Progress 07/01/07 to 06/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Funds from the USDA CSREES NRI provided partial support of the 2007-2011 annual meetings of the SSR covering expenses for speakers invited to discuss agriculturally relevant topics in plenary lectures and minisymposia and a yearly competition in which trainees were selected to receive Merit Awards based upon the scientific quality of a submitted abstract and its relevance to the goals of the USDA NRI. Each meeting had a particular focus: 2007 (21-25 July), San Antonio, TX: Cross-Species Genetic and Genomic Approaches to Studying Reproduction (attendees: 1008 [459 trainees]); 2008 (27-30 May), in Kailua-Kona, HI: Reproductive Biology: Basic Discoveries That Affect Our Lives (attendance: 1004 [371 trainees]); 2009 (18-22 July), Pittsburgh, PA: Science for the Public Good (attendance: 1005 [493 trainees]); 2010 (30 July-3 August), Milwaukee, WI: The Intersection Between Genetics, Genomics, and Reproductive Biology (attendance: 1017 [484 trainees]); 2011 (31 July-4 August), in Portland, OR: Reproduction and the Worlds Future (attendance: 1044 [501 trainees]). For each annual meeting the format varied slightly, but essentially consisted of 7-10 plenary talks, 15 minisymposia (45 speakers), 20-25 platform sessions, and between 500 and 625 posters presented in three sessions. Topics covered the breadth of reproductive biology research with a focus on scientific breakthroughs, new applications, and developing technologies and areas of investigation for research biologists, medical and veterinary clinicians, and translational scientists. During each annual meeting, sessions addressed the mission of the USDA/NRI, as follows: 2008-When Does Implantation Begin; Lymphocyte-Promoted Endometrial Angiogenesis and Its Relation to Pregnancy Success; Factors Affecting Oocyte Quality: A Large Animal Model. In 2009-Developmental Origins of Health and Disease; Why Early Bovine and Porcine CL Do Not Die after Prostaglandin F2 Alpha; Female Control: Sperm Movement and Storage in the Oviduct; Activating the Egg: A Tale of Two Molecules; and Arcuate Kisspeptin Neurons Play a Key Role in the Feedback Control of GnRH Secretion in Sheep. In 2010-Evolution and Development of the Placenta; Genomics of Domesticated Species; and Embryonic Stem Cells & Induced Embryonic Stem Cells from Domesticated Species. In 2011- Reproductive Research and Its Impact on Feeding the Worlds Hungry; Estrogen, Cognition, and Conservation; and Post-translational Protein Modifications in Gametes, Embryos, and the Reproductive System. PARTICIPANTS: Douglas M. Stocco, Ph.D., was Principal Investigator (PI) for the 2007 and 2008 Annual Meetings. He is a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX. William W. Thatcher, Ph.D., was Co-PI with Dr. Stocco for the 2007 Annual Meeting. He is a Graduate Research Professor Emeritus in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Martin M. Matzuk, M.D., Ph.D., was the 2007 SSR Program Chair. He is currently a Professor in the Departments of Pathology, Molecular and Human Genetics, and Molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. John R. McCarrey, Ph.D., was the 2008 SSR Program Chair. He is Professor of Cell & Molecular Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and an affiliate scientist of the Southwest National Primate Research Center in San Antonio, San Antonio, TX. Asgerally T. Fazleabas, Ph.D., was PI for the 2009 Annual Meeting. He is a Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, and Director of the Center for Womens Health Research at Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI. The 2009 SSR Program Chair, Patricia A. Hunt, Ph.D., is an Edward Meyer Distinguished Professor in the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University, Pullman, WA. John H. Nilson, Ph.D., PI in 2010, coordinated the scientific program for the 2010 Annual Meeting. He is Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professor and Director of the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University, Pullman, WA. Ruth A. Keri, Ph.D., and Leslie L. Heckert, Ph.D., were Co-Chairs of the 2010 SSR Program Committee. Dr. Keri is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, and Associate Director for Basic Research at Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH. Dr. Heckert is a Marion M. Osborn Professor in Reproductive Biology and Professor in the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Co-Director of the Center for Reproductive Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center, St. Louis, MO. Barbara C. Vanderhyden, Ph.D., was PI for the 2011 Annual Meeting. Dr. Vanderhyden is a Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research and Senior Scientist at the Centre for Cancer Therapeutics at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, in Ottawa, Ontario. Jodi Anne Flaws, Ph.D., was Chair of the 2011 SSR Program Committee. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences at the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. TARGET AUDIENCES: Funds were requested for partial support of each of the 2007 - 2011 Annual Meetings. Specifically, funds were used for registration and travel expenses for invited speakers who presented research targeting agriculturally important species in plenary lectures and minisymposia, as well as Travel Merit Awards for qualified trainees who presented abstracts relevant to the goals of the USDA NRI and who were not supported by an NRSA. The meetings were designed to have broad appeal and application to a wide range of scientists in the reproductive sciences, including those focused on agriculturally important animals. Minisymposia were held on subjects of current interest to researchers in animal science, biomedical, clinical, wildlife, and environmental sectors. Approximately half of the attendees at the meetings were trainees, with a large percentage from animal science departments and agricultural backgrounds. Trainees were selected for NRI Trainee Merit Awards each year by the SSR Awards Committee based upon the scientific merit of their submitted abstracts and the relevance of their project to the goals of the USDA. The focus on trainees and domestic animal research was a strong component of the SSR Annual Meeting. