Research into Improvement of Outcome of Fertility Treatment
Current research projects primarily involve clinic-based research, systematic reviews and basic research.
Clinic-based research
- Association between presences of uterine fibroids and outcome of assisted conception (prospective studies and systematic review) and effect of removal of fibroids prior to IVF on treatment outcome (RCT)
- Antibiotics prophylaxis prior to embryo transfer and its effect on IVF treatment outcome (RCT)
- Study of the effect of demographic characteristics on the reported outcome of IVF treatment (prospective cohort study)
- Factors that affect the outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (RCT/prospective studies)
- Utilisation of extended embryo culture to reduce multiple birth (Prospective study)
- Study of progesterone supplementation for management of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (‘PROMISE’, RCT, MRC funded)
- Study of the factors that influence the risk of miscarriage following elective single blastocyst transfer (prospective study)
- Study of luteal phase support using subcutaneous progesterone (RCT)
Systematic reviews and randomised control trials (RCT)
- Study of the value of out-patient hysteroscopy in management of unexplained recurrent IVF failure (systematic review and RCT)
- Study of the different ovarian stimulation regimes for poor responders (‘PRINT’,systematic review and RCT)
- Study of the effect of acupuncture on the outcome of IVF treatment (systematic review)
Basic research
- Development of reliable methods of ovarian tissue preservation that will allow patients who cannot afford to delay their cancer treatment to have an option of fertility preservation within 24-48 hours.
- Biology and reproductive competence of human preimplantation embryos
- Development of new models and tools for assisted conception technology research
The Group
- Dr Yacoub Khalaf
- Professor Peter Braude
- Mr Tarek El Toukhy
- Dr Dusko Ilic
Publications
2016
El-Toukhy T, Campo R, Khalaf Y, Tabanelli C, Gianaroli L, Gordts SS, Gordts S, Mestdagh G, Mardesic T, Voboril J, Marchino GL, Benedetto C, Al-Shawaf T, Sabatini L, Seed PT, Gergolet M, Grimbizis G, Harb H, Coomarasamy A. Hysteroscopy in recurrent in-vitro fertilisation failure (TROPHY): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2016;387(10038):2614-21.
Shahbazi MN, Jedrusik A, Vuoristo S, Recher G, Hupalowska A, Bolton V, Fogarty NM, Campbell A, Devito LG, Ilic D, Khalaf Y, Niakan KK, Fishel S, Zernicka-Goetz M. Self-organization of the human embryo in the absence of maternal tissues. Nat Cell Biol 2016;18(6):700-8.
Capalbo A, Ubaldi FM, Cimadomo D, Noli L, Khalaf Y, Farcomeni A, Ilic D, Rienzi L. MicroRNAs in spent blastocyst culture medium are derived from trophectoderm cells and can be explored for human embryo reproductive competence assessment. Fertil Steril 2016;105(1):225-35.e1-3.
2015
Coomarasamy A, Williams H, Truchanowicz E, Seed PT, Small R, Quenby S, Gupta P, Dawood F, Koot YE, Bender Atik R, Bloemenkamp KW, Brady R, Briley AL, Cavallaro R, Cheong YC, Chu JJ, Eapen A, Ewies A, Hoek A, Kaaijk EM, Koks CA, Li TC, MacLean M, Mol BW, Moore J, Ross JA, Sharpe L, Stewart J, Vaithilingam N, Farquharson RG, Kilby MD, Khalaf Y, Goddijn M, Regan L, Rai R. A Randomized Trial of Progesterone in Women with Recurrent Miscarriages. N Engl J Med2015;373(22):2141-8.
Noli L, Capalbo A, Ogilvie C, Khalaf Y, Ilic D. Discordant Growth of Monozygotic Twins Starts at the Blastocyst Stage: A Case Study. Stem Cell Reports 2015;5(6):946-53.
Noli L, Dajani Y, Capalbo A, Bvumbe J, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM, Ogilvie C, Khalaf Y, Ilic D. Developmental clock compromises human twin model created by embryo splitting. Hum Reprod 2015;30(12):2774-84.
