EVENT PROGRAM

Location
Tartu Ülikool, Riia 23B, Tartu linn, Tartu maakond, EE, 51010

POSTER EXHIBITION

1. Generation of novel immortalized human ovarian cell lines – Lydia Wehrli

2. Distinct molecular cargo and functional roles of small and large extracellular vesicles in the human ovarian follicle – Inge Varik

3. A Mendelian randomization study reveals a causal relationship between immune-mediated diseases and severe male infertility – Alejandra Robles-Fernández

4. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing-Based Characterization of Seminal Cellular Populations in Patients with Non-Obstructive Azoospermia – Inmaculada Higueras-Serrano

5. Single-cell RNA sequencing of ERβ knockout mouse ovary reveals dysregulation of folliculogenesis and steroidogenic pathways – Linnéa Lindquist

6. Integrated multiomics  analysis of endometrial receptivity, diapause and cancer – Nadezhda Milova

7. CircRNAs –potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for receptive and cancerous endometria – Antoan Milov

8. Characterisation and Profiling of Menstrual Cycle-Dependent  N-Glycans in The Human Endometrium – Ismail Emre Yagmur

9. Mitochondrial Distributional and Dynamic Atlas During Human Oocyte Maturation – Xia Hao

10. In Vitro Reconstruction of Receptive Human Endometrium – Kristina Kiisholts

11. Genetic risk factors of menopausal vasomotor symptoms – Mia Golob

12. DUFIC: A Novel Catheter for Endometrial Fluid Collection in Reproductive Medicine – Analuce Canha-Gouveia

13. Association between physical fitness and semen quality in a cohort of Spanish men – Inmaculada Pérez-Prieto

14. Investigating the association between ploidy status and mitochondrial imbalance in human preimplantation embryos – Georgios Chaloftidis 

15. 3D Cellular Models as a Tool for Investigating Uterine Host–Microbe Interactions – Lucía Blanco Rodríguez

16. Multi-ancestry, trans-generational GWAS meta-analysis of gestational diabetes and glycemic traits during pregnancy reveals limited evidence of pregnancy-specific genetic effects – Valentina Rukins

17. Uncovering the Genetics of Ovarian Reserve: A novel GWAS Framework for Direct Follicle Count Data – Liisa Loog

18. Changes in the epigenetic regulation of imprinted H19/IGF2 genes associated with male infertility – Eleni Drakontaeidi

Day 1 – September 12^th 2025

08:15-08:45: Registration

08:45-09:00: The von Baer Seminar

Dr. Andres Salumets (President of Baltic Fertility Society)

Andres is the member of the board of CELVIA and a professor of reproductive medicine at the University of Tartu and the Swedish Karolinska Institute. He obtained his doctorate at the University of Helsinki. Andres is one of the leading reproductive medicine researchers in the Baltics and Scandinavia. As an active researcher, he has published over 200 articles and actively participates in several international collaborations.

Session 1
Chair: Artjom Stepanjuk

09:00-09:30: Drawing on the  legacy of von Baer to shape new paradigms: evolutionary and molecular perspectives on reproductive aging

Dr. Aspasia Destouni (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)

Senior Researcher at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is a researcher in the field of reproductive genomics, fascinated by zygotes—the totipotent single-cell foundation of a whole new organism. Her research focuses on translating new findings into precision medicine tools to assist couples with poor reproductive histories.

09:30-10:00: Endometrial and ovarian aging

Dr. Marina Loid (University of Tartu, Estonia)

I started working in the reproductive biology field 15 years ago during my Master’s studies and have been working in Celva since 2013. I performed my doctoral studies at the Medical Faculty of the University of Tartu, Women’s Clinic. During early years of my PhD studies I was working on studying endometrial receptivity in healthy and PCOS patients. Recently my focus has been mostly on endometrial aging. 
With my work, I’ve been an awardee of ESHRE Basic Science Award in 2022 and Society for Reproductive Investigation Young Scientist Award in 2023. Defended doctoral thesis in 2024 and been working as post-doctoral researcher since then.

