Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/305307
B UILDING ON PREVIOUS research that suggested women with POI may have microscopic, dormant eggs within their ovaries, Aaron Hsueh, PhD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford, performed a study in mice with ovarian failure to see if it was possible to awaken dormant follicles within failing ovaries. His positive results have led to a breakthrough technique in the fi eld of infertility management known as in vitro activation. "Dr. Hsueh found that in mice with ovarian failure, removing the ovarian tissue, treating it in the laboratory with a combination of PTEN inhibitors and growth factors, and mincing the tissue awakened dormant follicles that had been completely resistant to other ovulation efforts," says Valerie Baker, MD, Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and Medical Director of the Stanford Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Group at Stanford University. "This discovery was a real shock and has led to the fi rst promising technique for women with extremely depleted egg supplies whose only other options would be egg donation or adoption." Following the successful results in mice, Dr. Hsueh and Yuan Cheng, PhD, began collaborating with researchers at St. Marianna University School of Medicine in Japan. The international team examined the in vitro activation technique in women suffering from severe POI. That research also yielded promising results. To test the technique, Japanese researchers removed an entire ovary or a portion of an ovary from each participant. Replicating the procedure used in mice, PTEN inhibitors, growth factors and mincing techniques were employed in the laboratory to awaken any dormant follicles within the ovarian tissue. The tissue was then reimplanted near the fallopian tubes, and growth hormones were administered to stimulate egg development. Of the 27 Japanese women who participated in the initial study, fi ve developed mature eggs, which were harvested for in vitro fertilization. So far, one woman has given birth to a healthy baby boy, and another woman is pregnant. Hope for the Future Dr. Baker plans to begin offering this experimental technique at Stanford by mid-2014. Because initial research indicated women have the greatest chance of achieving pregnancy when POI is diagnosed early, she encourages physicians to check the egg supply in women who have irregular menstrual cycles at earlier ages. "Though it will take years of performing this technique before we are able to determine who will be the best candidate for treat- ment, in our preliminary experience in Japan, it appears that this technique works best in women who are only two to three years past their last menstrual period," Dr. Baker says. "While the standard of treatment for POI is still egg donation, for women who do not fi nd egg donation acceptable, I think there's hope that this experimental treatment will provide another choice." ■ FOR WOMEN WITH PRIMARY OVARIAN INSUFFICIENCY (POI) WHO WISH TO HAVE CHILDREN, FEW OPTIONS EXIST BEYOND ADOPTION AND EGG DONATION. A NEW TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED BY RESEARCHERS AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, HOWEVER, MAY HOLD THE KEY TO UNLOCKING POI-RELATED INFERTILITY. By Tiffany Parnell A New Approach to Infertility Management CORE May 2014 Deep Brain Stimulation for Intractable OCD CME provider: Stony Brook School of Medicine Health Science Center Date: May 14 Time: 1–2:30 p.m. Place: Nassau University Medical Center, 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, NY 11554 Contact: sajith@numc.edu; 516-572-4853 4th Annual Sports Medicine Update Prevention and Treatment of Tendon Injuries CME provider: The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook Date: May 16 Time: 7:30 a.m. Place: Stony Brook University, Charles B. Wang Center, Stony Brook, N.Y. Contact: som_cmeoffice@stonybrookmedicine.edu; 631-444-2094; http://medicine. stonybrookmedicine.edu/cme/courses Controversies in Diabetes: 4th Annual Symposium CME provider: Winthrop University Hospital Date: May 16 Time: 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Place: The Garden City Hotel, Garden City, N.Y. Contact: psandre@winthrop.org; 516-663-8459; www.winthrop.org/departments/education/CME Neuro-Oncology Clinical Trials Symposium The Long Island Brain Tumor Center at Neurological Surgery, P.C. CME provider: St. Francis Hospital – The Heart Center Date: May 16 Time: 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Place: DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research and Education, 101 Northern Boulevard, Greenvale, NY Contact: nicola.booker@chsli.org 22nd Update on Arrhythmia Diagnosis and Management CME provider: The Valley Hospital Date: May 17 Time: 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Place: Princeton/Columbia Club of New York Contact: carchibald@medtelligence.net Challenges in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health CME provider: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Date: May 22 Time: 8 a.m. Place: The New York Academy of Medicine Contact: wini.sapong@mssm.edu; 212-731-7950; www.mssm.edu/cme/courses Urology Teaching Day CME provider: Vassar Brothers Medical Center Date: May 22, 2014 Time: 2:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Place: Villa Borghese, Wappingers Falls Contact: Becky Baker, rbaker1@health-quest.org; 845-483-6013; http://vbmc.libguides.com/2014urology Cardiovascular Emergencies CME provider: Vassar Brothers Medical Center Date: May 22 Time: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Place: Joseph Tower Auditorium, Vassar Brothers Medical Center Contact: kbrown@health-quest.org; 845-483-6319 General Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference CME provider: Nyack Hospital Date: May 27, June 24, July 22 Time: 8–9 a.m. Place: Nyack Hospital, the McCormack Conference Room Contact: Joy Sprenger, sprengerj@nyackhospital.org; 845-348-2044 ACT as a Therapeutic Modality CME provider: Stony Brook School of Medicine Health Science Center Date: May 28 Time: 1–2:30 p.m. Place: Nassau University Medical Center, 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, NY 11554 Contact: sajith@numc.edu; 516-572-4853 Upcoming CME Events M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Long Island | 2 9