Frontiers in Reproduction (FIR) 2016

Frontiers in Reproduction (FIR) 2016 is organized by Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and would be held during Apr 30 - Jun 12, 2016 at Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America. The FIR course is divided into three sections of two weeks’ duration and covers the following broad themes:

Section 1 – Reproductive endocrinology focused on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Section 2 – Gametogenesis, fertilization, cloning, and stem cells.
Section 3 –Implantation, development of the reproductive tract and transgenesis.

Section 1- emphasizes signal transduction and gene regulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Lectures cover physiologic to molecular actions of peptide, protein and steroid hormones and the intracellular signaling, transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanisms that drive reproductive biology.

Section 2 - is focused on gametogenesis, fertilization, cloning, and stem cells. The lectures focus on germline stem cells and their differentiation into functional gametes through the process of spermatogenesis and folliculogenesis, maturation of gametes and acquisition of fertilization and developmental competence, sperm-egg interaction, egg activation and initiation of embryo development.

Section 3 - covers implantation, development of the reproductive tract and transgenesis. The Lectures cover transgenic technology including microinjection, stem cells, gene editing, and embryo transfer; development of the male and female reproductive tracts and gonads; maternal-fetal interactions including implantation, uterine decidualization, and comparative placentation; placental function; and immunological adaptations to pregnancy.