Meet the editors

Dr. Nidhi Sharma received a MBBS and MS from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. She is a fellow of the Indian College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, fellow of assisted reproductive techniques, and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Saveetha University, India. Dr. Sharma has 80 indexed publications and has authored several chapters in textbooks. She received her PhD in Obstetrics and Gynecology from Saveetha

University, India, and Diploma in IVF and Reproductive Medicine from UKSH Universitätsklilikum Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Dr. Sharma has been a member of the teaching faculty of MBBS, MS, and PhD for 15 years. She is course coordinator and academic supervisor of BSc in Reproductive Biology, MSc in Clinical Embryology, Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine, and PhD in Reproductive Medicine at Saveetha University.

Dr. Sudakshina Chakrabarti is Associate Professor of Anatomy at Saveetha Medical College and hHospital, Chennai, India. She obtained a MBBS from Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore. Dr. Chakrabarti completed a postgraduate degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology from J.J.M Medical College, Davangere, Karnataka, India; an MD in Anatomy from Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai, India; and is currently pursuing a

PhD at Saveetha University, Chennai, India. She is an ACLS, BLS, and PALS instructor under the American Heart Association and involved in simulation education. She has recently completed an Advanced Course in Medical Education and is an active member of the Medical Education Unit at Saveetha Medical College and Hospital Chennai with experience in conducting faculty development programs.

Dr. Yona Barak obtained a BSc MSc and PhD from Tel Aviv University, Department of Zoology Faculty of Life science . Both theses for these degrees dealt with in vitro maturation of mammalian oocytes. Dr. Barak established IVF laboratories and programs worldwide: one in 1984 at the Tel Aviv Medical Center where she was director of the IVF laboratory for 12 years, and one in 1986 at the Herzliya Medical Center where she served

as scientific lab director for about 25 years. She established other programs in the United States, Germany, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, India, Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. In 2001, she established, owned, and led the InviMed clinics in Poland. Throughout her career, Dr. Barak trained many embryologists worldwide. In 1996, she established and became a lecturer and the clinical director of the MSc program of Gametology and Embryology at Bar Ilan University, Israel. From 1998 to 2003, she was a member of the Faculty Scientific Advisory Board and lecturer of the MSc course for Clinical Embryology at Danube University, Krems Austria, an international program of clinical embryology in cooperation with Bourn Hall, UK and Alpha Scientists in Reproductive Medicine. In 1996, she was elected by the members of Alpha Scientists in Reproductive Medicine as an executive board member. In 1999, she became a vice president of Alpha, and in 2001, she became president and served until 2004' and is an honorary member until today. Honorary member of embryologists in Mexico, Argentina, and Italy, and a member of the Israeli National Advisory Committee of Gynecology, Embryology and Neonatology. Dr. Barak is an active scientist who has published research in the field of assisted reproductive technologies. She is a pioneer for Hyaluronate as a replacement for polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) (Breakthrough paper; 2002); in vivo maturation (IVM); human oocyte vitrification in closed systems; and more. She is owner and director of Dr. Yona Barak Laboratories for fertility services, and specializes in IMSI.

Adrian Ellenbogen, MD, is Clinical Assistant Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion-Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. He conceded fellowship at the IVF Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England. He is also the founder and director (retired) of the IVF unit at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel. In addition, he is Scientific Director for the postgraduate course in ObstetContents

**Section 1**

*by Eswari Beeram*

Ovarian Reserve

*by Jan Tesarik*

*and Roohi Jeelani*

and Steroidogenesis

*and Dmitry V. Dar'in*

**Section 2**

The Sperm: Parameters and Evaluation

*by Mohd Sajad and Sonu Chand Thakur*

*by Nidhi Sharma and Sudakshina Chakrabarti*

*by Lauren Grimm, Amber Cooper, Angie Beltsos* 

of Epigenetics in the ICSI and ROSI Era

*by Tanya Milachich and Desislava Dyulgerova-Nikolova*

Insights of Sperm Pathology and Its Association with Infertility

Understanding the Epigenetic Modifications in Sperm Genome

Paternal Effects on Embryonic, Fetal and Offspring Health: The Role

Implantation: Cross Talk of the Developing Embryo and Endometrium

The Low-Molecular-Weight Ligands of the Gonadotropin Receptors as the New Generation of the Regulators of the Reproductive Functions

*by Alexander O. Shpakov, Kira V. Derkach, Andrey A. Bakhtyukov* 

**Preface III**

Physiology **1**

**Chapter 1 3**

**Chapter 2 23**

**Chapter 3 45**

**Chapter 4 61**

**Chapter 5 75**

**Chapter 6 93**

Assisted Reproductive Technologies **109**

**Chapter 7 111**

rics Gynecology and Infertility at the Rappaport School of Medicine, as well as Fertility Advisor and head of the Fertility Clinic, Meuheded Female Health Center, Bnai-Brack, Israel. Dr. Ellenbogen is a member of American Society of Reproductive Medicine, European Society of Human Reproduction, International Society for Mild Approaches in Assisted Reproduction, International Society for In Vitro Fertilization, International Federation of Fertility Society, Israeli Fertility Association, and Israeli Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is an editorial board member and reviewer for the *Journal of Reproductive System and Sexual Disorders*, and a reviewer for *Fertility and Sterility* and *Harefuah*. He has published 52 papers in scientific journals, two book chapters, and has presented 33 plenary lectures in international congresses and organized 12 international scientific meetings. He has presented more than 120 lectures in international and national congresses.Dr. Ellenbogen pioneered IVF treatment with minimal stimulation and egg donation law in Israel. He has trained physicians in Israel, Dominican Republic, Poland, Macedonia, and Russia in IVF. He received the 2003 Israeli Ministry of Health and Israeli Civil Service Commission Award for Excellency in Labor, the Star Award of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine in in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, and the Award of the Israeli State Physicians Association in 2018 for his contribution to the Israel medical community.
