology since 1999 and Dean of the University of Valencia School of Medicine, Spain from 2006 until 2012. He is also Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at ‘La Fe University Hospital’, Valencia, since 2009. In addition, he is Professor Adjunct in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine (USA). 

After obtaining his MD degree from the University of Valencia and establishing a distinguished academic career, Professor Pellicer founded the ‘Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad’ (‘IVI’) in 1990, and his work in the field of fertility has led to the creation of many ‘IVI’ clinics both in Spain and internationally. He is also President of the ‘IVI Foundation’ for the Study of Reproduction and CEO of IVIRMA GLOBAL. 

Professor Pellicer has authored over 338 textbook chapters and more than 900 journal articles in national and international journals, and presented over 568 lectures and over 1455 communications in a congresses. He has been Co-Editor in Chief for the journal ‘Fertility and Sterility’ since 2011. 

Professor Pellicer has won many awards for his contributions to the field of reproductive health. He was awarded the Annual Meeting Prize Paper for the ‘American Society for Reproductive Medicine’ eight times between 1987 and 2016; the XXV Society for Gynecological Investigation President’s Award in 2002; the King Jaime I Prize in Clinical Medicine from the ‘King Jaime I Foundation’ in 2004; the Gold Medal of the Royal College of Physicians in Valencia in 2006; the Gold Medal of the City of Valencia in 2006; the Rotary Prize in 2007; and the Lilly Foundation Prize in 2008. He is Doctor Honoris Causa by the Politechnic University of Valencia in 2011; Pro Academy Prize 2013 in Recognition for their Efforts in Science and Academic Life, for The Round Table Foundation of Valencia in 2013; Prize to the Innovation during the edition XVII of the Enterprising prize of the Year organized by Ernst and Young of Madrid in 2013; “Jacques Salat-Baroux” Award from the Academy National of Medicine of France, París, France, in 2014; The IVI Spain is appointed Ambassador Honorary of the Spain Marca in the category of Science and Innovation. Madrid, Spain, 2015; "Josep Maria Dexeus Medal" for his trajectory in the reproductive field, in the 43^rd Edition of Forum International Dexeus. Barcelona, Spain, 2016. Levante of the Year Award granted by Levante-EMV Prensa Ibérica publishing group. Valencia, Spain, 2017. IVI, awarded by the SRI, for a study on ovarian rejuvenation. Valencia, Spain, 2018.

Anabel Salazar is Medical Director at IVI Málaga, Spain, since 2013, where she serves as an attending gynaecologist in the Reproductive Medicine Unit. She is Professor of Master Degree in Human Reproduction at Rey Juan Carlos University, and European University- Madrid. Spain. She obtained her Degree in Medicine and Surgery at University of Cadiz in 2002, and completed her specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Juan Ramón Jiménez Hospital of Huelva in 2007. She performed her Fertility training at IVIRMA in Madrid and Seville. She finished her Doctoral Program in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Human Pathology Department. University of Seville in 2006, and obtained the European Certificate of Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgery in Clermnont Ferrand during 2004-2005. She completed her training in Level III of ultrasonography in Obstetrics & Gynaecology by the Spanish Obstetric and Gynaecologist Society (SEGO), 2015. She obtained E-HealthMaster’s degree in La Salle Barcelona University during 2020-2021. She has participated in several clinical research projects. She has contributed as author and coauthor of several textbook chapters and poster presentation focus on reproductive medicine. She is member of European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), Spanish Fertility Society (SEF) and Spanish Obstetric and Gynaecologist Society (SEGO). She coordinates several courses related to reproductive medicine. She has participated as a speaker in several national and international conferences related to reproductive medicine and digitalhealth.

Dr. Diana Santa-Cruz received his Psychology degree from the University of Porto in Portugal. She received his PhD in Health Sciences in 2020 from the University Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.She also has a master degree in Couple and Family Therapy from the University Pontificia Comillas in Madrid and a master degree in Gender and Health from the University Rey Juan Carlos, also in Madrid. Dr. Santa-Cruz has been working at the Emotional Care Unit at IVI Madrid for the last 10 years. She is also Associate Professor of the Master in Biotechnology from University Europea in Madrid. Her main áreas of research are focused on chronic stress, resilience, cortisol and stress-reduction techniques.