Sunkara SK, La Marca A, Seed PT, Khalaf Y. Increased risk of preterm birth and low birthweight with very high number of oocytes following IVF: an analysis of 65 868 singleton live birth outcomes. Hum Reprod2015;30(6):1473-80.
Kopeika J, Thornhill A, Khalaf Y. The effect of cryopreservation on the genome of gametes and embryos: principles of cryobiology and critical appraisal of the evidence. Hum Reprod Update 2015;21(2):209-27.
Seshadri S, El-Toukhy T, Douiri A, Jayaprakasan K, Khalaf Y. Diagnostic accuracy of saline infusion sonography in the evaluation of uterine cavity abnormalities prior to assisted reproductive techniques: a systematic review and meta-analyses. Hum Reprod Update 2015;21(2):262-74.
Publications
2016
El-Toukhy T, Campo R, Khalaf Y, Tabanelli C, Gianaroli L, Gordts SS, Gordts S, Mestdagh G, Mardesic T, Voboril J, Marchino GL, Benedetto C, Al-Shawaf T, Sabatini L, Seed PT, Gergolet M, Grimbizis G, Harb H, Coomarasamy A. Hysteroscopy in recurrent in-vitro fertilisation failure (TROPHY): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2016;387(10038):2614-21.
Shahbazi MN, Jedrusik A, Vuoristo S, Recher G, Hupalowska A, Bolton V, Fogarty NM, Campbell A, Devito LG, Ilic D, Khalaf Y, Niakan KK, Fishel S, Zernicka-Goetz M. Self-organization of the human embryo in the absence of maternal tissues. Nat Cell Biol 2016;18(6):700-8.
Capalbo A, Ubaldi FM, Cimadomo D, Noli L, Khalaf Y, Farcomeni A, Ilic D, Rienzi L. MicroRNAs in spent blastocyst culture medium are derived from trophectoderm cells and can be explored for human embryo reproductive competence assessment. Fertil Steril 2016;105(1):225-35.e1-3.
2015
Coomarasamy A, Williams H, Truchanowicz E, Seed PT, Small R, Quenby S, Gupta P, Dawood F, Koot YE, Bender Atik R, Bloemenkamp KW, Brady R, Briley AL, Cavallaro R, Cheong YC, Chu JJ, Eapen A, Ewies A, Hoek A, Kaaijk EM, Koks CA, Li TC, MacLean M, Mol BW, Moore J, Ross JA, Sharpe L, Stewart J, Vaithilingam N, Farquharson RG, Kilby MD, Khalaf Y, Goddijn M, Regan L, Rai R. A Randomized Trial of Progesterone in Women with Recurrent Miscarriages. N Engl J Med2015;373(22):2141-8.
Noli L, Capalbo A, Ogilvie C, Khalaf Y, Ilic D. Discordant Growth of Monozygotic Twins Starts at the Blastocyst Stage: A Case Study. Stem Cell Reports 2015;5(6):946-53.
Noli L, Dajani Y, Capalbo A, Bvumbe J, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM, Ogilvie C, Khalaf Y, Ilic D. Developmental clock compromises human twin model created by embryo splitting. Hum Reprod 2015;30(12):2774-84.
Sunkara SK, La Marca A, Seed PT, Khalaf Y. Increased risk of preterm birth and low birthweight with very high number of oocytes following IVF: an analysis of 65 868 singleton live birth outcomes. Hum Reprod2015;30(6):1473-80.
Kopeika J, Thornhill A, Khalaf Y. The effect of cryopreservation on the genome of gametes and embryos: principles of cryobiology and critical appraisal of the evidence. Hum Reprod Update 2015;21(2):209-27.
Seshadri S, El-Toukhy T, Douiri A, Jayaprakasan K, Khalaf Y. Diagnostic accuracy of saline infusion sonography in the evaluation of uterine cavity abnormalities prior to assisted reproductive techniques: a systematic review and meta-analyses. Hum Reprod Update 2015;21(2):262-74.
Principal Investigator
Dusko Ilic
Professor of Stem Cell Sciences