Muhammad Fakhar-I-Adil is a PhD researcher at the Ghent Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and an MPhil in Anatomy from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. His doctoral research focuses on capacitation in vitro maturation (CAPA-IVM) of oocytes, particularly from equine and transgender ovarian tissues, integrating single-cell omics and nuclear transfer approaches to enhance oocyte quality. He previously worked as a lecturer at Riphah International University, Lahore and as an embryologist at a ICSI clinic, Multan Pakistan. He has presented his research at international conferences such as ESHRE and IETS, and received the Runner-up Poster Award at IETS 2025. His technical expertise includes oocyte and embryo culture, IVM, ICSI/IVF, nuclear transfer, and ovarian tissue culture/female fertility preservation.
Daniel Angel-Velez is a veterinarian and animal scientist with a strong passion for teaching and research, particularly in the field of assisted reproductive technologies. Currently, he is working as a post-doc at Ghent University, Belgium. His research focuses on in vitro production of bovine and equine embryos, encompassing cryopreservation, micromanipulation, and advanced evaluation of gametes and embryos using differential staining and the latest analytical technologies. As a lecturer, Daniel has taught across various areas in animal reproduction and management. He brings hands-on expertise in artificial insemination, embryo transfer, stallion management, semen analysis, gamete and embryo freezing, and the monitoring of high-risk pregnancies. He also has significant experience in the administrative management of large-scale equine and bovine operations.
Emin Araftpoor is a doctoral researcher at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, affiliated with the Gevaert Lab at Ghent University. Supported by a fellowship from the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO), his work focuses on advancing single-cell proteomics (SCP) to investigate cellular heterogeneity in cancer, particularly in melanoma. By employing mass spectrometry-based SCP, he aims to directly measure protein abundances at the single-cell level, providing insights into drug targets and oncogenic pathways beyond what transcriptomic analyses can reveal. Emin's academic background includes a Bachelor and Master of Science in Biochemistry and Biotechnology from Ghent University, completed in 2021 and 2023, respectively. His research contributes to the refinement of SCP workflows, facilitating their application in cancer research. Notably, he co-authored a study exploring proteomic signatures in bull fertility, linking sperm protein profiles to embryo development outcomes. Through his work, Emin Araftpoor is at the forefront of integrating proteomic technologies into biomedical research, aiming to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms and improve therapeutic strategies.
Qurratulain Amin is a doctoral researcher in Reproductive Biology at Ghent University, Belgium. Her work focuses on developing non-invasive strategies for gene knockdown and knockout in bovine oocytes and embryos. Using bovine models, she investigates gene function during early embryonic development. She previously served as a lecturer at Riphah International University, Lahore, Pakistan.
Mohamed Hedia is a PhD candidate at Ghent University and the University of Antwerp, conducting research at the intersection of maternal health and reproductive biology. His work focuses on in vitro embryo production, fertility preservation, and single-cell omics, aiming to understand how maternal physiological conditions affect oocyte and embryo development. Beyond his research, he is actively involved in teaching reproductive physiology and embryology, organizing international workshops, and mentoring master's and PhD students. He has successfully obtained competitive research funding and serves as a reviewer for prominent journals in reproductive biology. His long-term goal is to contribute to the advancement of reproductive health through innovation, scientific rigor, and collaborative research.
Marcel Bühler is a postdoctoral researcher at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and a doctor-assistant at the Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University. He earned his PhD in Cancer Biology from the University of Zurich in 2023, where he specialized in longitudinal proteomic profiling of glioblastoma using advanced mass spectrometry techniques. His current research focuses on the development and application of single-cell proteomics workflows to study cellular heterogeneity in health and disease, particularly in cancers such as melanoma and lung cancer. Dr. Bühler is also involved in collaborative projects in reproductive biology, including studies on proteomic markers of fertility. He is an active member of the Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG) and the Single-Cell Network Ghent (SING), contributing to the integration of cutting-edge proteomic technologies in biomedical research.
Dr. Gevaert earned his PhD in Biotechnology from Ghent University in 2000. He was a postdoctoral fellow with the Fund for Scientific Research (Flanders) until 2006 and became Professor in Functional Proteomics at Ghent University in 2004. Since 2005, he has led a lab at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology. In 2018, he was appointed Senior Full Professor and led the Department of Biomolecular Medicine until 2024. As of May 2024, he is the interim science director of the VIB-UGent Center. Together with Joël Vandekerckhove, he introduced COFRADIC proteomics technologies, applied to studying protein modifications and protease processing. His group collaborates widely, contributing expertise in differential proteomics, protein complex characterization, and identification of modifications like phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and N-terminal acetylation. His lab also assesses proteome conformational states and is now advancing low-input to single-cell mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Dr. Gevaert has authored over 430 publications, including book chapters on proteomics applications in life sciences.