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The SSR annual meeting serves two major goals: the exchange of new information among scientists and clinicians in the field of reproduction, and the training of future scientists. Both have a tremendous impact on the progress, growth, and vitality of the field, and funds from the USDA are vital in achieving these objectives. Topics and talks relevant to the overall objectives of the USDA CSREES NRI (now USDA NIFA AFRI) enhanced understanding of reproduction in agriculturally important species at each of the annual meetings. An average of 1015 people attended each meeting, 46% of which were trainees. USDA NRI CSREES fellowships ($500 each) were awarded competitively to trainees whose abstracts demonstrated scientific merit and relevancy as defined by the USDA NRI CSREES program. In total, 58 trainees received a USDA-NIFA National Research Initiative Merit Awards of $500 each. Significant findings discussed at these annual meetings that were relative to NIFAs mission of advancing knowledge for agriculture and the environment, and for human health and well-being include the following: in sheep, it was shown that a reduction of B vitamins and methionine for intending mothers epigenetically modifies DNA in offspring and leads to obesity and alters immune responses to antigenic challenge, insulin resistance, and elevated blood pressure; in cows and pigs, the intercellular regulatory mechanisms that underlie luteolysis are potentially extrapolative to other tissue regression states; in sheep, research indicates that ARC kisspeptin neurons mediate steroid negative feedback in ewes, indicating that they may also affect positive feedback action of estradiol; in pigs and sheep, the glycocode potentially acts as a barrier to interspecies hybridization, which will help scientists better understand glycan-dependent functions of trophoblast that contribute to successful reproductive outcomes; in mules, research has led to a better understanding of imprinted genes that are important in normal fetal and placental development, which is translatable to pigs, cattle, and humans. Also, presentations on reproduction and growth relative to wildlife preservation and environmental conservation provided lessons relative to human reproduction, as did discussion of organochlorines in the environment and their effect on the fertility of exposed animals and humans. In addition, SSR trainees participated as co-chairs of scientific sessions, organized the Trainee Forum, and managed the career placement and development service. In each of the years of the grant, much of the presented research was the work of SSRs trainee members.
Publications
- 1.2007 Special Issue of Biology of Reproduction (2007 Program/Abstract Book).
- 2.2008 Special Issue of Biology of Reproduction (2008 Program/Abstract Book).
- 3.2009 Special Issue of Biology of Reproduction (2009 Program/Abstract Supplement). These remain available online at http://www.biolreprod.org/content/vol81/1_MeetingAbstracts/
- 4.2010 Special Issue of Biology of Reproduction (2010 Program/Abstract Supplement). These remain available online at http://www.ssr.org/Documents/2010-07-16Abstracts.pdf
- 5.2011 Special Issue of Biology of Reproduction (2011 Program/Abstract Book). These remain available online at http://www.ssr.org/11Abstracts.shtml
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Progress 07/01/10 to 06/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) was held July 30 - August 31, 2010, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The theme of the 2010 meeting, The Intersection Between Genetics, Genomics, and Reproductive Biology, was chosen to emphasize the importance of basic research and its impact on both human and animal health. The Keynote Address was delivered by John Gearhart, Ph.D., a developmental geneticist who is a leader in the development and use of reproductive technologies, embryo and germ cell manipulations, and the genetic engineering of cells. The President's Symposium, Genomics, Genetics, and Reproductive Biology, featured talks by Huntington Willard, Ph.D.; David H. Ledbetter, Ph.D.; and Robert E. Braun, Ph.D. The speakers described improvements in diagnostic capabilities for families of developmentally disabled children that have led to new standards of care and treatment for genetic diseases; presented results of studies on the nature of genome organization and its impact on gene expression and genome biology; and revealed new information demonstrating the molecular function of the testosterone in spermatogenesis. State-of-the-Art Lectures by Myles Brown, M.D.; Ruth Lehmann, Ph.D.; and James (Jay) C. Cross, D.V.M., Ph.D.; covered the following topics: the important role of corregulatory molecules in mediating the transcriptional activity of estrogen receptors; how germline stem cells balance self-renewal with differentiation; and how RNA expression screens are used to identify genes whose RNAs are present in germ cells. Concurrent Exchange Lectures featured investigators discussing chromatin remodeling and embryo development, regulation