Source: SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF REPRODUCTION, INC. submitted to
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF REPRODUCTION
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0233901
Grant No.
2013-67015-20776
Project No.
WISW-2013-00808
Proposal No.
2013-00808
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
A1211
Project Start Date
Jun 15, 2013
Project End Date
Jun 14, 2018
Grant Year
2015
Project Director
Jansen, J.
Recipient Organization
SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF REPRODUCTION, INC.
1619 MONROE STREET
MADISON,WI 53711
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The mission of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) is to advance scientific knowledge by promoting outstanding research and training in reproductive sciences, and to protect and preserve human and animal reproductive health. Funding from the USDA conference grant provides partial support for the 2013-2017 SSR annual meetings, which will highlight recent developments in the field and provide trainees (students and postdocs) with career advice and opportunities to connect with established scientists. Funds will be used to support travel of speakers presenting research on agriculturally important species and Travel Merit Awards each year for 10 SSR Trainees who present work relevant to the goals of the USDA AFRI Foundational Program. Training is a key part of the meeting and about 50% of attendees are trainees, many from animal science departments and veterinary schools. The theme of the 2013 meeting is "Reproductive Health: Nano to Global." Programs for future years have not yet been formalized but will generally follow a similar format. In its annual meetings, SSRs goal is to cover a diverse and balanced range of topics, including applied work on agriculturally important species and basic science with strong potential for application to agricultural animal health. Plenary lectures address topics of broad interest, and modular sessions explore specific research topics in depth by combining speaker presentations with guided discussions. Numerous platform and poster sessions round out the program and encourage spirited discussion and debate. Speakers, session chairs, and attendees represent and reflect a diversified society. Approximately half of the meeting attendees are doctoral and postdoctoral students. In recent years, about 45% of meeting attendees have been female; in 2013, the number of women speakers (28) will be greater than that of men (24). Additionally, SSRs 2013 Program Chairs and President are women, as was the case in both 2012 and 2011. Chairs of plenary, concurrent module, and platform sessions will also average approximately 53% women to 47% men. Minority recruitment and involvement in the annual meeting is a high priority for SSR. Of the 873 attendees at the 2012 meeting at The Pennsylvania State University who marked their registration forms for ethnic origin, 26.3% indicated Asian or Pacific Islander, 2.4% indicated Black, 5.0% indicated Hispanic, <1.0% indicated Native American, 55.0% indicated White, and 1.0% did not indicate. Future meetings will be as follows: 2013 Annual Meeting, 20-15 July (Palais des congres de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada); 2014 Annual Meeting, 18-23 July (DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Michigan); 2015 Annual Meeting, 16-21 June (Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan, Puerto Rico); 2016 Annual Meeting, mid-to late-July (Sheraton San Diego, San Diego, California); 2017 Annual Meeting, dates unknown (Eastern third of U.S. location, to be determined). All meeting venues are capable of accommodating plenary, concurrent, and poster sessions, as well as support offices, space for food and beverage breaks, and slide preview rooms for speakers.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3013910100011%
3013910102022%
3013910103034%
3013910104022%
3013910106011%
Knowledge Area
301 - Reproductive Performance of Animals;

Subject Of Investigation
3910 - Cross-commodity research--multiple animal species;

