This week at the Progress Educational Trust (22 October 2020)

The Progress Educational Trust (PET) is delighted to announce that registration is now open for its 2020 Annual Conference, which is entitled 'Fertility, Genomics and COVID-19', and is taking place from 9.15am-5.30pm (GMT) on Wednesday 9 December 2020.

The conference will explore what we know about, and how we might deal with, coronavirus/COVID-19 in relation to fertility and genomics. Unlike previous PET conferences, this year's conference will be held entirely online, so that you can join us and the speakers remotely.

See the agenda and timetable here, and register to attend here. Note that there is an early-bird discount on the standard attendance fee, if you register before 31 October.

Additionally, the Institute of Medical Ethics has provided funding for 20 medical students to attend the conference free of charge. To apply for one of these places, email sstarr@progress.org.uk

Conference sessions include:

1. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Fertility Sector

2. Examining the Evidence: Can COVID-19 Affect Fertility? Can It Affect the Fetus?

3. Correlation and Causation: What Can Genetics and Genomics Tell Us about COVID-19?

4. Resuming Treatment: What Can European Countries Learn from One Another?

Confirmed speakers and chairs include:

• Dr Kári Stefánsson (Chief Executive of the biopharmaceutical company deCODE Genetics, and leader of recent research into COVID-19 spread and immune response)

• Sally Cheshire (Chair of the HFEA)

• Dr Sharon Moalem (author of bestselling books including Inheritance and The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women)

• Dr Qian Zhang (Research Associate at Rockefeller University, and leader of recent research into immunity/immunodeficiency in patients with life-threatening COVID-19)

• Professor Julian Savulescu (Director of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics)

• Dr Jane Stewart (Chair of the British Fertility Society)

• Professor Allan Pacey (Trustee at PET, and Head of Oncology and Metabolism at the University of Sheffield)

• Dr Anna Veiga (Coordinator of ESHRE's COVID-19 Working Group)

• Dr Luca Gianaroli (Scientific Director of the Italian Society for the Study of Reproductive Medicine)

• Professor Ashley Moffett (Professor of Reproductive Immunology at the University of Cambridge)

• Dr Edgar Mocanu (Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Rotunda Hospital Dublin)

• Dr Nathalie Vermeulen (Senior Research Specialist at ESHRE)

• Dr Roger Highfield (Science Director at the Science Museum Group)

• Fiona Fox (Chief Executive of the Science Media Centre)

• Sarah Norcross (Director of PET)

The conference is supported by the Anne McLaren Memorial Trust Fund, the Edwards and Steptoe Research Trust Fund, ESHRE, Wellcome, the European Sperm Bank, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Theramex, Vitrolife and the Institute of Medical Ethics.

If tweeting about the conference, please use the hashtag #PETconf20

In the run-up to the 'Fertility, Genomics and COVID-19' conference on 9 December, PET is also running a number of free-to-attend online events, all of which will be chaired by Sarah Norcross. The first of these events will be 'Lessons from Lockdown: How to Improve Support for Fertility Patients', taking place from 5pm-6.30pm (GMT) on Thursday 5 November 2020.

This event will discuss how best to support patients, in light of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic and the related disruption of fertility treatment. Confirmed speakers include:

• Dr Zeynep Gurtin (Lecturer in Women's Health at University College London)

• Professor Jacky Boivin (Professor of Health Psychology at Cardiff University)

• Seetal Savla (IVF patient and fertility advocate)

• Carmel Dennehy (Fertility Implications and Support Counsellor at University College Hospital)

All are welcome. Find out more about the themes of the event here, and to attend/participate via the web, please register here now.

This event is being produced in partnership with University College London's EGA Institute for Women's Health, with sponsorship from CooperSurgical. If tweeting about it, please use the hashtag #IVFlockdown

After that, 'IVF Success: What Makes Scotland Special?' is taking place from 5.30pm-7pm (GMT) on Wednesday 18 November 2020.

This event will discuss what can be learned from the successes and experiences of Scottish fertility clinics. Confirmed speakers include:

• Colin Sinclair (Chief Executive of NHS National Services Scotland)

• Sally Cheshire (Chair of the HFEA)

• Dr Abha Maheshwari (Clinical Lead in Reproductive Medicine at the Aberdeen Fertility Centre)

• Gwenda Burns (Chief Executive of Fertility Network UK)

All are welcome. To attend/participate via the web, please register here now.

This event is being produced in partnership with the Scottish Government. If tweeting about it, please use the hashtag #IVFScotland

Finally, 'Fertility Facts: What Do Young People Need to Know and When?' is taking place from 5.30pm-7pm (GMT) on Thursday 3 December 2020.

This event will discuss whether and how (in)fertility should be addressed in sex and relationships education. Confirmed speakers include:

• Professor Adam Balen (Lead Clinician at Leeds Fertility)

• Anna Shams Ili (Communications Director at Sexpression)

• Sharon Martin (Patient Pledge Coordinator at Fertility Network UK)

All are welcome. To attend/participate via the web, please register here now.

This event is being produced in partnership with the Scottish Government. If tweeting about it, please use the hashtag #FertilityEducation