Dr. Coulam graduated from the University of Utah College of Medicine in 1967 with a degree in medicine and a masters degree in biochemistry. She completed a residency at the Mayo Clinic, where she remained for 17 years. While on the staff of the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Coulam was chair of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and established the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) program at this institution, in 1983. Dr. Coulam is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and in reproductive endocrinology. She has more than 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals to her credit. Dr. Coulam has special expertise in the area of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, and is an internationally-sought speaker on the topic as well as issues involving Reproductive Immunology.

Gynecologist obstetrician by training, Dr. Nathalie Lédée defended her thesis in 2004 on the mechanisms of unexplained implantation failure. Today she os a manager of the start-up MatriceLABInnovates, a start up she has created in late 2011. Dr. Lédée divides her time between her obstetrician gynecologist activity (Hôpital Pierre Rouques, Les Bluets) and her research activity focused on the immunological mechanisms of implantation. She interprets the test results to adapt and customize treatment strategies. She has previously led a team in EMBIC network (a consortium of European Leading Scientists and Clinicians, working on female sterility).

Dr. Fukui is a lecturer / associate professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan. He received his M.D. degree in 1995 and his Ph.D. degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1999 from Hirosaki University, Japan. He then finished a postdoctoral fellowship in Reproductive Immunology under Professor Kenneth Beaman and Professor Joanne Kwak-Kim at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, USA. His main research interests are in the areas of reproductive immunology, especially reproductive failure such as RPL, implantation failures, PIH, GDM and pelvic endometriosis. His efforts have been focusing on bridging the gap between basic and clinical research.

Dr. Kenneth Beaman received his bachelor’s degree in 1975 from Colorado State University. He was a fellow in the Clinical Microbiology Lab at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 1975 to 1978. He received his PhD in microbiology and immunology from Ohio State University in 1982. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pathology at Yale from 1982 to 1985. During his fellowship at Yale University, he was a member of the transplantation laboratory. Dr. Beaman’s research interests are in clinical immunology and in immune suppression, particularly during pregnancy. He founded the Clinical Immunology Laboratory at Chicago Medical School in 1987, supporting variety of autoimmune/rheumatology testing, with lab primary focus on diagnostic tests pertaining to the immunology of pregnancy. The Clinical Immunology Laboratory is one of three laboratories in the United States certified by the Committee on Postdoctoral Educational Program (CPEP) to educate postdoctoral students who are eligible for the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology. Dr. Beaman is a fellow of the American Association of Medical Laboratory Immunologists and a Diplomat of the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology. He is on the council of several national and international societies of both reproductive and clinical immunology.

Dr. Dambaeva received her M.D. from Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia and Ph.D. degree from the Institute of Immunology in Moscow. She completed her postdoctoral training in the University of Wisconsin, Madison in the Dept. of Obstetrics&Gynecology studying the primate endometrial response to placental MHC molecules. She is board certified as a Diplomate from the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology (ABMLI) and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Clinical Immunology Laboratory at the Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL. In April 2017 Dr. Dambaeva was appointed as Research Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology at the RFU.

Dr. Eytan R. Barnea discovered the PreImplantation Factor (PIF) and is the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of BioIncept, LLC, a clinical stage company. His investigations of embryo-derived signaling in pregnancy translate his observations to clinical applications in fertility and immune regulation. An embryo-secreted peptide, PIF is a powerful immune regulator and tolerance inducer that modulates the immune response, inflammation and transplant acceptance.
Dr. Barnea earned his medical degree cum laude from the University of Milan Medical School (1976). After starting his residency at the University of Pennsylvania and continuing at McGill University, he completed his training at Yale University, where he served as Chief Resident, Fellow, and Assistant Professor. Double board certified in OB-GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology, he is a dedicated clinician, including having served as Director of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction at CAMcare in New Jersey for many years. Dr. Barnea is an internationally recognized authority on early pregnancy investigation. He has authored over 180 peer-reviewed scientific publications and book chapters and edited four specialty textbooks. In 1990 he founded the Society for the Investigation of Early Pregnancy (SIEP), an interdisciplinary, non-profit panel of scientists and clinicians, to explore this emerging medical field which holds such deep clinical implications. As SIEP Chairman, Dr. Barnea has convened five World Conference(s) on Early Pregnancy Investigation. Among his awards and recognitions, Dr. Barnea received the Elkeles Prize ‘Scientist of the Year in Medicine’ (1989) from the Israel Health Ministry/Jewish National Fund, and Bratanov Medal and Prize (2012) of the International Society for Immunology of Reproduction for his contribution to the development of Immunology.