Prof. Dr. Björn Menten studied Bioscience Engineering with a Major in Cell and Gene Biotechnology at Ghent University (2002). In 2007, he defended his PhD in medical sciences on the implementation of genomic microarrays in the diagnostic workup of patients with intellectual disability and congenital anomalies. This unique blend of engineering and biological expertise informs his work. He was appointed principal investigator at the Laboratory for Genome Research within the Center for Medical Genetics, Department of Biomolecular Medicine at the University of Ghent. Prof. Menten leads cutting-edge research. His team focuses on developing and implementing advanced genomic technologies for better and faster diagnosis in prenatal, postnatal, and cancer research. Their repertoire includes microarray analysis, exome sequencing, (shallow) whole-genome sequencing, and, more recently, non-invasive prenatal testing and liquid biopsy profiling. Initially centered on detecting relevant copy number variants, their focus has expanded to include whole-genome analysis and epigenetic markers for disease stratification. His impactful publications include studies on a broad field, including preimplantation genetic testing, NIPT, early-stage lung cancer diagnosis, liquid biopsies, and copy number alterations.
Prof. Dr. Ann Van Soom graduated in 1988 as DVM at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium and obtained a PhD on the development of bovine embryos in 1996. She has been employed at Ghent university since 1990. At present, she holds a position as full professor at the department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University and is also Head of Department. She has been teaching assisted reproduction in domestic species, small animal reproduction, and obstetrics to veterinary students for almost 20 years now. She has been a diplomat of the European College of Animal Reproduction (ECAR) since 1999, and has been a member of the EVSSAR and the IETS for many years. She was elected as a governor for IETS in 2007 and in 2013. She was a member and chair of the HASAC (Health and Safety Advisory Committee) Research subcommittee of IETS for about ten years. She was chair of the COST Action Epiconcept FA1201 from 2012 to 2016, and is a member of the EU-ITN network RepBiotech. She is also serving in national and international advisory commmittees on sanitary risks involved with assisted reproduction in domestic species, and has been authoring a chapter in the 4th edition of the IETS Manual dealing with these problems.
Prof. Dr. Susana Marina Chuva de Sousa Lopes is Professor of Developmental Biology in the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the Leiden University Medical Center. She is also a visiting professor at Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. She is immediate past coordinator of the special interest group “Stem Cells” in the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). She was awarded a VENI (2006) and a VICI (2019) research grant from NWO/ZonMW and an ERC consolidator (2016) research grant from the EC. She coordinates the ZonMW PSIDER consortium HipGametes and is PI in the international Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine reNEW. She has also received an Aspasia premium twice and the Snoo–van 't Hoogerhuijs Foundation prize twice.
Prof. Dr. Dominic Stoop is the head of the Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, the second largest fertility program in Belgium. He is involved in both clinical and fundamental research. He currently serves as an elected board member of the Belgium Society of Reproductive Medicine (BSRM) and as the president of the Belgian College of Physicians in Reproductive Medicine. Prof. Stoop completed his medical training and OBGYN specialty training at the University of Ghent. Following his training, he joined the Centre for Reproductive Medicine (CRG) of the Dutch speaking Free University of Brussels (UZ Brussel). During his time at UZ Brussel, Prof. Stoop obtained a PhD on the topic of autologous oocyte cryopreservation. Prior to his position at the Department of Reproductive Medicine in Gent, he worked as regional and later global medical director for fertility for 3 years at Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD). In this position, he oversaw all sponsored fertility-related research and was involved in projects relating to the optimization of ovarian stimulation for medically assisted reproduction. Prof. Stoop is co-author of over 55 peer-reviewed research papers.
Dr. Chloë De Roo is a gynecologist specializing in reproductive medicine and oncofertility at Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent). She earned her medical degree from Ghent University in 2012 and completed her specialization in gynecology in 2019. Dr. De Roo combined her training in gynaecology with fundamental scientific research and obtained a PhD in oncofertility in March 2020. Dr. De Roo's clinical and research interests focus on fertility preservation, particularly for transgender individuals and oncology patients. She has contributed to studies on ovarian tissue cryopreservation and the effects of testosterone therapy on ovarian histology. Her work also includes exploring in vitro maturation techniques and the application of single-cell omics in reproductive health. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. De Roo has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and book chapters on topics such as fertility options for transgender persons. She is actively involved in academic collaborations and contributes to advancements in reproductive medicine through both research and clinical care.
Prof. Dr. Katrien Smits is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Ghent (Belgium). Katrien graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2006 and completed her Ph.D. in 2010 on equine in vitro embryo production with emphasis on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at Ghent University. The focus of Katrien's postdoc is on unraveling embryo-maternal interactions and optimizing assisted biotechnology techniques in the horse. Among the achievements of Katrien's research: SMICSI, the first ICSI foal in Belgium, and VICSI, the first foal resulting from ICSI of a vitrified immature oocyte. Katrien is the author of 40 peer-reviewed A1 publications and is the mentor of several master's and Ph.D. students.
Prof. Dr. Björn Heindryckx is the principal investigator at the Ghent Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. He has guided 18 completed Ph.D. theses and is currently a promotor of eight Ph.D. students. Former coordinator of the Special Interest Group for Stem Cells at ESHRE, he co-founded the Belgian Society for Stem Cell Research (BeSSCR). Further, he holds the prestigious position of former vice-president of the Belgian Society for Reproductive Medicine. Notably, he has authored and co-authored 123 A1 publications. His main topics of research include failed fertilisation and embryo developmental arrest after ICSI, nuclear transfer to overcome mitochondrial diseases and female-related infertility, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in the mouse and human germline, female fertility preservation, and in vitro gametogenesis.