• EDUCATION AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
  2020 Junior group leader. Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), Cambridge, UK.
  2014 – 2020 Postdoctoral fellow, University of Cambridge, UK.2009 – 2014        PhD in Molecular Biology, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Spain.
  2013 – 2014  Course in Applied Statistics, National Distance Education University, Spain
  2008 – 2009   MS Degree in Molecular Biomedicine, Autonoma University of Madrid, Spain
  2003 – 2008   Bachelor’s Degree in Biology (Class I), Autonoma University of Madrid, Spain 
• MOST RECENT RESEARCH FUNDING AND PRIZES
  2020 International 3Rs prize
  2019 Best article prize from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.
  2018 Best poster prize – The Stem Cell Niche meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  2017 – 2018  Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship
  2017  Travel award – Charles Slater Foundation
  2017   Travel award – Workshop organized by the company of Biologists.
  2017  Santa Cruz Investigator Award (Article: Shahbazi et al, Nat Cell Biol, 2016)
  2016  Science popular vote award for the top breakthrough discovery of 2016
  2016   Best oral presentation (PDN Symposium)
  2015 – 2017  Postdoctoral EMBO Fellowship
  2014 – 2015   Postdoctoral Fellowship, Spanish Foundation Ramon Areces 
• MOST RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS
  1. Mole MA.*, Coorens THH.*, Shahbazi MN.*, Weberling A.*, Weatherbee BAT.*, Gantner CW., Sancho-Serra C., Richardson L., Drinkwater A., Syed N., Engley S., Snell P., Christie L., Elder K., Campbell , Fishel S., Behjati S., Vento-Tormo R., Zernicka-Goetz M. “A single cell characterisation of human embryogenesis identifies pluripotency transitions and putative anterior hypoblast centre”. Nat Commun. Jun, 2021; 12 (1): 3679. *equal contribution.
  2. Shahbazi MN. “Defining myself as a mother scientist”. Cell Stem Cell. May, 2021; 28 (5): 796-
  3. Orietti LC., Rosa VS., Antonica F., Kyprianou C., Mansfield W., Marques-Souza H., Shahbazi *, Zernicka-Goetz M*. “Embryo size regulates the timing and mechanism of pluripotent tissue morphogenesis”. Stem Cell Reports. Sept, 2020; S2213-6711 (20) 30379-9. *corresponding authors.
  4. Shahbazi MN.*, Wang T*., Tao X.*, Weatherbee BAT.*, Sun L., Zhan Y., Pellicer., Scott Jr RT., Seli E., Zernicka-Goetz M. “Developmental potential of aneuploidy human embryos cultured beyond implantation”. Nature Commun. Aug 2020; 11 (1): 3987. *equal contribution.
  5. Shahbazi MN*. “Mechanisms of human embryo development: from cell fate to tissue shape and back”. Jul, 2020; 147 (14): dev190629. *corresponding author.
  6. Shahbazi MN*., Siggia ED*., Zernicka-Goetz M*. “Self-organization of stem cells into embryos: a window on early mammalian development”. Jun, 2019; 364 (6444): 948-951. *equal contribution and corresponding authors.
  7. Shahbazi MN*., & Zernicka-Goetz M*. “Deconstructing and reconstructing the mouse and human early embryo”. Nat Cell Aug, 2018; 20 (8): 878-887. *corresponding authors.
  8. Shahbazi MN., Scialdone A., Skorupska N., Weberling A., Recher G., Zhu M., Jedrusik A., Devito , Noli L., Macaulay IC., Buecker C., Khalaf Y., Ilic D., Voet T., Maironi JC., Zernicka-Goetz M. “Pluripotent state transitions coordinate morphogenesis in mouse and human embryos”. Nature. Dec, 2017; 552 (7684): 239-243.
  9. Shahbazi MN*., Jedrusik A*., Vuoristo S*., Recher G., Hupalowska A., Bolton V., Fogarty NM., Campbell , Devito LG., Ilic D., Khalaf Y., Niakan KK., Fishel S., Zernicka-Goetz M. “Self- organization of the human embryo in the absence of maternal tissues”. Nat Cell Biol. Jun, 2016; 18 (6): 700-8. *equal contribution.
• MOST RECENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND PUBLIC OUTREACH