and expression of cytochrome enzymes in the placenta, and the regulation of ovulation rate and ovarian function by oocyte-glycoproteins. The scientific program included 15 minisymposia, each with 3 talks (total of 45 speakers); 24 platform sessions, with a total of 144 speakers; and three 2-hour poster sessions presenting a total of approximately 500 posters. Several minisymposia addressed subjects of direct relevance to the USDA/NRI, including: Evolution and Development of the Placenta (MS V); Genomics of Domesticated Species (MS VI); and Embryonic Stem Cells & Induced Embryonic Stem Cells from Domesticated Species (MS XIII). In 2010, 484 attendees of the annual meeting were Trainees - a large percentage of whom represented animal science departments and agriculture backgrounds. From the more than 190 abstracts submitted in competition for the USDA NRI CSREES Awards, the SSR Awards Committee selected 11 Trainees for USDA CSREES NRI Merit Awards ($500 each fellowship). Selection was based upon scientific merit and the relevancy of the described research to enhance our understanding of reproduction in agriculturally important species. The Awardees were recognized formally at a special ceremony during the annual meeting. PARTICIPANTS: John H. Nilson, Ph.D., Principal Investigator (PI). Dr. Nilson coordinated the scientific program for the 2010 Annual Meeting. He is Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professor and Director of the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University. Dr. Nilson is an AAAS Fellow (2010), and received a Beacon Award at Frontiers in Reproduction (2009). He received a B.A. in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma in 1972, a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of New Mexico in 1976, and did his Postgraduate work in Molecular Biology at Michigan State University. He served as Chair of the SSR Program Committee for the SSR 37th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, BC; as Vice-President for Basic Sciences for the Endocrine Society from 2003 - 2005; and as SSR President (2009 - 2010). Ruth A. Keri, Ph.D., and Leslie L. Heckert, Ph.D., Co-Chairs, 2010 SSR Program Committee. Drs. Keri and Heckert developed the scientific program for this project, leading the choice of topics and speakers for the Plenary Lectures and Minisymposia, assigning venues for scientific sessions, evaluating abstracts, and organizing the poster and platform sessions. Dr. Keri's doctoral and post-doctoral training focused in molecular endocrinology, with an emphasis on transcriptional control of glycoprotein hormone genes in vitro and in genetically manipulated mouse models. Her lab utilizes genome-based approaches to identify candidate genes that may regulate hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancers. In addition, a division of Dr. Keri's laboratory focuses on early environmental exposures to reproductive endocrine disruptors and their ultimate impact on mammary cancer susceptibility. She is a member of the faculty of Frontiers in Reproduction, where she teaches web-based bioinformatics in reproductive biology. She served as an editorial board member for Biology of Reproduction, and as a member of the Program Committee for the Annual Meeting of the SSR in 2009 and 2010. Dr. Leslie Heckert is Co-Director of the Center for Reproductive Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center and has recently served as section director of the Frontiers in Reproduction summer course at the Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, MA. She is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Integrated Physics and a Marion M. Osborn Professor in Reproductive Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas. She won an Investigator Research Award at the same institution (1999), was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow NRSA (1993-1996) at Case Western Reserve University, and received a Harriett B. Rigas Award for outstanding graduate studies from Washington State University (1991). Dr. Heckert's lab studies the molecular mechanisms that regulate cellular differentiation and organ development of the reproductive system. Through these studies, she hopes to provide insight into the genetic events necessary for formation and function of the gonads, expanding our understanding of the biological requirements for organ development and reproduction. She is a member of the Editorial Boards of Biology of Reproduction and Journal of Andrology. TARGET AUDIENCES: Funds were requested for partial support of the 2010 Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Specifically, funds were used for registration and travel expenses for invited speakers who presented research targeting agriculturally important species in plenary lectures and minisymposia, as well as Travel Merit Awards for ten qualified trainees who presented abstracts relevant to the goals of the USDA NRI and who were not supported by an NRSA. The meeting was designed to have broad appeal and application to a wide range of scientists in the reproductive sciences, including those focused on agriculturally important animals. Fifteen minisymposia (totaling 45 speakers) were held on subjects of current interest to researchers in animal science, biomedical, clinical, wildlife, and environmental sectors. Approximately 48% of the attendees at the meeting were trainees, with a large percentage from animal science departments and agricultural backgrounds. Trainees were selected for NRI Trainee Merit Awards by the SSR Awards Committee based upon the scientific merit of their submitted abstracts and the relevance of their project to the goals of the USDA. The focus on trainees and domestic animal research was a strong component of the SSR Annual Meeting. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Each year, the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction serves two major goals: (1) exchange of scientific information among scientists in the field of reproduction and (2) advancing the training and development of young scientists. Both objectives have a tremendous impact on the progress, growth, and vitality of the field. Funds from the USDA provide vital support in SSR's achievement of these goals. Significant findings were discussed at the 43rd Annual Meeting. For example, in pigs and sheep, the glycocode has been discovered to potentially act as a barrier to interspecies hybridization, which will help scientists better understand glycan-dependent functions of trophoblast that contribute to successful reproductive outcomes. Additional research in mules reveals a better understanding of imprinted genes that are important in normal fetal and placental development, which is translatable to pigs, cattle, and humans. Studies in sheep provide evidence that genes captured from ancestral retroviruses are pivotal in acquiring new, important functions in mammalian evolution, and which play biological roles in genome plasticity, protection against infection from retroviruses, and placental morphogenesis. In cows, pluripotency can be induced in somatic cells, which will be useful for a wide range of biotechnology applications. Additionally, pluripotent stem cell research reveals that grafts from pigs can potentially be made to match other animals, which will likely advance swine as a model in biomedical research. Much of the presented research was the work of SSR's trainee members, and eleven of them were selected to receive a USDA NRI CSREES Travel Merit Award of $500 to attend the 2010 Annual Meeting and present their data for discussion. Each of the following awardees presented his or her award-winning research at a platform or poster session during the meeting, and is continuing a career in research, education, or administration: Alfredo Antoniazzi (Abstract 229) Joseph Chen (Abstract 169) Takuo Hojo (Abstract 214) Sheikh Jobe (Abstract 190) Lacey Luense (Abstract 183) Dulce Maroni (Abstract 228) Yukari Tasaki (Abstract Abstract 419) Bhanu Prakash Telugu (Abstract 146) Swamy Tripurani (Abstract 70) Jessye Wojtusik (Abstract 614) Ye Yuan (Abstract 390)
Publications
- All abstracts, including those of trainees, symposium speakers, plenary speakers and the Keynote Address were published, in print in the 2010 Special Issue (2010 Program/Abstract Supplement) of Biology of Reproduction, and remain available online at: http://www.ssr.org/Documents/2010-07-16Abstracts.pdf
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Progress 07/01/09 to 06/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) was held July 18-22, 2009, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 2009 meeting theme, "Science for the Public Good," emphasized the importance of basic research and its impact on both human and animal health. Key features of the Program were the Keynote Address, "Chronic Disease Begins in the Womb," given by Dr. David Barker, who originated the concept of fetal origins of adult disease; the President's Symposium, "Reproductive Policy and the Public Good," focusing on the advocacy of science and emphasizing the practice of reproductive policy as it impacts public health; the President's Symposium, with three speakers addressing the importance of animal research, research support, and funding for science, and the impact of public policy to move the scientific agenda forward in the 21st century; a Historical Perspectives presentation of "Environmental Estrogens from the Very Beginning," which reviewed estrogen receptors as they are affected by natural and synthetic chemicals occurring in the environment; State-of-the-Art Lectures on epigenetics, microRNAs, and the molecular basis of adult disease; Concurrent Lectures from the SRF New Investigator, the ASRM Distinguished Researcher, and the SSR New Investigator discussing regulation of spindle integrity and function in the mammalian oocyte development, environmental contaminants and role of responsible scientific advocacy in regulating chemical policies, and male infertility and spermiogenic defects, respectively; 15 Minisymposia, each with 3 talks (total of 45 speakers); 24 platform sessions, with a total of 144 speakers; and three 2-hour poster sessions presenting a total of 485 posters. Pertinent to this application, five of the minisymposia directly addressed subjects consistent with the mission of the USDA/NRI: "Developmental Origins of Health and Disease," "Why Early Bovine and Porcine CL Do Not Die after Prostaglandin F2 Alpha," "Female Control: Sperm Movement and Storage in the Oviduct," "Activating the Egg: A Tale of Two Molecules," and "Arcuate Kisspeptin Neurons Play a Key Role in the Feedback Control of GnRH Secretion in Sheep." Other topics and talks were also relevant to the overall objectives of the USDA CSREES NRI. In 2009, 493 attendees at the annual meeting were Trainees---a large percentage from animal science departments and agriculture backgrounds. From the more than 180 abstracts submitted in competition for the USDA NRI CSREES Awards, the SSR Awards Committee selected 10 Trainees for USDA CSREES NRI Merit Awards ($500 each fellowship). Selection was based upon scientific merit and the relevancy of the described research to enhance our understanding of reproduction in agriculturally important species. The Awardees were recognized formally at a special ceremony during the annual meeting. PARTICIPANTS: Asgerally T. Fazleabas, Ph.D., Principal