Session 2 – Selected Oral Presentations
Chair: Živilė Čerkienė

10:00-10:10: Molecular and functional impact of X-ray on primary ovarian cells
Spyridon Deligiannis Panagiotis
PhD Student at Karolinska Institutet and CELVIA

10:10-10:20: Ovarian cortical tissue culture: ex vivo molecular and ultrastructural effects and protocol implementation
Dr. Valentina Di Nisio
Senior Researcher at Karolinska Institutet and CELVIA

10:20-10:30: Phthalate metabolite MEHP effects on stem cell-based embryo model and the human ovary in vitro
Dr. Ilmatar Rooda
Assistant Professor at Karolinska Institutet

10:30-10:45: Coffee break and poster exhibition

Session 3
Chair: Apostol Apostolov

10:45-11:15: Cumulative toxic exposure and reproductive lifespan: clinical implications for ART timing

Dr. A. Amšiejienė (Northway Medicinos Centrai, Lithuania)

Dr. Andre Amsiejiene is an experienced obstetrician-gynaecologist specializing in reproductive medicine and infertility treatment. She earned her medical degree and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at Vilnius University, where she also completed her PhD on the biological factors of Lithuanian infertile women. Since 2013, Dr. Amsiejiene has practiced at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos and has been an assistant lecturer at Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine. She has also worked in private fertility clinics, currently at Northway Fertility Center. Her expertise includes the diagnosis and treatment of fertility disorders and comprehensive reproductive care.

11:15-11:45: Inheritance and molecular mechanism of reproductive and metabolic dysfunction in PCOS

Dr. Elisabeth Stener-Victorin (Karolinska Instituet, Sweden)

Elisabet Stener-Victorin is Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology and Metabolism at Karolinska Institutet, where she researches the mechanisms and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), including maternal androgen effects and transgenerational transmission. Her team uses advanced techniques like single nuclei RNA sequencing and organoid models to study key tissues in PCOS, and she has published over 230 papers, receiving major awards including the 2022 Novo Nordisk Foundation Distinguished Investigator Grant and the 2024 Ricardo Azziz Distinguished Research Award.

11:45-12:15: The hidden impact of GLP1RA in female reproductive health

Dr. Alberto Sola-Leyva (CELVIA, Estonia)

Researcher at CELVIA and Karolinska Institutet. He completed his PhD at the University of Granada (Spain), where he investigated the role of microbes in female reproduction. His current research focuses on the use of advanced in vitro models and multi-omics techniques to unravel potential factors that can influence embryo implantation. Senior Deputy of the Special Interest Group in Reproductive Genetics at ESHRE.

12:15-13:00: Lunch break and poster exhibition

Session 4
Chair: Alberto Sola-Leyva

13:00-13:30: Current and future genetic tests to characterize and treat female infertility

Dr. Willem Verpoest (UMC Utrecht, Netherlands)

Willem Verpoest graduated at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, as Obstetrician-Gynaecologist in 2003 and qualified as EBCOG subspecialist in reproductive medicine in 2007 at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. In 2010 he obtained a PhD in Medical Sciences entitled ‘The Clinical Reproductive Outcome of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis’. He is currently full professor at the Utrecht University Medical Centre at Utrecht University. Previously he was professor and medical co-director at Brussels IVF fertility centre and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. His areas of expertise are PGT, reproductive genetics and implantation. He is currently president of the Belgian Society for Reproductive Medicine (BSRM) and board member of the Female Reproductive Genetics Initiative (FeRGI).

