Page 21 - FSANZ AUTUMN -2023

two-day scientific meeting in Hobart
SIRT Chair Kristy Demmers and Azelle Hawdon
• constant reviewing and updating of lab disaster plans to ensure clear understanding of expectations in the event of a disaster. It is how people react that matters (for example power outage, tank failure, fire); and
• clinic wide plans in the event of a disaster. Everyone needs to work together in times of crisis to address issues such as communication with patients and other key stakeholders, decisions regarding cancellation of cycles, moving embryos and equipment.
Petra said other hot topics on the agenda included:
• a focus on genetic screening data among a major population base and reproductive decision making;
• an update on clinical guidelines for mosaic embryo transfer;
• common problems encountered by Australian Assisted Reproductive Technology laboratory professionals; and
• guidelines for best practice in ART laboratories and professional development of IVF scientists.
The meeting featured a major focus on sperm quality and selection issues, shedding new light on the embryo and future developments including:
• the introduction of artificial intelligence-based embryo selection tools in a large clinical laboratory;
• ex-vivo In Vitro Maturation (IVM) for fertility preservation in cancer patients;
• questioning whether the advanced Piezo ICSI procedure is the new standard; and
• comparisons of fertilisation outcomes after abbreviated and extended co-incubation protocols.
SIRT Vice Chair Jayne Mullen and Maria Forbig
Meeting featured a major focus on sperm quality and selection issues, shedding new light on the embryo
Following are the prize winners from the two-day meeting:
Best presentation by Student or Early Researcher
Azelle Hawdon (Regenerative Medicine Institute) for her presentation on visualising sub-cellular real-time asymmetries orchestrating mouse preimplantation embryo development.
Azelle won a stipend of up to $2,000 to attend a relevant national scientific conference.
Best presentation by a Clinical Embryologist
Maria Forbig (Fertility North) for her presentation on contributing factors to mismatches in the ART laboratory: An analysis of 62,728 electronically logged witnessing points.
Maria was awarded complimentary registration to the FSANZ 2023 annual scientific conference on the Gold Coast.
19