Investigator (PI). Dr. Fazleabas coordinated the scientific program for the 2009 Annual Meeting. He was Professor of Physiology and the Director of the Center for Women's Health and Reproduction at the College of Medicine at Chicago, and has since been recruited to Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, and Director of the Center for Women's Health Research at Michigan State University, where he researches the viability of various non-human primates as models to improve our understanding of endometriosis. Since 1996, he has served SSR on numerous committees and in roles of Director, President-Elect, and President, as well as Associate Editor for Biology of Reproduction (BOR). He has served as an ad hoc reviewer for the USDA National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program and as Chair of the NIH Reproductive Biology/Cellular, Molecular and Integrative Reproduction Study Sections. Dr. Fazleabas was a Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois (2000-2001), a Beacon Award Winner at the Frontiers in Reproduction, Marine Biological Laboratories, in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (2005), and a UIC Fellow at the Academic Leadership Program for the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (2005-2006). He received a B.S. in Dairy Science from California State University in Fresno, California (1974), an M.S. and Ph.D. (1976 and 1980) from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a Postdoctoral Degree in Reproductive Physiology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Florida, Gainseville (1983). Patricia Hunt, Ph.D., Chair, Program Committee for 2009. Dr. Hunt developed the scientific program for this project. She led the choice of topics and speakers for the Plenary lectures and Minisymposia, assigned venues for scientific sessions, evaluated abstracts, and organized the poster and platform sessions. Dr. Hunt is an Edward Meyer Distinguished Professor in the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University. Her lab studies the role age plays in altering chromosomes in human eggs. Additionally, her research has revealed that environmentally relevant doses of BPA cause meiotic disruption in the mouse, and current studies focus on determining the reproductive effects of exposure to chemicals with estrogenic activity during different developmental stages. Dr. Hunt received her Bachelors Degree at Michigan State University (1977), and a Masters and Doctorate Degree in Genetics and Reproductive Biology from the University of Hawaii, Honolulu (1979 and 1983). She is a former faculty member at Case Western Reserve University (1992-2004) and Emory University (1988-1992). She has been a member of SSR since 1991, and has served on the Awards Committee, Nominating Committee, Future Meetings Committee, Public Affairs Committee, and as a Director (2009-2012). Dr. Hunt has also served as a Reviewing Editor and on the Editorial Board of Biology of Reproduction (BOR). She was named one of the top 50 researchers of the year by Scientific American in 2007. TARGET AUDIENCES: Funds were requested for partial support of the 2009 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Specifically, funds were used for registration and travel expenses for invited speakers who presented research targeting agriculturally important species in plenary lectures and minisymposia, as well as Travel Merit Awards for ten qualified trainees who presented abstracts relevant to the goals of the USDA NRI and who were not supported by an NRSA. The meeting was designed to have broad appeal and application to a wide range of scientists in the reproductive sciences, including those focused on agriculturally important animals. Fifteen minisymposia (totaling 45 speakers) were held on subjects of current interest to researchers in animal science, biomedical, clinical, wildlife, and environmental sectors. Approximately 49% of the attendees at the meeting were trainees, with a large percentage from animal science departments and agricultural backgrounds. Trainees were selected for NRI Trainee Merit Awards by the SSR Awards Committee based upon the scientific merit of their submitted abstracts and the relevance of their project to the goals of the USDA. The focus on trainees and domestic animal research was a strong component of the SSR Annual Meeting. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction serves two major goals: (1) exchange of scientific information among scientists in the field of reproduction and (2) advancing the training and development of young scientists. Both objectives have a tremendous impact on the progress, growth, and vitality of the field. Funds from the USDA provide vital support in SSR's achievement of these goals. Some of the significant findings discussed at the 42nd Annual Meeting included the following: in sheep, a reduction of B vitamins and methionine for intending mothers epigenetically modifies DNA in offspring and leads to obesity and alters immune responses to antigenic challenge, insulin resistance, and elevated blood pressure, thereby illustrating the need for more research into this phenomenon as it relates to gametogenesis and preimplantation development; the inter-cellular regulatory mechanisms that underlie luteolysis in cows and pigs are potentially extrapolative to other tissue regression states; and a cow's reproductive system appears to exert greater control over sperm than previously thought, including regulating their access to the oviduct, holding them in storage prior to ovulation, sending signals to release them as ovulation approaches, and modulating flagellar bending which may help direct the sperm to the oocyte. Research