Public Relations Subcommittee
Chair: Kamthorn Pruksananonda
Vice Chair: Dimitris Loutradis
Secretary: Kuniaki Ota
President’s Message ISIVF, Professor Yoshiharu Morimoto
Dear Colleagues and Friends:
It is indeed a great honor and privilege to assume presidency of the International Society of in vitro Fertilization (ISIVF). I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt appreciation to all the members and the executive committee of ISIVF for providing me with this opportunity to lead our society. I intend to serve with great commitment and dedication as the third president from Asia, preceded by Professor Hidetaka Mori and Dr. Osamu Kato.
ISIVF was established forty years ago by Professor Bob Edwards and other respected pioneers in the field of reproductive biology and medicine. We should take a step back and remember the initial perspectives of the founders at the time of establishment of this society. We can do this by a message from our executive director, Professor Victor Gomel, who spoke proudly of the fact that he was entrusted the future of the society by Bob Edwards. In 2007, Bob published a short paper in his journal, Reproductive Medicine Online noting that “It is the Time to Re-think.” He always saw revolution and breakthrough as the preferred paths forward.
As we all know, we are in the midst of an “Information Explosion.” What that means to us is that the sheer volume of data that is created each year has increased nearly 160-fold over the recent years and is currently over 988 exabytes (i.e., 1 EB = 1018 bytes). It has also happened in our field. Since 1978, when IVF technologies first became available, substantial research has been conducted and tremendous new technologies have been developed. Current progress in the field of reproductive
medicine is moving at a rapid pace. The generation of gametes from pluripotent stem cells and the clinical application of this technology are nearly within reach. Furthermore, the area that should be covered by ISIVF is tremendously spreading. Therefore, we need many specialists who are active in allied medical fields. The perspectives and objectives for those of us serving as leaders of this society have been outlined by Professor Timur Gurgan and our immediate past president, Professor Bart Hauser. Among our immediate goals, we are looking at ways to increase membership, to promote collaborations with other major international societies, and to share plans aimed at supporting Special Interest Groups. In addition, among my personal goals, I would like to raise the recognition of ISIVF to the world and create programs that are welcoming and attractive to younger scientists and trainees in our field.
At this time, I cordially ask all members to join with me toward realizing Bob Edwards’s original vision for our society. I will need everyone’s assistance and absolute support to achieve these goals. I know that Professor Omar Sefrioui is working hard to prepare for our upcoming next Congress of ISIVF in Morocco.
Let us gather together at Marrakesh in 2022 and again at Osaka in 2023.
President of ISIVF
Professor Yoshiharu Morimoto
“I cordially ask all members to join with me toward realizing Bob Edwards’s original vision for our society.”
The First Executive Board ISIVF meeting under the leadership of Prof Morimoto was held online
on July 2nd, 2020
20 of the total of 31 Executive Board members join the Zoom cloud meeting
Meeting Highlight
Prof. Yanagimachi who is still active in research at the age of 92, sent some valuable advice in his message which was already been mailed to all the Society members. Prof. Gürgan who would head the SIG coordinators spoke about SIG in details and said that SIG groups could promote the Society by organizing scientific, research and educational activities and provide guidelines for their respective areas. He said that the coordinators’ term of office would be 2 years. He was very enthusiastic about starting the groups as soon as possible if everyone agreed. He said that formation of special interest groups would attract members and would be a powerful system with a strong team and that would make the Society robust and visible.
Prof. Osuga, Chairperson, Scientific Subcommittee: In the face of the technological advances, he would like to ensure that scientific committee activities conform with the advancement of reproductive science and to encourage the members to create high standards of ART practice based on cutting edge scientific knowledge. He hoped that under the leadership of Prof. Morimoto, Society brings greater happiness and health to all human beings.
Upcoming Meeting
2021 Congress: Owing to the corona pandemic, the core members of the Executive Board decided to postpone the upcoming 20th Congress from October, 2021 to around the same time in 2022 in Marrakesh, Morocco. Executive Director Prof. Gürgan proposed a virtual educational program for 2021.
Proposal of joining with October 2020 Symposium in Turkey. Prof. Gürgan brought a proposal of joining the Ovulation Induction and New Aspects of ART symposium that is going to be held in Turkey from 1st to 4th October, 2020 and to have a platform for ISIVF to provide some educational program and make it a joint program. Mr. Cappel, from the secretariat, asked for the details and the financial arrangements and it was suggested to make it free for ISIVF members. It was also suggested that ISIVF can have some sessions as many of its members would be participating in the symposium online or in person.
2021 Virtual Conf
2022 Morocco
2023 Osaka
Victor Gomel
Executive Director
Ryuzo Yanagimachi
Advisory Committee