Dr. Raina Fichorova received her MD and PhD in reproductive immunology from the Medical University of Sofia and completed Fellowship in Reproductive Immunology at HMS/BWH. She was appointed to the Harvard University Faculty in 1997, rising within the ranks from Instructor to a Harvard Medical School Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. In 2002 Dr. Fichorova founded within the Department of OB/GYN the Genital Tract Biology Division, the first Research Division to be uniquely accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her laboratory has been performing basic and translational research under CAP accreditation for over a decade.

Prof. Chuck Wira is an internationally recognized scientist with specific expertise in endocrinology and mucosal immunology as it relates to the immune system at mucosal surfaces of the female reproductive tract. Dr. Wira’s research focuses on how female sex hormones influence innate and adaptive immunity in the female reproductive tract of animal models and humans. As Principal Investigator of an NIH funded Program Project grants for 14 years, he has led a major collaborative effort at Dartmouth Medical School to characterize immune functions in the Fallopian tube, uterus, cervix and vagina to define the roles of estradiol and progesterone in mucosal immune regulation. His research focuses on the phenotypic and functional characterization of the mucosal immune system and in understanding at the cellular and molecular level the ways in which this system is regulated to protect against potential pathogens including HIV. Recent studies focus on the role of mucosal immunity in natural and vaccine induced protection against HIV. Wira has published approximately 175 research papers in this area. Dr. Wira has actively participated in professional societies throughout his career. He is an active member of the Society for Mucosal Immunology, American Society for Reproductive Immunology (ASRI)), American Society for Microbiology and the International Society for Immunology of Reproduction (ISIR). He is the past Secretary to ASRI and has served as Councillor for ASRI from 1998-2006. Dr. Wira was the Secretary General of ISIR and the President of ASRI (2008-2009) and is the President Elect ISIR (2013-2016). Dr. Wira received his B.S. in 1962 in Animal Husbandry from Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, PA and his M.S. in Physiology from Michigan State University in 1966. Dr. Wira came to Dartmouth in 1966 where he received his Ph.D. in 1970. From 1970 to 1972 he did his postdoctoral training at the University of Paris, France, studying molecular mechanism of estrogen action in the uterus. He returned to Dartmouth as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology and was promoted to Professor in 1985.

Prof. Szekeres-Bartho is affiliated to the following institutions: Department of Medical Biology, Medical School, Pecs University, Pecs, Hungary János Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, Hungary Endocrine Studies, Centre of Excellence, Pecs University, Pecs, Hungary MTA - PTE Human Reproduction Research Group, Pecs, Hungary. BIOGRAPHY: Graduated from Medical School, Pecs, Hungary, Medical Doctor's degree 1975 POSTDOCTORAL DEGREES: D.Sc. 1992, Ph.D. 1982, Diploma in Clinical Laboratory 1978 PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS: Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunolgy Med.School, Pecs University; 1995 to 97 vice rector of University Medical School of Pecs; 1994 full professor (Dept. Microbiol. Univ. Med. School, Pecs, Hungary); 1985 to 94 associate professor, head of Virology-Immunology Lab; 1976 to 85 assistant professor (Dept. Microbiol. Univ. Med. School, Pecs); 1975 to 76 research assistant (Department of Pathology, Univ. Med. School, Pecs); MEMBERSHIPS IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES: Hungarian Society of Immunology(President 2002 - 2005); International Society for Immunology of Reproduction (Secretary-General 2002-2004, President 2010-2013); European Society of Immunology of Reproduction (Councilor, President-Elect 2013, President 2016-); EDITORIAL BOARD APPOINTMENT: Editorial board member of Endocrine (1993-96), American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Scientific Reports Nature RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS a monograph (CRC press 1992) and approximately 170 papers in peer reviewed international journals, H-index 44 (Google Scholar) citations 4284 (research gate) RESEARCH INTERESTS: Immuno-endocrine regulation in pregnancy AWARDS: Master Tutor gold medal; Ipolyi Arnold award (Hungarian Scientific Research Fund); Kesztyűs Loránd award (Hungarian Society for Immunology); Szent-Györgyi Albert award; Senior investigator award (Elsevier).