in ewes indicates that ARC kisspeptin neurons mediate steroid negative feedback, spurring further exploration of the possibility that they also affect positive feedback action of estradiol. Another presentation showed that trisphosphate (IP3R1) undergoes phosphorylation and redistribution during egg maturation, which will lead to further research of the cellular mechanisms and kinases that participate in these adaptations. Much of the presented research was the work of SSR's trainee members, and ten of them were selected to receive a USDA NRI CSREES Travel Merit Awards of $500 to attend and present their data at the 2009 Annual Meeting. Each of the following awardees presented his or her award-winning research at a platform or poster session during the meeting, and is continuing a career in research, education, or administration: Alfredo Q. Antoniazzi (Abstract 573) Kathrin A. Dunlap (Abstract 427) Haijun Gao (Abstract 402) Zhongaliang Jiang (Abstract 570) Sergio A. Machado (Abstract 294) Manjula P.S. Magamage (Abstract 506) Wzirai Muruvi (Abstract 200) Daniel H. Poole (Abstract 87) Rebecca M. Simmons (Abstract 181) Tamara J. Strauss (Abstract 239)
Publications
- All abstracts, including those of trainees, symposium speakers, plenary speakers and the Keynote Address were published, in print in the 2009 Special Issue (2009 Program/Abstract Supplement) of Biology of Reproduction, and remain available online at: http://www.biolreprod.org/content/vol81/1_MeetingAbstracts/
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Progress 07/01/08 to 06/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The 41st Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) was held May 27-30, 2008, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The 2008 meeting consisted of a rich diversity of research topics selected to appeal to a wide range of scientists in the reproductive sciences. The 2008 meeting drew 1,004 participants. The major features of the Program were the Keynote Address on "Sex, Fat, and Breast Cancer"; the President's Symposium, which honored the life work of Dr. Ryuzo Yanagimachi; State-of-the-Art Lectures on developmental cell reprogramming and mammalian blastocyst stem cells; Concurrent Lectures from the SRF New Investigator, the ASRM Distinguished Researcher, and the SSR New Investigator on mechanisms of uterine pathology, pregnancy disorders, and determining cell fate in fetal tissue, respectively; 15 Minisymposia, each with 3 talks (total of 45 speakers); 24 platform sessions, with a total of 144 speakers; and five, 2-hour poster sessions presenting a total of 491 posters. Pertinent to this application, three of the Minisymposia directly addressed subjects consistent with the mission of the USDA/NRI: "When Does Implantation Begin"; Lymphocyte-Promoted Endometrial Angiogenesis and Its Relation to Pregnancy Success"; and "Factors Affecting Oocyte Quality: A Large Animal Model." Other topics and talks were also relevant to the overall objectives of the USDA CSREES NRI. In 2008, 371 attendees at the annual meeting were Trainees---a large percentage from animal science departments and agriculture backgrounds. From the more than 250 abstracts submitted in competition for the USDA NRI CSREES Awards, the SSR Awards Committee selected 10 Trainees for USDA NRI CSREES travel fellowships ($500 each fellowship). Selection was based upon the scientific merit and the relevancy of the described research to enhance our understanding of reproduction in agriculturally important species. The Awardees were recognized formally at a special ceremony during the annual meeting. PARTICIPANTS: Douglas M. Stocco, Ph.D., Principal Investigator (PI). Dr. Stocco coordinated the scientific program for the 2008 Annual Meeting. He is a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas. Since 1984, he has served SSR on numerous committees, as a Director, President, and President-Elect, and as an Associate Editor for Biology of Reproduction (BOR). He has served on the Reproductive Biology Study Section of the NIH, and he has received an NIH Merit Award (1991) and the Transatlantic Medal from the British Endocrine Society (1999). He holds the Robert A. Welch endowed chair in Biochemistry and has received numerous awards from Texas Tech University, including University Distinguished Professor (2003), and the Deans Award, President's Research Award, and Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award (all in 2005). His laboratory identified a key protein required for steroid production, the Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory, or StAR, protein and cloned the StAR cDNA. This discovery had a major impact on studies of steroid biosynthesis. John R. McCarrey, Ph.D., Chair, Program Committee for 2008. Dr. McCarrey developed the scientific program for this project. He led the choice of topics and speakers for the Plenary lectures and Minisymposia, assigned venues for scientific sessions, evaluated abstracts, and organized the poster and platform sessions. Dr. McCarrey is Professor of Cell & Molecular Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He holds joint appointments in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Cellular & Structural Biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and in the Department of Comparative Medicine at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. He is also an affiliate scientist of the Southwest National Primate Research Center in San Antonio, and Director of the San Antonio Institute for Cellular and Molecular Primatology. Dr. McCarrey's research interests focus on the development, differentiation, and function of mammalian germ cells and stem cells. He has been a member of