Field Of Science
1020 - Physiology; 1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1030 - Cellular biology; 1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics; 1040 - Molecular biology;
Goals / Objectives
The Society for the Study of Reproductions (SSRs) purpose is to advance scientific knowledge and to protect and preserve human and animal reproductive health. SSRs annual meeting is a primary vehicle for these objectives, attracting research scientists, clinicians, and trainees from more than 30 countries by providing an environment that fosters interaction and discussion. The theme of the 2013 meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, "Reproductive Health: Nano to Global," provides a unique backdrop for the goals of the USDA AFRI Priority Area 2, Animal health and production and animal products, with the AFRI rationale for providing support of Conference Grants to advance knowledge in fundamental and applied agricultural sciences, and the AFRI Foundational Program focus on food and agricultural sciences critical for solving current and future societal challenges while maintaining the sustainability and competitiveness of U.S. agriculture. SSR draws a significant proportion of its members and leaders from animal and veterinary science departments. The 2013 program presents a diverse yet balanced range of topics that includes work in basic science and in agriculturally important species with a strong potential for application to agricultural animal health. Plenary sessions include a Keynote Address on reproductive global health and Presidents Symposium describing unique collaborations that advance the field of reproduction. Other plenary sessions and special symposia comprise a rich offering of the reproductive sciences, past, present, and future. The core of the meeting consists of 20 concurrent modules, the topics of which are distributed among the broad areas of Gametes, Gonads, Hormones, and Reproductive Tracts. The heart of the SSR annual meeting beats strongly in the platform and poster sessions: 150 platform presentations and more than 680 posters, plus Trainee Research Platform and Poster Competitions, are distributed over a 3-day period. About 50% of attendees are doctoral and postdoctoral students, many from animal science departments and veterinary schools. Training is a key part of the meeting, as evidenced by the events and services designed to support the professional development of Trainees: Trainee Forum, focus on career strategies; Trainee-Mentor Luncheon, Trainees matched with established scientists; travel grants, both merit- and need-based; Trainee exhibits, job service and Trainee support services; volunteer opportunities (more than 70 positions), Trainee volunteers support the flow and function of the meeting. Continuing Medical Education (CME) is offered via a partnership with the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Special events include the Opening Reception, 5K Run/Walk, Heritage Luncheon, Minority Affairs Symposium, and BBQ & Dance. Attendees receive a meeting program that includes a schedule of events, program and participant information, and list of abstract topics. The full text of presented abstracts will be published as a supplement to Biology of Reproduction after the meeting, and videos of selected talks will be available online.
Project Methods
The grant will provide support for speakers presenting research on agriculturally important species and for 10 Travel Merit Awards each year for SSR Trainees who present work relevant to the goals of the USDA AFRI Foundational Program. Plenary lectures address topics of broad interest, and modular sessions explore specific research topics in depth by combining presentations and guided discussions. Numerous platform and poster sessions encourage open discussion and debate, and round out the program. The SSR Annual Meeting reflects and furthers the SSRs dedication to training future reproductive scientists through the following approaches: (1) the Trainee Forum (organized by Trainees) provides practical suggestions and advice to prepare for careers in research and teaching; (2) co-chairing scientific sessions; (3) Trainee/Mentor Luncheon (organized by Trainees) promotes engagement between established scientists and Trainees; (4) Trainee Job Service facilitates landing interviews for postdoctoral, faculty, and industry positions; and (5) awards for best poster and platform presentations by Trainees, which promotes excellence in research design and execution. At an SSR meeting, information exchange is active and goes beyond that of audiences listening to lectures. Guided discussions in the modular sessions, the flow of information in poster sessions, and spontaneous exchange of ideas during the Trainee-Mentor Luncheon, Minority Affairs Lunch Symposium, Heritage Luncheon, and poster exhibits all encourage new collaborations. The Trainee Volunteer Subcommittee provides hands-on experience for Trainees to learn how to plan and conduct a major scientific meeting. Trainees provide critical support in key positions, including registration, uploading presentations, sign placement, co-chairing scientific sessions, managing poster sessions, and assisting at multiple meal and social functions. Surveys are conducted after the annual meeting and are used to evaluate the success of the scientific program, schedule, and activities. As part of SSRs CME accreditation (provided through the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, ASRM), participants knowledge of the research presented is tested both before and after the meeting as a means of evaluating the level of learning. ASRM also encourages meeting participants to complete a questionnaire about the meeting: the results are used to evaluate relevance of the meeting, to assess SSRs practices and procedures and to recommend improvements, and to suggest desirable topics for future meetings. A similar survey by the SSR Annual Meeting Advisory Committee (AMAC) evaluates participants overall impressions of the annual meeting and gathers suggestions for future meetings. The results of both surveys are distributed to the SSR Administrative Office, Program Committees, and Board of Directors, and contribute to the design of future meetings.

