8th Biennial Conference of ALPHA Scientists in Reproductive Medicine April 29, 2010

Dear Colleagues,

It is a great pleasure for us to invite you to Budapest for the 8th Biennial Conference of ALPHA Scientists in Reproductive Medicine. Budapest is the capital of Hungary, one of the most exciting cultural and touristic centres in the heart of the Middle-European region. You can enjoy the vibrant and exciting metropolis, which is also the City of Spas and become acquainted with traditional Hungarian cuisine along with live Gypsy music. In addition, the City’s almost 200 museums and galleries, 40 theatres, Opera House and 7 concert halls offer a wide variety of programmes you can choose from, or just roam the ancient streets of the historical quarter of Buda Castle, where the congress will be held. We feel privileged and honoured to host you in Budapest, the City of history, culture and entertainment.

Peter Fancsovits

Congress President

MAIN TOPICS

I. Basic Cryobiology and Cryopreservation Overview

1. Principles of cryobiology

2. The evolution of cryopreservation techniques: Slow-freeze, vitrification, freeze drying and beyond….

3. Cryopreservation for wildlife conservation: Lessons for human IVF

4. What can we learn from the livestock industry?

5. The future of cryopreservation in assisted reproduction

II. Oocyte Cryopreservation

1. What, when, and how to cryopreserve oocytes? Lessons from oocyte physiology

2. Cryopreservation of oocytes for social or medical reasons: Is there a difference?

3. The rise of the new banking system? Cryopreservation of donor oocytes

4. Recovery of high quality oocytes for cryopreservation: Optimising clinical protocols

5. To vitrify or not to vitrify? Molecular markers to assess cryopreservation techniques

6. Safety of oocyte cryopreservation: Outcomes and long-term follow-up

III. Sperm Cryopreservation

1. Principles of sperm cryopreservation: Cryopreservation methods and effectiveness

2. Frozen versus fresh sperm: Are the outcomes really any different?

3. Cryopreservation of testicular and epididymal sperm: Outcomes, safety and long term follow-up

4. Cryopreservation of sperm for oncology patients: Pre- and post-treatment quality, utilization, success and safety

5. Molecular assessment of frozen-thawed sperm: Cytogenetics, DNA fragmentation, methylation and more…

6. Safety of sperm cryopreservation: Outcomes and long-term follow-up?

IV. Embryo Cryopreservation

1. Assessing frozen embryo survival after thawing: Revisiting the 50% rule

2. Embryological criteria for successful cryopreservation: What stage and grade of embryos should be cryopreserved?

3. Slow-freezing versus vitrification: Are molecular markers or success rates driving cryopreservation techniques?

4. Optimizing frozen-thaw embryo cycles: Clinical aspects

5. A critical assessment of assisted hatching and lysed cell removal on frozen-thawed embryos

6. Safety of embryo cryopreservation: Outcomes and long-term follow-up

V. Cryopreservation of Ovarian Tissue

1. Cryopreservation of whole ovaries or ovarian tissue: Clinical indications and outcomes

2. Collection, processing and storage of ovarian tissue: A review of best practice

3. Ovarian tissue transplantation: What constitutes success?

4. In Vitro Maturation from cryopreserved ovarian tissue: As good as fresh?

VI. Regulation, Law and Ethics of Cryopreservation

1. Regulatory aspects of cryopreservation around the world: Global village or dystopia?

2. Posthumous collection and storage of gametes: Do the living have any rights?

3. Whose embryo is it anyway? Storage terms, future dispositions, effective consent, joint ownership and other dilemmas

4. An embryologist’s dream: The perfect consent form

VII. Training and Quality Management Aspects of Cryopreservation

1. Optimizing cryopreservation techniques – What’s critical, what’s not?

2. Keeping a lid on cryopreservation: Key performance indicators in the IVF lab

3. Open forum for delegates to share their experiences (with panel discussion)

VIII. Practical Workshops In Vitrification

IX. Free Communications (Poster and Oral Sessions)

Conference information provided by konferenciakalauz.hu

Official Website: http://alpha2010budapest.org/