2025 FIR Schedule

Section 1

Time	Faculty	Activity
Sunday, April 27
6PM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Introduction to FIR
	Djurdjica Coss, UC Riverside	Introduction to Section 1
Monday, April 28
9AM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Lecture: Overview of the HPG axis
11AM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Lab: Transcription
7PM	Djurdjica Coss, UC Riverside	Lecture: Signal transduction in the HPG axis
Tuesday, April 29
9AM	Ursula Kaiser, BWH	Lecture: GnRH and kisspeptin neurons
11AM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Lab: Transcription
7PM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Lecture: Activins and Inhibins
Wednesday, April 30
9AM	Richard Piet, Kent State	Lecture: GnRH / Kisspeptin neurons electrophys Circadian rhythms and ovulation
11AM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Lab: Transcription
7PM	Richard Auchus, University of Michigan	Lecture: Steroidogenesis and mass spectrometry
Thursday, May 1
9AM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Pituitary / gonadotrope / GnRH action
11AM	Dan Bernard, McGill University Chris, Zeiss or Louise, Leica	Lab: RNA scope Microscopy Workshop (during incubation)?
7PM	Dan Bernard, McGill University and Djurdjica Coss, UC Riverside Trainees	Chalk talk examples 4 Practice talks
Friday, May 2
9AM	Dan Dumesic, UCLA	Lecture: PCOS
11AM	Dan Bernard, McGill University	Lab (may continue after 9 PM): RNA scope
7PM	FIRbees	Lab wrap-up: Preparation
Saturday, May 3
9AM	FIRbees	Lab wrap-up: Presentations for week 1 labs
Sunday, May 4
Free day
Monday, May 5
9AM	Ravi Balasubramanian, Mass General	Lecture: Genetics of human puberty
11AM	Djurdjica Coss, UC Riverside	Lab (may continue after 9 PM): Pituitary primary cell cultures and ELISA
7PM	Stephanie Pangas, Baylor	Lecture: Follicle Development
Tuesday, May 6
9AM	Djurdjica Coss, UC Riverside	Lecture: Metabolic control of reproduction
11AM	Djurdjica Coss, UC Riverside	Lab (may continue after 9 PM): Pituitary primary cell cultures and ELISA
7PM	Carolyn Cummins, University of Toronto	Nuclear receptor signaling and epigenetics
Wednesday, May 7
9AM	Steve Hammes, U Rochester	Lecture: Androgen action in the ovary
11AM	Djurdjica Coss, UC Riverside	Lab: Pituitary primary cell cultures and ELISA
3PM	Stephanie Pangas, Baylor	Lab: (may continue after 9 PM) Granulosa cells cultures and Western Blot
7PM	Steve Hammes, U Rochester	Lecture: Reproduction case conference
Thursday, May 8
9AM	Stephanie Page, U of Washington	Lecture: FSH, Sertoli, and male contraception
11AM	Stephanie Pangas, Baylor	Lab: (may continue after 9 PM) Granulosa cells cultures and Western Blot
7PM	Raj Kumar, University of Colorado	Lecture: LH action and mouse models
Friday, May 9
9AM	Trainees	Chalk research talks
11AM	Stephanie Pangas, Baylor	Lab: (may continue after 9 PM) Granulosa cells cultures and Western Blot
7PM	FIRbees	Lab wrap-up preparation
Saturday, May 10
9AM	FIRbees	Lab wrap-up: Presentations for week 2 Labs

