Prague Spring Symposium

7th International Symposium of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine

The Centre of Medical Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, GENNET, a proud member of the FutureLife group, successfully hosted The Prague Spring Symposium 2024 on Friday, May 24th, 2024. This prestigious event, held in the beautiful city of Prague, marked the 7th edition of the symposium and brought together leading experts and practitioners in the field of reproductive medicine. The main founder of the event is Dr. David Stejskal.

As in previous years, the Symposium featured a comprehensive agenda covering the latest advancements and current topics in reproductive medicine. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research, innovative treatment methodologies, and emerging technologies that are shaping the future of fertility and genetics.

Keynote speakers provided invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of reproductive health, while interactive sessions fostered dynamic discussions among participants. The event also served as a platform for networking, allowing professionals to connect, share experiences, and collaborate on future initiatives.

Many thanks to all the speakers, attendees, and our partners who contributed to the success of the Prague Spring Symposium. Special thanks also go to GNTlabs by GENNET, which sponsored the event as the main partner of the event.

We look forward to welcoming you back to the next edition in two years' time and continuing to explore new horizons in this important field.

Program

8:00 - 8:40

Registration & Welcome Coffee Break

8:40 - 9:00

Welcome Speech

Francisco Lobbosco

Chief Executive Officer, FutureLife

Štěpán Machač

Chief Medical Officer, FutureLife

Michal Fazekaš

Chief Executive Officer, GENNET s.r.o.

9:00 - 9:30

Alan Handyside

University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom

SNP analysis in PGT

Professor Handyside earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Cambridge, where he also completed his Ph.D. in human embryology. Professor Handyside's contributions have had a profound impact on the field of ART, leading to advancements in embryo selection, improved success rates, and a better understanding of the genetic factors that influence human reproduction. His work has also raised important ethical considerations regarding the use of genetic testing in ART.

9:30 - 10:00

Jakub Horák

Gennet, Prague, Czech Republic

NGS in PGT-A

Mgr Jakub Horák PhD graduated from Masaryk University Brno and completed his postgraduate doctoral studies at University of Tübingen. After eleven years of study and basic research in the field of molecular biology and genetics he started working at reproductive genetics diagnostic laboratory Repromeda Brno. He actively participated in the wider expansion of new methods and technologies of preimplantation genetic testing. Since 2015 he have continued as the director of the Repromeda laboratory. In 2020 Jakub was appointed Director for Preimplantation Genetic Testing at Gennet.

10:00 - 10:30

Dimitra Christopikou

Assisting Nature, Thessaloniki, Greece

Preimplantation methylation screening (PIMS)

As a European Clinical Laboratory Geneticist and a Human Genetics Expert she has dedicated her career to advancing the field of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and improving the outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART). For over 19 years, she was the Head of the PGT Laboratory at Embryogenesis in a private IVF clinic, where she led a team of professionals in performing preimplantation genetic analysis and diagnosis for hundreds of couples with infertility and genetic disorders. She has extensive skills and knowledge in genetic testing, genetic analysis, and human genetics, and has contributed to multiple research projects and publications in this area. She is passionate about applying her expertise to help people to achieve their reproductive goals and overcome their genetic challenges. She is always looking for a new opportunity to collaborate with innovative consortia that share her vision and values of excellence, integrity, and compassion in the field of genetics and reproductive health.

10:30 – 11:00

Coffee Break

11:00 – 11:30

Micheline Misrahi

Université Paris-Saclay, France

Genetic landscape of a large cohort
of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency:
application to Personalized Medicine

Micheline Misrahi is a doctor, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Paris-Saclay, France, member of the Academia Europaea and the European Academy of Sciences. She identified for the first time the structure of progesterone and LH receptors controlling reproduction and genetic causes of infertility. She is the national referent for genetic infertility and for primary ovarian insufficiency in France. She is a member of the board of directors of the Association of Women Managers of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

11:30 - 12:00

Reymundo Lozano

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai-New York, USA

Reproductive aspects of female with FRAXA

Dr Lozano is a pediatric and adult clinical geneticist with training in neurodevelopmental and aging research. He has dedicated his research to better understanding the molecular basis of Fragile X-Related Disorders. Dr. Lozano serves as the clinical and research Director of the Fragile X Syndrome Spectrum Disorders Centre at Mount Sinai. His specialization lies in the diagnosis and treatment of Fragile X Syndrome, Fragile X-Associated Primary Ovarian Insufficiency, and Fragile X-associated Tremor Ataxia Syndrome.