Progress 06/15/14 to 06/14/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The 2014 Annual Meeting attracted 767 registrants: regular and associate SSR members numbered 299, trainee members - 260, nonmember students - 74, emeritus SSR members - 9, and nonmembers - 125. Ethnicity as indicated by each attendee was as follows: White - 53%; Black - 2%; Hispanic - 6%; Asian/Pacific Islander - 29%; Native American or Alaskan Native - 0%; did not identify ethnicity - 10%. The attendees included 393 males, 338 females, and 36 whose gender was not identified. Registrants represented 27 countries; of those, 522 registrants were from the USA, 23 from Japan, 58 from Canada, 32 from Europe, 40 from Korea, 36 from Central and South America, 23 from Australia and New Zealand, 11 from Near and Middle Eastern countries, and 22 from Far Eastern countries. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The SSR 2014 Annual Meeting provided an intensive schedule of educational oral and poster sessions over a 3.5-day period. Specifically: twenty-four concurrent module sessions provided a breadth of information regarding research in major topic areas; twenty-two platform sessions afforded Trainees and Junior Researchers the opportunity to present their findings to established scientists, mentors, and peers; and three poster sessions, with a total of 380 research posters, encouraged participants to exchange questions and answers with colleagues regarding their research. Participants heard from renowned speakers in major sessions, including a Keynote Address that emphasized the critical need for contraceptive education and services intervention worldwide; a President&#39;s Symposium featuring experts in male and female contraception, followed by a Roundtable Discussion by five leading experts in the field; an AgResearch Plenary Lecture focussed on bovine reproductive physiology and reproductive technologies that will contribute to feeding a growing world population; a Historical Perspectives Lecture presented an overview of lessons learned from the historic cloning of Dolly the sheep that provide new opportunities for the study of degenerative diseases; and a State-of-the-Art Lecture described how sequencing technology is powering genome analyses of humans and animal species. Meeting participants were invited to attend a Diversity Symposium Lecture that described an association between phthalates (semi-volatile organic compounds used to increase the flexibility of plastics, which are present in water supplies) and instances of preterm births, as well as early, abnormal breast development in prepubertal females, for at-risk populations. A Trainee Forum, open to all interested Trainees and early-career scientists, was composed of a diverse panel of speakers who discussed the challenges scientists face in maintaining a work-life balance. A Trainee-Mentor Luncheon matched small groups of Trainees with well-known scientists, providing an opportunity to engage in direct, informal conversation and to discuss careers and research. Continuing Medical Education credits were available to all participants. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Prior to and during the SSR Annual Meeting, organizers disseminated press releases that featured the scientific research being presented at the meeting. Extensive media coverage was arranged through the the Communications Office at Michigan State University, in collaboration with Richett Media, in Grand Rapids. Television interviews between local media representatives and SSR speakers provided information regarding reproductive research that would be of interest to the general public. Video recordings of major sessions have been posted on the Biology of Reproduction Website (SSR&#39;s scientific journal), accessible to all members of SSR. A scientific program was published in both a print and digital version, distributed to all meeting registrants. The digital version was posted on the SSR 2014 Annual Meeting Website: http://www.ssr.org/sites/ssr.org/files/uploads/attachments/node/10/14program.pdf. A meeting app was created and available for download, prior to and during the 2014 Annual Meeting, with links to the schedule, session information, abstracts, and much more. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The theme for the subsequent SSR Annual Meeting is Evolution of Sex, and will feature major Plenary Sessions, poster sessions, and--for the first time--a series of concurrent Focus Sessions, an evolution of the Module format used in recent years. The President and Program Co-Chairs will work collaboratively to identify a series of thematically coherent sessions that will have broad appeal to researchers outside of the Society, as well as to SSR members. The theme is intended to tightly align the annual meeting&#39;s primary goal of bringing together an international group of scientists to learn the most recent advances in the reproductive sciences, while at the same time appealing to other related areas of research. The program organizers, consisting of the President, Program Co-Chairs, and carefully selected Focus Session Chairs, will identify and invite the best scientists in the world to present in the following major topic areas: epigenetics, sex determination, gonadal signaling, gonad development, eiosis, stem cells, oocyte biology, oocyte and embryology technology, fertilization and preimplantation development, the role of ncRNA in fertility, implantation and placenta, pregnancy, nutrition as it relates to reproduction, pituitary, environment, and the ovary. Other major sessions will include an Exchange Lecture, featuring award-winning presenters from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the Society for Reproduction and Fertility (SRF), and SSR&#39;s own 2015 New Investigator Awardee; a Diversity Symposium, a Trainee Affairs Forum, and three poster sessions, each with approximately 200 poster presentations expected. Talks with a focus on agriculture will be incorporated throughout the program.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The meeting&#39;s program, Fertility: A Global Challenge, provided meeting participants with a forum in which they reflected on the many global and diverse backgrounds represented in the reproductive biology research community. Discussions in plenary, module, and platform sessions educated participants on the real-world issues in which reproductive science plays a major role, including the effects of the environment on reproduction in wildlife species, domesticated animals, and humans; the pressing need to regulate population growth; and the development and future of contraception. Participants learned about state-of-the-art approaches for research across the Phyla through round table discussions, and through spirited dialogue between the audiences and presenters. Concurrent sessions at the 2014 SSR Annual Meeting, each with three to four invited speakers, distributed information among the four major topic areas of reproductive biology: gametes, gonads, hormones, and reproductive tracts. Twenty-four platform sessions provided Trainee presenters the opportunity to discuss their research with senior scientists. Together with the Trainee Platform Competition, and daily poster sessions, these emerging scientists practiced and further developed their skills in communication and presentation, which will help them advance on their career paths. The Ag-Research Lecture, featuring USDA-NIFA-sponsored speaker, Dr. Milo Wiltbank (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin), revealed the genomics of early hominids and provided insights into the evolution of Homo sapiens. Additionally, Sir Ian Wilmut (University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) provided a background into the historic relevance of cloning and presented recent progress in nuclear transfer and its global implications. Together, invited speakers, presenters, and meeting participants stimulated new research ideas for globally critical topics of contraception, population control, and how to improve reproductive efficiencies in agricultural species.