13:30-14:00: Current and future genetic tests to characterize and treat male infertility

Dr. Nicolas Garrido (IVIRMA Global, Spain)

Director of IVI Foundation, and Director of Research Administration at IVI RMA Global Research Alliance. Obtained his B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Valencia in 1997, followed by a Post-graduate Research Fellowship et Heinrich-Heine University, in Düsseldorf, Germany. He obtained his Doctorate Degree from the University of Valencia in 2001, receiving the Extraordinary Prize in 2002, and a Master’s Degree in Research Methodology: Design and Statistics in Health Sciences from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2009), in Science and Innovation Management (2018) and in Project Management (2020), from Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Served as the Director of the Andrology Laboratory and Sperm Bank at the IVI University Institute in Valencia from 2000 until 2016, and lead the IVI Teaching Program starting in 2004, and afterwards the IVI Learning Center until 2017. Adjunct Professor at the University of Valencia, heading numerous research projects funded by the local and federal governments on male infertility, sperm physiology, sperm selection techniques, biomarkers of fertility, and statistical approaches to measure ART success. Co-Director the Master’s Degree on Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction (19th Edition), and of Master of Continuing Education in the Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology (18th Edition, Spanish/English). Coordinator of contents of Master on Human Reproduction (30th Edition), all from the University of Valencia. Authored almost 500 abstracts in national and international meetings, more than 80 book chapters, and 250 articles in scientific journals and received Awards from the Spanish Fertility Society in 2002 and 2004, the Spanish Urology Association in 2004, the American Society of Andrology (2007, 2010, 2011), and Salud 2000 Foundation (2010). Member of the Editorial Board of Zygote, Associate Editor of Andrology at RBM Online, served as Associate Editor for Fertility and Sterility, and is also Ad Hoc Reviewer for many journals in the field and as the editor for a textbook on Male Fertility. Past Coordinator for ESHRE of the Special Interest Group for Andrology.

Session 5 – Selected Oral Presentations
Chair: Kasun Godakumara

14:00-14:10: Exploring the endometrium morphology, receptivity and microbiome of women undergoing fertility treatment in Lithuania
Dr. Rūta Bartašienė
Obstetrician and Gynecologist a Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos

14:10-14:20: Aberrant epithelialization: A plausible factor for endometrial polyp development
Dr. Amruta Pathare
Senior Researcher at CELVIA and Karolinska Institutet

14:20-14:30: Decoding menstrual cycle dynamics through uterine fluid extracellular vesicle omics
Apostol Apostolov
Junior Research Fellow at University of Tartu, Karolinska Institutet and CELVIA

14:30-15:30: Coffee break and poster exhibition

Session 6
Chair: Amruta Pathare

15:30-16:00: How computational intelligence methods can be applied to evaluate early stage embryo and uterus receptivity

Dr. Vidas Raudonis (Kauno technologijos universitetas, Lithuania)

Vidas Raudonis is a researcher at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania. He is a Professor in the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Department of Automation, and also holds the position of Chief Project Researcher at the Excellence Center of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Living and Working at KTU. His primary research interests lie in the fields of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and image processing. Prof. Raudonis has developed numerous prototypes based on numerical intelligence and image processing methods, including systems for face detection and recognition. He is also the owner and director of UAB Power of Eye, a company dedicated to applying AI and computer vision in industrial settings. 

16:00-16:30: Single-cell genomics and artificial intelligence to transform reproductive medicine

Dr. Masoud Zamani Esteki (Maastrich University, Netherlands)

Masoud Zamani Esteki is associate professor and principal investigator at Maastricht University (UM) and Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+). Masoud’s research lies at the intersection of classical genetics, molecular and developmental genetics, clinical genetics, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence. During the course of his (post)doctoral research, he has invented methods to study genome instability in early human development with application to the clinic, such as preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Specifically, he has been developing, applying and translating integrative wet- and dry-lab approaches that uncover the genome’s allelic architecture in samples derived from many cells down to a single cell. 

16:30-17:00: Translating cohort data into clinical insights: recent findings from Copenhagen’s Reproductive Health Studies

Dr. Kilian Vomstein (Copehangen University Hospital Hvidovre, Denmark)

Kilian Vomstein is a gynecologist at the Fertility Clinic, Dep. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre and at the Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Unit Copenhagen, Denmark. His research focuses on the immunology of the feto-maternal interface – especially NK-cells – and the interaction with the local microbiome in recurrent pregnancy loss and recurrent implantation failure.