12:00 - 12:30

Marie-Madeleine Dolmans

Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium

Fertility preservation in patients
with Turner syndrome

Prof. Marie-Madeleine Dolmans earned her medical degree from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Brussels in 2000, and her PhD degree on “Cryopreservation and transplantation of human ovarian tissue” in 2006. She is gynaecologist and divides her time equally between clinical and research activities. She succeeded Prof. Donnez as Head of the Gynaecology Research Unit at the Université Catholique de Louvain in 2012. She is Past President of the International Society for Fertility Preservation (ISFP). Her research work focuses on human ovarian transplantation, fibroids and adenomyosis in the field of which she has published over 220 peer-reviewed articles. She is full professor, speciality editor for Fertility and Sterility and editorial board member for RBMonline, JARG, JCM..

12:30 – 13:30

Lunch Break

13:30 - 14:00

Maris Laan

Faculty of Medicine,
University of Tartu, Estonia

Clinical exomes in molecular
diagnosis of male factor infertility

Chair of Human Genetics, led by Prof. Maris Laan was established at the University of Tartu (UT) in 2003-2004 with the support of Welcome Trust International Senior Fellowship. Since 2016, the chair is positioned and active at the Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine. Its scientific ‘keywords’ are medical and reproductive genetics, genetics and molecular aetiology of infertility and pregnancy complications to be investigated by advanced DNA and RNA sequencing tools, translational research in medicine with the focus on genetics discoveries and novel biomarkers. This research has been facilitated by 20 years of successful collaboration with the Andrology Clinic and Women's Clinic, Tartu University Hospital. Since 2024, prof. Laan also serves as the Vice-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Medicine, UT.

14:00 - 14:30

Letizia Li Piani

Università Degli Studi di Milano,
Milan, Italy

Epigenetic clock in infertility and pregnancy

Doctor Li Piani is the member of the Infertility Unit directed by Prof Edgardo Somigliana at Ospedale maggiore Policlinico Milan since 2019. Since 2020 she has focused her research on biomarkers useful for predicting IVF success, and has had the pleasure of collaborating with Prof Valentina Bollati's laboratory for the study of epigenetic clocks in infertility. She has just come back from one-year clinical and research fellowship in UZ Brussels IVF Clinic (director: Prof. Herman Tournaye). She has published an original paper on the potential role of epigenetic age in predicting IVF success and is currently coordinating a project at her IVF centre (EPIclock project) on the application of the Zbieć-Piekarska2 algorithm to infertile patients.

14:30 - 15:00

Ilona Hromadníková

Charles University,
Third Medical Faculty,
Prague

First-trimester screening
for pregnancy complications
based on MicroRNA biomarkers

Prof Hromadníková is the head of the Department of Molecular Biology and Cell Pathology, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, located in the Institute for Mother and Child Care. She is the founder of the field of non-invasive prenatal diagnostics based on foetal microchimerism (the presence of foetal cells and foetal nucleic acids in the maternal circulation). She introduced into clinical practice non-invasive method of foetal sex determination, non-invasive methods of RHD and RHCE genotyping in the Czech Republic. She also focuses on the prediction of serious pregnancy complications such as gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, foetal growth restriction, foetuses small for the gestational period, gestational diabetes mellitus, and the long-term consequences of pregnancy complications on mother and child.

15:00 - 15:30

Andres Salumets

Karolinska Institutet,
Huddinge, Sweden

Advances in reproductive genetic testing

Andres Salumets is a biologist and biochemist. He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Tartu in 1995. In October 2003 he received his PhD at the University of Helsinki. Since 2010 he has been working as Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the University of Tartu. At 2020 he has been appointed as Professor of Reproductive Medicine at Karolinska Institutet. His research interests are related to endometrial receptivity, reproductive toxicology, preimplantation and prenatal genetic diagnosis and stem cell biology.

15:30 - 16:30