Publications


    Progress 06/15/13 to 06/14/14

    Outputs
    Target Audience: The 2013 Annual Meeting attracted 1,239 registrants; Regular and Associate SSR Members numbered--421, Trainee Members--443, Nonmember Students--153, Emeritus SSR Members--10, and Nonmembers--212. Ethnicity as indicated by each attendee was as follows: White--48%, Black--2%, Hispanic--6%, Asian/Pacific Islander--27%, Native American or Alaskan Native--0%, did not identify ethnicity--17%. The attendees included 561 males, 496 females, and 182 who did not reveal gender on the registration form. Registrants represented 37 countries; of those, 581 were from the USA, 82 from Japan, 281 from Canada, 80 from Europe, 56 from Korea, 81 from Central and South America, 34 from Australia and New Zealand, 8 from Near and Middle Eastern countries, and 36 from Far Eastern countries. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The SSR 2013 Annual Meeting provided an intensive schedule of educational oral and poster sessions over a 3.5-day period. Participants heard from renowned speakers in major sessions, including a Keynote Address covering the topic of therapeutics, RNAs, and reproductive global health; a President&#39;s Symposium featuring a physicist, engineer, and mathematician, who assessed factors related to follicle microenvironment, fertilization, and identifying factors that lead to embryonic loss; and a State-of-the-Art Lecture presenting research on the outcomes of immune responses to infection and vaccination. Twenty concurrent module sessions covering major topic areas, twenty-five platform sessions, and three poster sessions with a total of 682 research posters were presented. Meeting participants were able to participate in a Diversity Symposium Lecture that discussed the affects of environmental contaminants on endocrine disruption. A Trainee Forum, open to all interested Trainees and early-career scientists, was composed of a panel of speakers who discussed transitioning from postdoctoral positions into independent careers. A Trainee-Mentor Luncheon matched small groups of Trainees with well-known scientists, providing an opportunity to engage in direct, informal conversation and to discuss careers, research, and maintaining balance between their professional and personal lives. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Before and during the SSR Annual Meeting, meeting organizers disseminated press releases that highlighted key research being presented. A pressroom was established at the Palais de Congres in Montreal, where reporters interviewed scientists and broadcast reports of interest to the scientific community and the public. Agriculture Today, Canadian Newswire, and Reuters, among many other media outlets, generated views and online dialogue of news releases from the meeting. Video recordings of the major plenary sessions have been posted on the Biology of Reproduction Website (SSR&#39;s scientific journal), accessible to all members of SSR. A scientific program including meeting abstracts was published, a print version was distributed to meeting participants, and a digital version was posted on the SSR 2013 Annual Meeting Website: http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/bor/SSR-46th-meeting/index.php. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The theme for the subsequent SSR Annual Meeting is Fertility: A Global Challenge, which will seek to address the global issues of fertility in human beings, domesticated and agricultural animals, and wildlife species--how environmental changes and world-wide population growth affect fertility. A diverse group of speakers will address multiple challenges in their research, such as improving pregnancy rates in dairy cattle, using human cells to study the molecular mechanisms that cause disease, identifying drugs that reduce debilitating symptoms, treating infertility, and understanding the effects of lifestyle on reproductive outcomes. One module will be designated an NIH-USDA Agricultural/Large Animal Species session, to highlight recipients of NIH-USDA collaborative research grants.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Monitoring and managing global population, fostering human and animal reproductive wellbeing and function, protecting the health of offspring, and understanding the effects of human interaction with the environment on all species are the topics that concern members of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR). The SSR Annual Meeting provided a forum where an international community of reproductive biologists, veterinarians, medical doctors, veterinarians, and industry professionals, together with doctoral and postdoctoral trainees, addressed the relevancy of their research to these important topics. Collaboratively, meeting participants assessed the challenges faced by all members of this field and by society as a whole, discussed methods and approaches for solving unanswered questions, and shared important discoveries to encourage innovative discussions that will shape future outcomes. The SSR Annual Meeting provided an intensive, 3.5-day conference consisting of scientific sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to encourage the advancement of scientific knowledge; protect and preserve human and animal health; attract researchers, clinicians, and trainees from all over the world; and provided training for doctoral and postdoctoral Trainees in the field - the next generation of researchers. Together and individually, participants left the SSR meeting with (1) new scientific methods and techniques that could be applied to research and medical practice, and be disseminated to the world through publications; (2) a better understanding of new policies that improved their ability to receive federal research funding; (3) improved communication skills; and (4) more effective decision-making ability. These outcomes, in turn, will help forge a path toward better quality productivity in agricultural animals, improved fertility and birth control for humans and animals, and a healthier, safer environment.

    Publications