The Future Conceived

In this episode of The Future Conceived, the official podcast of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR), host Dr. Pam Monahan welcomes the editorial team from Biology of Reproduction (BOR), the flagship journal of SSR. Listen in as BOR's Editor-in-Chief Dr. Romana Nowak, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Mary Zelinski, and Publications Manager Ms. Jenny Kimball discuss exciting new features and updates at BOR. This insightful conversation provides a run-through of the academic peer-review publishing process and the structure of scientific journals. Discover the benefits of publishing in and reading BOR, learn about its newly expanded scope and categories, and get a sneak peek at upcoming special issues. The editorial team also shares ways for the reproductive science community to get involved with BOR, including becoming a peer reviewer or joining committees. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in reproductive research and the valuable resources offered by BOR and SSR, including the benefit of free publication for SSR members.

In this episode of The Future Conceived, Dr. Pam Monahan, Northwestern University, sits down with Francesca Duncan, Northwestern University. Dr. Duncan is the 2024 recipient of The Roger V Short Medal and Lecture award. Listen in as Dr. Duncan discusses her team's aim to understand the mechanisms that drive ovarian aging, her advice to young reproductive scientists, and being the 2024 Roger V Short Medal and Lecture award recipient. Dr. Duncan also touches on how trainees can maximize their time at SSR's annual conference.

In this episode of The Future Conceived, Dr. Yu-Ying Chen, postdoctoral fellow at NIEHS and member of the SSR Virtual Education Committee, sits down with Dr. Francesco DeMayo, the 2024 recipient of SSR's highest honor, The Carl G. Hartman award. Dr. DeMayo is the the Chief and Senior Investigator in the Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory at the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS / NIH). Listen in as Dr. DeMayo discusses his career trajectory, his research in uterine biology and gives some words of wisdom for the next generation of reproductive biologists.

In this episode of The Future Conceived, Dr. Victor A. Ruthig, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, sits down with Rhasaan Bovell, a third-year PhD candidate conducting cheetah research at Cornell University and the Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. Listen in as Rhasaan updates us on advances in cheetah conservation since our last podcast on the topic in 2022. Rhasaan also talks about his scientific journey and shares advice to young blossoming scientists.

What happens when your scientific observations conflict with literature? Do challenging scientific dogmas impact the way we do research, and can it even impact our career? Listen close to the interview of Dr. Greg Johnson and Dr. Ky Pohler from Texas A&M University by Dr. Pete Hansen from University of Florida, and learn how some aspects of their research are calling into question some of our current understanding in placental biology and maternal recognition of pregnancy. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Pohler also provide some wisdom for young independent investigators on how to conduct research and establish themselves in their field.  

In this episode of The Future Conceived, Dr. Victor A. Ruthig, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, sits down with Dr. Bruce D. Murphy, University of Montreal. Dr. Murphy is the 2023 recipient of SSR's highest honor, The Carl G. Hartman award. Listen in as Dr. Murphy discusses his research trajectory and being the 2023 Carl G. Hartman award recipient. Dr. Murphy also gives some sage wisdom about mentorship and speculates about where the field of reproductive biology is headed. Dr

In this podcast, Dr. Peter Hansen interviews Dr. Thomas Hildebrandt, Head of Department of Reproduction Management at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, Germany on his first successful embryo transfer in southern white rhinos. Listen to learn more about white rhino conservation, the uncharted territory of performing IVF, and this major milestone in the race against time to save the endangered northern white rhino species.Dr. Hildebrandt is an invited speaker at the upcoming 2024 SSR meeting. 

To learn all about Dr. Pate's mentoring philosophy and her SSR meeting memories, listen to this interview conducted by Dr. Warren B. Nothnick, who was a graduate student with Dr. Pate and who nominated her for the 2021 Trainee Mentor Award.

In this episode of "The Future Conceived", we Interviewed Dr Diana Monsivais, the 2023 SSR Bahr Jr Scientist Travel Awardee. She is an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. Click to listen what's her experience with SSR and the exciting topics she is working on!

Follow along as we learn about Dr. Fuller Bazer's career journey, from his upbringing in Louisiana, his Ph.D. training at North Carolina State University in the 1960's following his military active duty in South Korea, to his early career at University of Florida before settling in at Texas A&M University in 1992. Dr. Bazer is a distinguished professor in Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. His research in reproductive biology focuses on uterine biology and pregnancy in livestock species.Dr. Bazer became a member of SSR in 1969, in the early years of SSR. Hear about what SSR means to Dr. Bazer, and how being a scientist in reproductive biology / animal sciences has evolved from the time SSR was created, to now. 