18:00: KEY LECTURE – The art of ART
Location: The White Hall of the University of Tartu Museum, Lossi 25, Tartu

Prof. Luca Gianaroli

Dr. Luca Gianaroli is specialist in Reproductive Medicine since the end of the Seventies. He is the Scientific Director of S.I.S.Me.R. (Italian Society for the Study of Reproductive Medicine) and he holds the position of Scientific Director of I.I.A.R.G., the International Institutes of Advanced Reproduction and Genetics and of IIRM SA. He is also Honorary Professor at the School of Biosciences of the University of Kent.
Active member of several international scientific societies in which he has covered and currently covers roles of primary importance, he has served as Chairman of the Italian Society of Reproduction and of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). He is a member of the ESHRE Certification Committee, of the ESHRE COVID-19 Working Group and he is the coordinator of the Steering Committee of the ESHRE ART Centre Certification Program.

From 2015 to 2017 he served as Chairman of SIOS.E (Italian Society of Sterility and Embriology).

From the 1st January 2021 he will take up the position of Director of Global Educational Programs of the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS)

In 2014 he was appointed as Fellow ad eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. In the same year he obtained the Italian Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale (National Scientific License) as Ordinary Professor – I category, which was renewed in 2020.

Dr. Gianaroli is author of more than 250 papers in international scientific journals and publisher or co-publisher of 9 books. As of the date of this biosketch his H-index is 74 (Google Scholar).

Throughout his professional career he collaborated with several Italian universities (Università degli Studi di Teramo, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Università di Bologna.

19:30: Gala Dinner
Location: Rotalia – Tähe 3, 51010 Tartu

Day 2 – September 13^th 2025

Session 7
Chair: Amruta Pathare

09:00-09:30: Atlas of genetic and phenotypic correlations across female reproductive health diagnoses

Dr. Triin Laisk (University of Tartu, Estonia)

Triin Laisk is an Associate Professor of Reproductive Genetics and Genomics at the University of Tartu, Estonia. Her research group focuses on studying the genetic and biological mechanisms affecting women’s health, with the long-term goal of improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. In 2023, Triin was awarded the L’Oreal-Unesco for Women in Science Young Talents Program Baltic award. Triin is a member of the Estonian Young Academy of Sciences and the Vice President of the Estonian Society of Human Genetics.

09:30-10:00: Microbiome and reproductive, obstetrical and perinatal health

Dr. Hana Shabana (Karolinska Institutet, Sweden)

Hana Shabana is a MD, specialized in obstetrics and gynecology. She is currently training to become a subspecialist in reproductive medicine at Reproductive Medical Center, at Karolinska University Hospital. Alongside her clinical work, she is pursuing her PhD in Professor Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg’s team at Karolinska Institutet, where she focuses on the role of the microbiome in women’s health. Her passion is to combine research and clinical practice to improve fertility care and women’s reproductive health.

Session 8 – Selected Oral Presentations
Chair: Kasun Godakumara

10:00-10:10: From Single-Cell Transcriptomics to Spatial Proteomics: Mapping the Human Ovarian Cortex Across Puberty
Dr. Loren Méar
Senior Researcher at Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University

10:10-10:20: Non-invasive prediction of testicular sperm extraction outcomes in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia using artificial intelligence
Sara González-Muñoz
PhD Student at University of Granada

10:20-10:30: Follicular fluid extracellular vesicles from women with varying ovarian sensitivity alter steroidogenesis and transcriptome profiles in KGN cell line
Katariina Johanna Saretok
Junior Research Fellow at Tallinn University of Technology

10:30-11:00: Coffee break and poster exhibition

Session 9
Chair: Apostol Apostolov

11:00-11:30: Spatiotemporal profilling of proteins in reproductive tissues

Dr. Cecilia Lindskog (Human Protein Atlas, Sweden)

Research group leader at Uppsala University, Sweden, and head of the Tissue Profiling team of the Human Protein Atlas. She holds a PhD in Pathology from Uppsala University and has been part of the Human Protein Atlas since 2006. Her research focuses on spatiotemporal mapping of the human proteome, with emphasis on single cell type-specific expression patterns and the spatial localization of proteins in relation to function, development, hormonal changes, and transcriptomics. Together with her team, she is building a unique atlas of spatial proteomics in normal and cancer tissues