SSR since 1989, and has served on the Program Committee (2002-2003), the Editorial Board of BOR (2003-2005), the Annual Meeting-Industrial Relations Subcommittee of the Development Committee (2006), and Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee (2007). TARGET AUDIENCES: Funds were requested for partial support of the 2008 Annual Meeting in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Specifically, funds were used for registration and travel expenses for invited speakers who presented research targeting agriculturally important species in plenary lectures and minisymposia, as well as Travel Merit Awards for ten qualified trainees who presented abstracts relevant to the goals of the USDA NRI and who were not supported by an NRSA. The meeting was designed to have broad appeal and application to a wide range of scientists in the reproductive sciences, including those focused on agriculturally important animals. Fifteen minisymposia (totaling 45 speakers) were held on subjects of current interest to researchers in animal science, biomedical, clinical, wildlife, and environmental sectors. Approximately 37% of the attendees at the meeting were trainees, with a large percentage from animal science departments and agricultural backgrounds. Trainees were selected for NRI Trainee Merit Awards by the SSR Awards Committee based upon the scientific merit of their submitted abstracts and the relevance of their project to the goals of the USDA. The focus on trainees and domestic animal research was a strong component of the SSR Annual Meeting. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The annual meeting of the SSR serves two major goals: (1) exchange of scientific information among scientists in the field of reproduction and (2) advancing the training and development of young scientists. Both objectives have a tremendous impact on the progress, growth, and vitality of the field. Funds from the USDA provide vital support in SSR's achievement of these goals. Some of the significant findings discussed at the 41st Annual Meeting included the following: a loss of epithelial PGR and the actions of placental hormones in sheep and humans modify the local uterine mivroenvironment, which establishes uterine receptivity to support embryo implantation and ensures the secretion of histotroph, a requirement for successful mammalian conception and growth; discover---across species---of common gene networks and pathways during the peri-implantation period; use of cellular and molecular signals regulating uterine receptivity and implantation to identify causes of recurrent pregnancy loss and to help improve pregnancy outcome in domestic animals, as well as humans. Other presentations illuminated improved oocyte quality in pigs relative to assisted porcine reproductive technologies; this work has facilitated studies to establish which genes might be critical for competent oocyte development. In addition to these findings, ten trainee researchers received USDA NRI CSREES fellowships of $500 each, to attend and present data at the 2008 Annual Meeting. Each of the following Fellows presented his or her award-winning research at a platform or poster session during the meeting, and are continuing their careers in research, education, or administration: Daniel Bailey (Abstract 35) Kathrin A. Dunlap (Abstract 307) David W. Erikson (Abstract 23) Nir Etkovitz (Abstract 568) Niamh Forde (Abstract 37) Brandon M. Lingenfelter (Abstract 34) Lori A. McPartlin (Abstract 580) Fanny Odet (Abstract 567) Daniel H. Poole (Abstract 609) Nahid Turan (Abstract 590)
Publications
- All abstracts, including those of trainees, symposium speakers, and the Keynote Address were published, in print and online, in the 2008 Special Issue (2008 Program/Abstract Book) of Biology of Reproduction.
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Progress 07/01/07 to 06/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The 40th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) was held July 21 - 25, 2007, in San Antonio, Texas. The 2007 meeting presented a rich diversity of research topics selected to appeal to a wide range of scientists in the reproductive sciences. SSR 2007 drew 1,039 participants. The theme of the meeting was "Cross-Species Genetic and Genomic Approaches to Studying Reproduction." The Keynote Address was "Stem Cells, Small RNAs, and Self-Renewal"; the President's Symposium, "Gene Networks Critical for Reproduction," included "Molecular Phenotyping of the Cycling Human Endometrium and Hormonally Regulated Genes Important for Implantation" and "Expression Profiling of the Control of Germ Cell Maturation by Sertoli Cells - From Discovery to Hypothesis"; the State-of-the-Art Lectures were "Signal Transduction and Gamete Function: A 2007 Perspective" and "Cloning of Food Animals and Endangered Species"; the Concurrent Lectures from the SRF New Investigator, the ASRM Distinguished Researcher, and the SSR New Investigator were on angiogenesis in the ovary, meta-analysis of reproductive medicine, and stem cell research in the testis, respectively. The program included 15 Minisymposia, each with three talks (total of 45 speakers); 24 Platform Sessions, with a total of 180 speakers; and four, 2.5-hour Poster Sessions with a total of 455 posters. Pertinent to this application, three of the Minisymposia directly addressed subjects consistent with the mission of the USDA NRI CSREES: "Gonadotropins: From Animal Models to the Clinic"; "Conservation and Role of Imprinted Genes in the Placenta of Different Mammalian Species"; and "Cutting-Edge Areas and New Technologies," which included avian embryonic stems cells, primordial germ cells, and transgenic chickens. Other