From cleaning dishes in a lab, to engineering, to medical school, to senior principal investigator of the "Reproductive Medicine Group" at NIEHS, listen to the amazing scientific journey of Dr. Carmen Williams, the recipient of the 2023 SSR Trainee Mentoring Award. This podcast also features Dr. Miranda Bernhardt, who, before becoming the Director of the Animal Production Core and Assistant Research Professor at the Center for Reproductive Biology at Washington State University, was a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Williams's lab from 2011 to 2017. Mentors are themself first and foremost mentees that keep on learning throughout their career, from others, including their trainees, and from their own experience along the way.

Today's interview is with Dr Benjamin Tsang, the 2022 SSR Distinguished Leadership and Service Awardee. Dr. Tsang is a Professor Emeritus of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Cellular & Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Tune in to learn all about Dr. Tsang's career, his research on ovarian cancer, and his long term commitment and service to our SSR society.

Today's interview is all about Dr. David Pepin the winner of the 2022 SSR New Investigator Award. Listen close as we talk about his career journey, the challenges he's faced as a postdoc, and all about his research on female reproductive health. 

Today's interview is with Dr Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Professor at the University of Cambridge, UK and Bren Professor at the California Institute of Technology, USA who is interviewed here by her PhD student Bailey Weatherbee. Tune in to learn all about Magda's early influences growing up in Poland and how she came to be a scientist with a love of developmental biology, the challenges she's faced along the way not only as a scientist but as a woman and an immigrant and and, of course, all about her labs fascinating work trying to unravel the complexities of early embryo development. 

The Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Project focuses on the ecologic and reproductive wellbeing of the bison herd at CSU. Today, we are talking to Dr. Jennifer Barfield and Dr. Kate Wilkins about what it takes to manage, breed, and conserve a bison herd. Tune in as we talk about the importance of bison in their habitat, the benefits of ART, the cultural importance behind this species, and why it takes a village to bring together this project. Enjoy!

This is the second episode in our series on Breakthroughs in Reproductive Technologies. Here Dr Jane Fenelon and Dr Rachel West talk to Dr Rebecca Krisher about the impact that Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) have had on human reproduction. Join us as we learn more about the common procedures that are available to us today and their efficacy and about some of the controversies surrounding ‘add-ons' on offer in the IVF clinic We also try and answer some of the big questions like when should women start thinking about their fertility? And what does the future hold? As well as a fascinating insight into Rebecca's career journey so far and tips for trainees.

Today's episode is about Dr. Crosier, the director of the cheetah reproductive and research program at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI). Tune in as we talk about her journey into the exotic reproductive field, challenges associated with ART in big cats, other projects happening at SCBI, and of course all things felid reproduction!

The first in our series on Breakthroughs in Reproductive Technologies. Here Dr Jane Fenelon and Dr Jean-Magloire Feugang interview Prof Peter Hansen on the history of Assisted Reproductive Technologies and its impact on the Agricultural Industry. In Part 2 learn more about how the use of genomics has revolutionized the field and what the future holds for ART technologies. As well as some useful advice to young scientists just starting out.

The first in our series on Breakthroughs in Reproductive Technologies. Here Dr Jane Fenelon and Dr Jean-Magloire Feugang interview Dr Peter Hansen on the history of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) and the significant impacts its had on the Agricultural Industry. In Part 1 learn what we mean when we talk about ART technologies and about the pioneers in the field who were instrumental in setting up these technologies. 

Today's interview is with Dr. Jean-Ju Chung, the winner of the 2021 Janice Bahr Junior Scientist Travel Award. Listen close as we talk about her career journey, the challenges she's faced as a trainee, her introduction to the field of reproductive biology and her experience at SSR meetings.

Our third episode in this series is about Dr. Bernard Robaire, the 2021 SSR Jansen Distinguished Leadership and Service Award Recipient.  Follow along as we learn about his career journey, achievements in life, contributions to SSR, and why he calls SSR "a dynamic society that encourages people of all levels to participate and learn something new with its broad exposure!" 

Gather round folks! Time for our second episode! Today's interview is all about Dr. Sue Hammoud the winner of the 2021 SSR New Investigator Award. Listen close as we talk about her career journey, the challenges she's faced as a trainee, and how she maintains a healthy work-life balance amidst the ongoing changes the world is facing! 

The creation of SSR... A tale as old as time. How did the Society for the Study of Reproduction start? Who are the founding fathers and mothers? How has the society changed since its inception? Our first ever guest on the podcast, Dr. Janice Bahr, presses the rewind button on the time machine and paints the story of how SSR began. Tune in and join us for some fun!