  2021-2016	Lectures on development and stem cells, University of Cambridge.
  2018	Seminars at the Pint of Science and Science Festival (Cambridge), and Royal Institution (London).
  2017	Seminar at the Manchester Science Festival.

• MOST RECENT PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AS AN INVITED SPEAKER
  68th Annual scientific meeting of the Society for Reproductive Investigation.
  July 2021. Online. Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society virtual summit.
  February 2021. Online.EMBO Organoids: modelling organ development and disease in 3D culture.
  October 2020. Online. CamBioScience Intestinal and Cerebral Organoid Symposium.
  June 2020. Online.International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering.
  December 2019. Barcelona, Spain. The Francis Crick Stem Cell Forum.
  March 2019. London, UK.Belgium Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting.
  November 2018. Brussels, Belgium.World Congress on Controversies in preconception, preimplantation and prenatal genetic diagnosis.
  November 2018. Paris, France.CARE Embryology Conference.
  September 2018. Nottingham, UK.European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology annual meeting.
  July 2018. Barcelona, Spain.Alpha 12th Biennial Conference.
  May 2018. Reykjavik, Iceland.Lunch&Learn Seminar at STEMCELL Technologies.
  May 2018. Cambridge, UK. Reproduction and Development: revealing the origin of life.
  March 2018. Cambridge, UK
• LANGUAGES
  Spanish: Mother tongue; English and Italian: proficient level

Professor Dagan Wells has been involved in the diagnosis of inherited disorders in human embryos (preimplantation genetic testing - PGT) and research into the earliest stages of development for almost three decades. He spent several years at University College London, where he accomplished the first comprehensive chromosome analysis of cells from human embryos. This work revealed the remarkable spectrum of cytogenetic abnormalities that exist during the first few days of life and received the ASRM General Program Prize in 1999. Dagan later joined the faculty of Yale University and also served as a Laboratory Director for Reprogenetics, at the time the largest provider of PGT services in the world, establishing its monogenic PGT program. Dagan now serves as Director of Juno Genetics, a state-of-the-art clinical diagnostics laboratory based in Oxford (UK), offering PGT, non-invasive prenatal testing and other genetic tests related to infertility and pregnancy. Dagan also continues to teach and direct research at the University of Oxford where he is a Professor within the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health. Dagan’s work has frequently been noted for its innovation and has led to the publication of over 200 scientific papers. In the last decade his work has been shortlisted for eighteen major conference prizes (ASRM and ESHRE), winning ten. Dagan has been elected to fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists, the Royal Society of Biology, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Institute of Biomedical Science. He currently serves on the Boards of several international journals and professional societies.

Claus Yding Andersen is Scientific Director of Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark and Professor of Human Reproductive Physiology within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.

Professor Andersen was a member of the team that introduced IVF to Denmark in the mid-1980s and has during the last twenty years headed a national program of cryopreservation of human ovarian and testicular tissue. He is considered one of the pioneers in this field.

Professor Andersen's major research contributions have been in ovarian endocrinology, oocyte maturation, cryopreservation of gonadal tissue, human embryonic stem cells and development of new principles for ovarian stimulation including the introduction of the agonist trigger and novel approaches to luteal phase support.

He has published more than 400 scientific papers. His current H-index is 77 (Google scholar) with more than 21.000 citations and he has made numerous international presentations and is currently chief editor on the Reproduction section in Frontiers in Endocrinology (IF 5.5).