Marie-Pierre Piccinni received many degrees from the University of Grenoble (France) and from the University of Florence and the University of Bari (Italy). Among these degrees she received her B.Sc. degree in 1982, M.Sc. in 1983 and her first PhD in Hematology in 1988 from the Scientific, Medical and Technological University of Grenoble Joseph Fourier (France) and her second PhD of Clinical Immunology from the University of Bari in 1999. From 1983 to 1989, she studied the role of the immune system in the development of malignant lymphomas in the Department of Hematology of the Albert Michallon Hospital in Grenoble (France). Since coming to the Department of Internal Medicine of the University of Florence (Italy) in 1989, she took the lead of the research done in the field of fetal maternal immune interactions. She is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Florence and has a clinical activity in the Immunoallergology Unit of the Hospital of Florence Hospital. Dr. Piccinni has been elected as a councillor of the European Society of Reproductive Immunology (AASIR) for the period 2005-2007 and the "councillor" of the European Society of Reproductive Immunology ESRI for the period 2007- 2010. She is a member of SIFES (Italian Society of Fertility and Sterility). She acts as a grant referee for many European foundations and is part of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Reproductive Immunology from 2007. She is the recruiter of various journals such as Nature, PNAS, American Journal Pathology, Human Reproduction (awarded in 2008 as Top 10% of Journal Reviewers), European Journal of Immunology, Plos one, Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Immunology, Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents in Medical Chemistry, Clinical and Experimental Immunology, American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Molecular Human Reproduction, Clinical Immunology, Journal of Pathology, Journal of Leucocyte Biology, Molecular Human Reproduction, Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Expert Review of Clinical Immunology.

Dr. Sharma is Professor of Pediatrics at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and Deputy Director of Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for Perinatal Biology. Dr. Sharma has been involved in the Pathobiology and MCB graduate programs of Brown University. He was a member of the founding Steering Committee of Pathobiology Graduate Program and currently serves on the committee. His research interests focus on the biology of pregnancy complications with emphasis on immunobiology, predictive and diagnostic biomarkers, inflammation, and vascular pathogenesis. He has trained a number of PhD, post-doctoral and clinical fellows and has served on numerous review panels of NIH and ADA. He served as President of the American Society for Reproductive Immunology (2010-2012) and has organized several international and national conferences focusing on Reproductive Immunology.

Peter SEDLMAYR is an immunologist and clinical chemist with an interest in reproduction immunology, and prenatal diagnostics. Recently his group has developed a novel technique to identify circulating microchimeric cells which may become relevant in the context of cellbased non-invasive prenatal diagnosis, and a new method for morphometric analysis of the tissue distribution of mobile cells in relation to immobile tissue structures.

Research Interests:: Physiology and Pathology of the human Placenta, Placenta Toxicology, Uterus, Ovary and Infertility. Functions: ESRI, European Society of Reproductive Immunology, President-Elect (2016-2019) ASRI, American Society of Reproductive Immunology,Past-President (2014-2016) ASRI, President (2012-2014) link: http://www.theasri.org/past-presidents/ DGRM, German Society for Reproductive Medicine, Chair of chapter “Implantation and Placentation” since 2012) ASRI, President-Elect (2010-2012) ESRI, Councillor (2010-2013 and 2013-2016) ISIR, International Society for Immunology of Reproduction, Councillor (2007-2010 and 2010-2013) ASRI, Vice President (2008-2010) ASRI, Chair of Membership Committee (2008-2010) EMBIC, European Network of Excellence on Embryo Implantation, Member of the Governing Board (2004-2008) European Federation of Immunology of Reproduction (EFIR), Member of the Steering Commitee (1999-2007) Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immunologie, Arbeitskreis Reproduktionsimmunologie, Chair (2004-2016).

Biography: Masayuki Shimada received his PhD from Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University in 2003. He worked as visiting researcher at Baylor College of Medicine from 2004 to 2005. He became Associate Professor at Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University in 2006. Research Interest: In vitro fertilization, sperm function, ovulated cumulus oocyte complex, cryopreservation of sperm. Performing basic research to comprehensively understand the mechanisms behind mammalian ovulation and insemination: A specialist in reproductive biology, Dr. Shimada runs a lab that is currently studying the biological and molecular mechanisms behind ovulation and fertilization using genetic-targeted mutant mice model. “The number of pups per delivery differs among species. Cows generally give birth to only one offspring, while mice give birth to about ten. Selectively bred pigs can produce litters of more than 20 progeny. This all depends on how many oocytes are ovulated and then fertilized. We still don’t know how to regulate ovulation and fertilization. The number of offspring relies on how many oocytes are ovulated from the ovary. Our lab is currently attempting to elucidate the mechanisms that regulate the process of ovulation and fertilization.” Dr. Shimada has been studying reproductive biology for 15 to 16 years. He started his work from his graduate study using pig oocyte model. However, we’re now using genetically modified mice. We adopted the mouse model to large animal and also human model, because it provides us with direct evidence of what happens when certain genes are knocked out.” Dr. Shimada gained the idea of using mice from American endocrinologists, Professor, JoAnne S. Richards, PhD, Baylor College of Medicine, he worked with her in the U.S. during an overseas fellowship funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. “My current approach consists of integrating my existing knowledge of swine and bovine models with basic research using the mouse model and applying the results to livestock in general. Our lab employs molecular endocrinology to analyze genetic mechanisms, and we believe we’re performing some of the most cutting-edge research in this field in the entire world.” Dr. Shimada is also famous for developing a technique to artificially inseminate swine with frozen semen. The artificial swine insemination technique jointly developed by Dr. Shimada’s research group and the Oita Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Center achieves a pregnancy rate of 80% and an average litter size of 10 offspring. This ground-breaking technique has led to the approval of multiple patents and the establishment of a university-based startup. Moreover, it is now being employed widely in the agriculture industry. Dr. Shimada believes his lab has a social responsibility to spread such fruits of their research. Taking a unique approach to understanding the entire reproductive system: “We’re concurrently studying female mice and male swine because we believe their biological mechanisms have much in common in terms of the reproductive cycle. We’re committed to continuing this kind of synergistic research because we know there will be things we will invariably overlook if we perform such studies on an individual basis,” says Dr. Shimada. Source: Hiroshima University Interview with Professors: http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/gsbstop/interview/en/shimada.html