11:30-12:00: Immunological mechanisms and implications in extreme phenotypes of male infertility

Dr. F. David Carmona (University of Granada, Spain)

F. David Carmona is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of Granada (Spain). He holds a BSc in Biology and a PhD in Genetics, with his doctoral thesis focused on the genetics of gonad development. In 2010, he began working in Immunogenetics at the Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine “López-Neyra” (CSIC, Spain), and in 2016 he was awarded a Ramón y Cajal grant to establish a research line aimed at identifying the molecular causes of human azoospermia through a multiomic approach, with particular emphasis on the immunological component of male infertility. He is also a member of the Health Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), the Institute of Biotechnology of the University of Granada, and the Excellence Unit AD®ULT of the Biomedical Research Centre (CIBM, Granada, Spain).

12:00-13:30: Lunch break and poster exhibition

Session 10
Chair: Živilė Čerkienė

13:30-14:00: Future development of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)

Dr. Kaarel Krjutškov (CELVIA, Estonia)

Dr. Krjutškov is a scientist and inventor in the field of genetic engineering. Head of the Laboratory at CELVIA CC and Associate Professor at University of Tartu. He got his doctorate in molecular diagnostics at the University of Tartu and then worked at the Swedish Karolinska Institute and the University of Helsinki. Kaarel is the pioneer and developer of the NIPTIFY Focus Plus test. He has published over 60 scientific articles and is an associate professor of molecular medicine at the University of Tartu.

14:00-14:30: Genetic control of meiosis surveillance mechanisms in human

Dr. Ignasi Roig Navarro (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain)

Professor Ignasi Roig is an expert in reproductive biology and genome integrity, currently serving as Associate Professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Group Leader at the Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina. With a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from UAB and postdoctoral training at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, his research has significantly advanced our understanding of meiosis, gametogenesis, and ovarian aging. Professor Roig has authored over 40 publications in top-tier journals including Nature, Science, and Nature Communications, and holds patents related to fertility preservation. He has led numerous research projects, is a member of several scientific boards, editorial committees and advisor for pharma companies, and co-coordinates the Reproductive Biology Section of the Catalan Society of Biology.

14:30-15:00: European trends in genetic testing. Preconception, preimplantation and prenatal testing

Efthymia Constantinou (The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Cyprus)

Efthymia Constantinou is a cytogeneticist at the Department of Cytogenetics and Genomics of The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING), where she has been working since 2009. She holds a BSc in Biological Sciences from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Biomedical and Molecular Sciences from King’s College London, and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Cyprus. Her areas of expertise include preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for aneuploidies and structural rearrangements, as well as prenatal and postnatal genetic diagnostics. She plays a key role in the delivery of diagnostic services in reproductive genetics at CING, combining scientific expertise with a considered approach to the strategic dimensions of the field. Efi has also been actively involved with the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), where she currently serves as the Coordinator of the Special Interest Group for Reproductive Genetics. She is a frequent invited speaker at international conferences and seminars on the field of reproductive genetics.

15:00-15:30: Coffee break and poster exhibition

Session 11 – Selected Oral Presentations
Chair: Alberto Sola-Leyva

15:30-15:40: DUFIC: A Novel Catheter for Endometrial Fluid Collection in Reproductive Medicine
Dr. Analuce Canha Gouveia
Researcher and Entrepreneur at University of Murcia

15:40-15:50: Cell type-specific endometrial dysfunctions across the menstrual cycle in polycystic ovary syndrome
Dr. Tanja Turunen
Postdoctoral Researcher at Karolinska Institutet

15:50-16:00: Leveraging genome-wide association study summary statistics to identify possible drug targets for uterine fibroids
Lisette Haug
Bachelor student at University of Tartu

16:00-16:30: Closing remarks and awards
Dr. Andres Salumets (President of Baltic Fertility Society)