topics and talks were also relevant to the overall objectives of the USDA NRI CSREES. In 2007, 481 of the attendees at the annual meetings were Trainees with a large percentage representing animal science departments and agriculture backgrounds. Of the 169 applicants for the USDA NRI CSREES Award, the SSR Awards Committee selected 12 Trainees for USDA NRI CSREES travel grant fellowships ($500 each fellowship), based upon the scientific merit and the relevancy of the research to enhance our understanding of reproduction in agriculturally important species. The Awardees were recognized formally at a special ceremony during the annual meeting. PARTICIPANTS: Douglas M. Stocco, Ph.D., Principal Investigator (PI). Dr. Stocco coordinated the scientific program for the 2007 Annual Meeting. He is a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas. Since 1984, he has served SSR on numerous committees, as a Director and President-Elect, and as an Associate Editor for Biology of Reproduction (BOR). He has served on the Reproductive Biology Study Section of the NIH, and he has received an NIH Merit Award (1991) and the Transatlantic Medal from the British Endocrine Society (1999). He holds the Robert A. Welch endowed chair in Biochemistry and has received numerous awards from Texas Tech University, including University Distinguished Professor (2003), and the Deans Award, President's Research Award, and Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award (all in 2005). His laboratory identified a key protein required for steroid production, the Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory, or StAR, protein and cloned the StAR cDNA. This discovery had a major impact on studies of steroid biosynthesis. William W. Thatcher, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator. Dr. Thatcher is a Graduate Research Professor Emeritus in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. Since 1972, he has served on numerous SSR committees, as Director, President, and as an Associate Editor of BOR. He served on the editorial boards of Animal Science, Dairy Science, Theriogenology, Animal Reproduction Science, and Reproduction-Nutrition-Development; as a panel manager of the Reproductive Biology of Animals Panel of the USDA/CSRS NRI Competitive Grants Program (1992), and as Panel Chair within the USDA-ISRAEL BARD program. His research program in cattle has been associated with ovarian follicular development, maternal-embryo interactions, and developmental approaches for regulating reproductive function to enhance production and health. Martin M. Matzuk, M.D., Ph.D., Chair, Program Committee for 2007. Dr. Matzuk developed the scientific program for this project. He led the choice of topics and speakers for the Plenary lectures and minisymposia, assigned venues for scientific sessions, evaluated abstracts, and organized the poster and platform sessions. Dr. Matzuk received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington University School of Medicine, and is currently a Professor in the Departments of Pathology, Molecular and Human Genetics, and Molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine. He has held the Stuart A. Wallace Chair in Pathology since 1999, received the SSR Research Award in 2001, and has served on the several SSR committees, and on the BOR Editorial Board. Dr. Matzuk's research is directed at identifying the critical proteins involved in normal and abnormal reproductive development. His studies focus on both extragonadal regulators, including LH and FSH, and intragonadal regulators, including inhibins, activins, and growth/differentiation factor 9 (GDF9). Major focus has been dealing with effects of the postpartum period, nutrition, and heat stress on ovarian follicular and corpus luteum functions and embryo survival. TARGET AUDIENCES: Funds were requested for partial support of the 2007 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Specifically, funds were used for registration and travel expenses for invited speakers who presented research targeting agriculturally important species in plenary lectures and minisymposia, as well as Travel Merit Awards for twelve qualified trainees who presented abstracts relevant to the goals of the USDA NRI and who were not supported by an NRSA. The meeting was designed to have broad appeal and application to a wide range of scientists in the reproductive sciences, including those focused on agriculturally important animals. Fifteen Minisymposia (totaling 45 speakers) were held on subjects of current interest to researchers in animal science, biomedical, clinical, wildlife, and environmental sectors. Approximately half of the attendees at the meeting were trainees, with a large percentage from animal science departments and agricultural backgrounds. Trainees were selected for NRI Trainee Merit Awards by the SSR Awards Committee based upon the scientific merit of their submitted abstracts and the relevance of their project to the goals of the USDA. The focus on trainees and domestic animal research was a strong component of the SSR Annual Meeting. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Annual Meeting of the SSR served two major goals: (1) exchange of scientific information among scientists in the field of reproduction and (2) training of young scientists. Both had a tremendous impact on the progress, growth, and vitality of the field. Funds from the USDA were vitally important to achieve these goals.
Publications
- All abstracts, including those of trainees, symposium speakers, and the Keynote Address were published in the 2007 Special Issue (2007 Program/Abstract Book) of Biology of Reproduction.
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