Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Report from: Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, International Affairs Office

Published on: May 19, 2025

 Dr. Nadia Sheibak, a faculty member of the Department of Anatomical Sciences at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, was honored as the top researcher at the 11th International Congress on Reproductive Medicine and the 6th International Congress on Genetics, held in Yazd.

The Yazd International Congress and Student Award on Reproductive Medicine has established itself as a significant scientific event in Iran and the Middle East, occurring biennially since 2005. This congress leverages the knowledge of esteemed scientists and academic institutions to foster various projects and collaborative scientific interactions. The congress aims to foster scientific growth among students and encourage collaboration between Iranian and international experts to advance reproductive medicine and genetics.

The 11th YAZD International Congress and Student Award on Reproductive Medicine, in conjunction with the 6th Congress of Reproductive Genetics, was held in Yazd, Iran, from May 15 to 17, 2025.The congress featured 20 international speakers from countries including the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and China, most of whom participated virtually.

The congress program included keynote speeches, scientific oral sessions, workshops, and poster presentations each day. Every participant received an attendance certificate, and the top five projects recognized with awards.

According to the event’s executive director, over 400 papers and 180 posters were submitted from academic and research institutions across Iran and 20 other countries. Of these, 120 papers met the acceptance criteria.

Ali Mohammad Abdoli, Deputy Director of the Yazd Reproductive Sciences Research Institute, highlighted that emerging topic such as artificial uterus and gonads, tissue engineering, genetics, and the use of AI in infertility treatment that were key areas of focus of the event.

Dr. Nadia Sheibak, a faculty member of the Department of Anatomical Sciences at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, was honored as the top researcher at this event.

In the project conducted by Dr. Nadia Sheibak, a sperm sorter chip based on microfluidic technology has been designed and fabricated. This chip is capable of isolating high-quality sperm from raw semen samples and, compared to conventional methods currently used in IVF clinics (such as DGC and Swim-up methods), can enhance the fertilization rate.

Approximately half of infertility cases are attributed to male factors. During infertility treatment, high-quality sperm cells are selected for microinjection during ICSI cycle to achieve high quality embryos and increasing chance of pregnancy. Currently, sperm selection is primarily based on morphological characteristics and motility, relying heavily on the knowledge and experience of clinical embryologists. However, studies have shown that up to half of the sperm selected using this approach carry genetic abnormalities, which may be transmitted to offspring. Microfluidic chips can isolate sperm with intact and healthy genetic material, thereby increasing the chances of generating healthy embryos and achieving successful pregnancies.

Copyright © 2025 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved. Date updated: 19/05/2025

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