Section 2

Download Section 2 Schedule

Time	Faculty	Activity
Sunday, May 11
7PM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University	Intro to Section 2 and FIRbee chalk talks
Monday, May 12
9AM	Yosi Aizen, Ruppin Acad. Center	Lecture: Gonadotropins in fish, reptiles and crustaceans
11AM	Brian Hermann, University of Texas, San Antonio	GROUP 1: Testes- Single cell RNA sequencing
11AM	Mariano Buffone, IBYME, CONICET	GROUP 2: Sperm capacitation & cryopreservation
7PM	Brian Hermann, University of Texas, San Antonio	Lecture: Stem cells, spermatogenesis and male fertility
Tuesday, May 13
9AM	Elizabeth Snyder, Rutgers University	Lecture: Spermiogenesis
11AM	Brian Hermann, University of Texas, San Antonio	GROUP 2: Testes- Single cell RNA sequencing
11AM	Mariano Buffone, IBYME, CONICET	GROUP 1: Sperm capacitation & cryopreservation
7PM	Brian Hermann, University of Texas, San Antonio	Dry Lab: Seurat Analysis of single cell RNA sequencing
Wednesday, May 14
9AM	Yosi Aizen, Ruppin Acad. Center	GROUP 1: Zebrafish IVF
9AM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University	GROUP 2: Mouth pipetting clinic/Writing workshop part 1
1PM	Mariano Buffone, IBYME, CONICET	Lecture: Sperm Capacitation: Signaling pathways that lead to fusion of sperm and egg
7PM	Elizabeth Snyder, Rutgers University	Dry Lab: Testes histology
Thursday, May 15
9AM	Yosi Aizen, Ruppin Acad. Center	GROUP 2: Zebrafish IVF
9AM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University	GROUP 1: Mouth pipetting clinic
11AM	Laurinda Jaffe, UConn Health Center	GROUP 1: Marine animal fertilization
11AM	Shuo Xiao, Rutgers University Lisa Mehlmann, UConn Health Center	GORUP 2: Follicular culture and follicle injection
7PM	Shuo Xiao, Rutgers University	Lecture: Folliculogenesis and ovarian toxicology
Friday, May 16
9AM	Laurinda Jaffe, UConn Health Center	Lecture: Regulation of meiotic arrest and meiosis resumption by the ovarian follicle
11AM	Laurinda Jaffe, UConn Health Center	GROUP 2: Marine animal fertilization
11AM	Shuo Xiao, Rutgers University Lisa Mehlmann, UConn Health Center	GROUP 1: Follicular culture and follicle injection
7PM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University Linda Rice, UConn Health Center	Writing workshop part 2
Saturday, May 17
Free Day
Sunday, May 18
7PM	Francesca Cole, University of TX, MD Anderson Cancer Center	Lecture: Prophase I and meiotic recombination
Monday, May 19
9AM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University	Lecture: Oocyte maturation and aneuploidy
11AM	Francesca Cole, University of TX, MD Anderson Cancer Center	GROUP 1: Vertebrate meiotic prophase
11AM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University	GROUP 2: Vertebrate oocyte maturation
7PM	Rafael Fissore, UMass Amherst	Lecture: Ca2+ homeostasis and its role in fertilization and egg activation
Tuesday, May 20
9AM	Amber Krachunas, University of Delaware	Lecture: Fertilization in C. elegans
11AM	Francesca Cole, University of TX, MD Anderson Cancer Center	GROUP 2: Vertebrate meiotic prophase
11AM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University	GROUP 1: Vertebrate oocyte maturation
7PM	Paula Stein, NIEHS	Lecture: Mammalian EGA/cleavage stage embryo development
Wednesday, May 21
9AM	Greg FitzHarris, University of Montreal	Lecture: Imaging and preimplantation embryogenesis
11AM	Amber Krachunas, University of Delaware Aimee Jaramillo-Lambert, University of Delaware	GROUPS 1 and 2: Lab Intro and picking 101
1:30PM	Amber Krachunas, University of Delaware Aimee Jaramillo-Lambert, University of Delaware	GROUP 1: Worm sperm activation GROUP 2: Worm meiosis
7PM	Free time
Thursday, May 22
9AM	Amy Ralston, Michigan State University	Lecture: Preimplantation embryo development and CRISPR
11AM	Paula Stein, NIEHS	GROUP 1: ICSI
11AM	Carmen Williams, NIEHS	GROUP 2: Mouse IVF
7PM	Carmen Williams, NIEHS	Lecture: Environmental impacts on the female reproductive tract and embryos
Friday, May 23
9AM	Paulo Rinaudo, UCSF	Lecture: Female infertility/Assisted reproductive technologies
11AM	Paula Stein, NIEHS	Group 2: ICSI
11AM	Carmen Williams, NIEHS	GROUP 1: Mouse IVF
7PM	Karen Schindler, Rutgers University Paulo Rinaudo, UCSF	Bioethics
Saturday, May 24
Free Day