Prof. Maciej Kurpisz MD, PhD, Doctor honoris causa, Head of the Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells, Institute of Human Genetics Pol. Acad. Sci. Poznan. He graduated from Poznan Medical University in 1980. Then he was promoted as MD in Immunology and Ph.D. in Genetics, since 1996 nominated as a full professor. He performed professional training in UK, USA, Japan and Germany. He was published over 400 scientific articles, books/monographs and book chapters in prestigious journals including New England Journal of Medicine, Gene, Genes and Immunity, American Journal of Medical Genetics, Chromosome Research, Circulation, European Heart Journal, American Heart Journal, Nature Clinical Practice, Cell Transplantation, International Journal of Cardiology, Biology of Reproduction, Fertility and Sterility, Human Reproduction, Molecular Human Reproduction, Molecular Reproduction and Development, Journal of Reproductive Immunology, International Journal of Andrology, Journal of Andrology and others. Citations (Web of Science): over 2000 (without self-citations), H-index: 27, total IF over 390. New technologies developed mostly include stem cell application: 2002 – 2nd in the world myoblast delivery to postinfarction heart at the opportunity of open heart surgery, 2004 – first in the world percutaneous delivery of human myoblasts, 2007 – pioneering trial of human stem cell traching and migration; 2009 – pioneering trial of intramyocardial delivery to non-ischemic cardiomyopathy; 2010 – pioneering clinical trial of anal sphincter regeneration; 2012 – pioneering trial with intramyocardial delivery of genetically-modified myoblasts. All these listed methodologies aim to optimize and implement stem cell therapy to regenerative medicine. Participation in SSA EEC Project included European Network for Stem Cell Treatment in Post – Infarction Heart which led international Consortium with ‘native’ autologous human stem cell application in myocardium. Permanent collaboration with Department of Cardiology, University of Vienna (post-infarction model in pigs) and Department of Physics, Freie University Berlin (in nanotechnology), and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute of Cell Engineering, Baltimore, USA (male infertility genetics). Experience in research projects and R&D projects (with particular reference to those carried out with international cooperation): Prof. Kurpisz is experienced scientist developing new technologies based on stem cell-therapies in regenerative medicine and reproductive biology mainly connected with male infertility genetics and experimental andrology. He has successfully sought 67 grants – 58 national and 9 international, among them two grants from the Wellcome Trust, World Health Organization, SSA European Commission including “Stem cells application for myocardial repair”, NATO-Collaborative Linkage Grant, 2 R&D grants of NCR&D (No. NR13 0066 06 and No. NR13 0065 06 “Myoblasts and their function in regenerative medicine – clinical and pre-clinical studies”, 2009-2014), grants No. 2014/13/B/NZ3/04646 ” Cytoprotective role of antioxidants towards cells of myogenic origin in in vitro and in situ conditions”(2015-2018); No. PBS3/A7/27/2015 “Molecular imaging (including nanotechnology) for monitoring of implanted stem cells and their pro-regenerative functions”–Applied Research Programme (2015–2018); No. 2014/15/B/ST4/04946 “Quantification of cancer tissue oxygenation measured with BOLD-MRI – calibration with oximetry EPRI” (2015-2018) and 2 R&D projects in the framework of STRATEGMED „Prevention practices and treatment of civilization diseases”: EPI CELL and GRP&ALS (2015-2017). Achievements in the field of industrial property right: patent Patents Portfolio: Kurpisz M.: PL 210327 was dedicated to “Generation and propagation of stem cells of myogenic origin for regenerative therapies”, and Kurpisz M.: PL409731 “Adaptation of stem cells, useful for regenerative medicine”