Section 3

Download Section 3 Schedule

Time	Faculty	Activity
Sunday, May 25
7PM	Margaret Petroff, Michigan State University	Introduction to Section 3
Monday, May 26
9AM	Miranda Bernhardt, Washington State University	Lecture: Genetic Engineering Approaches in Reproductive Biology
1PM	Miranda Bernhardt, Washington State University	Lab: Embryo Transfer and Gene Editing
7PM	Indrani Bagchi, University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign	Lecture: Implantation/Decidualization
Tuesday, May 27
9AM	Margaret Petroff, Michigan State University Lisa Vrooman, Oregon Health & Science University	Lab: Placenta staining
10:30AM	Myriam Hemberger, University of Calgary	Lecture: Mouse Placenta via Zoom
1:30PM	Margaret Petroff, Michigan State University Lisa Vrooman, Oregon Health & Science University	Lab: Placenta Dissection; and Ectoplacental Cone Dissection and Culture Finish placenta staining
4:30PM	Miranda Bernhardt, Washington State University	Lab Wrap-up: Embryo Transfer and ES cell injection
7PM	Lynda Harris, University of Nebraska	Lecture: Human Placenta and Pregnancy Complications
Wednesday, May 28
9AM	Tom Spencer, University of Missouri	Lecture: Implantation and placentation of domestic animals
1PM	Tom Spencer, University of Missouri	Lab: Placentation in domestic animals
3:30PM	Students	Practice Presentations Data Collection: stained placentas & EPC cultures
7PM	Margaret Petroff, Michigan State University	Lecture: Reproductive Immunology
Thursday, May 29
9AM	Carolyn Coyne, Duke University	Lecture: Placenta/Infection/organoids
1PM	Margaret Petroff, Michigan State University	Lab: Flow Cytometry
4:30PM	Margaret Petroff, Michigan State University Lisa Vrooman, Oregon Health and Science University	Placenta Lab Wrap-up Data Collection: EPC cultures
7PM	Lisa Vrooman, Oregon Health & Science University	Lecture: Fetal Programming of Long-Term Health Outcomes
Friday, May 30
9AM	Joan Jorgensen, University of Wisconsin	Lecture: Sex Determination and the Battle of the Sexes: Gonadal Cells “Duke it Out”
1PM	Joan Jorgensen, University of Wisconsin	Lab: Isolation and Identification of Germ Cells from Embryonic Mouse Gonads – 1
7PM	Soo Hyun Ahn, Michigan State University	Workshop: Flow Cytometry Analysis Students analyze flow data
Saturday, May 31
9AM	Joan Jorgensen, University of Wisconsin	Lab: Isolation and Identification of Germ Cells from Embryonic Mouse Gonads – 2
1PM	Hanne Hoffmann, Michigan State University	Lab: Setup for Circadian Rhythms
Free Evening
Sunday, June 1
Free Day
Monday, June 2
9AM	Clémence Belleannée, Laval University	Lecture: Intercellular cross-talks in the epididymis
1PM	Clémence Belleannée, Laval University	Lab: Wolffian & Müllerian duct development
7PM	Richard Behringer, University of Texas, MD, Anderson Cancer Center	Reproductive Tract Development
Tuesday, June 3
9AM	Mariana Wolfner, Cornell University	Lecture: Gametogenesis in Drosophila
11AM	Mariana Wolfner, Cornell University	Lab Demo: Fly Reproduction
1PM	Mariana Wolfner, Cornell University	Lab: Fly Reproduction
5PM	Clémence Belleannée, Laval University	Lab Wrap-up
7PM	Erika Matunis, Johns Hopkins University	Lecture: Stem Cells in Drosophila Testis
Wednesday, June 4
9AM	Hanne Hoffmann, Michigan State University	Lecture: Circadian Rhythms
1PM	Hanne Hoffmann, Michigan State University	Lab: Circadian Rhythms
7PM	Sam Mesiano, Case Western Reserve University	Lecture: Parturition
Thursday, June 5
9AM	Students	Preparation time for lab wrap-up
1PM	Margaret Petroff, Michigan State University	Section 3 wrap-up
6PM	Luigi Mastroianna Memorial Lecture
Friday, June 6
FIR Symposium
Saturday, June 7
FIR Symposium

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