Early Registration Discount for SSR 2014 Ends May 31st

Do not delay. Time is running out.  Early registration discount for the annual meeting in Grand Rapids ends May 31st! (https://www.ssr.org/14Registration)

The program is complete and includes an exciting list of speakers and topics that will be of interest to all SSR members. Highlights of this year's meeting include:

Opening Keynote Address & President's Symposium

The Opening Keynote Address and President's Symposium will focus on contraception, a key issue for the reproductive health and welfare of the human race. While contraceptive user rates are increasing in many developed and developing countries, there are still many gaps regarding the suitability of contraceptives for all individuals and in their availability, which collectively increases the likelihood of unintended pregnancies. The opening lecture will be given by Dr. Anna Glasier, University of Edinburgh, an expert on emergency contraception who played a key role in its deregulation. The following day, in the President's Symposium, world-renowned experts in the field of contraception research (Jeffrey Jensen, Oregon Health and Science University; Christina Wang, University of California-Los Angeles) will discuss advances as well as challenges in contraceptive use and the development of new methodologies. The symposium will be followed by a roundtable discussion that includes participation of meeting attendees from the audience, speakers, as well as experts in the area of contraceptive development (Drs. John Amory, University of Washington; Diana Blithe, NIH/NICHD; Richard Stouffer, Oregon National Primate Research Center).

AgResearch Plenary Lecture

Dr. Milo Wiltbank (University of Wisconsin-Madison) will provide an overview of the importance of reproductive research in optimizing fertility outcomes in domesticated animal species and describe how these efforts contribute to our ability to feed a growing global population.

Historical Perspectives Lecture

Sir Ian Wilmut (University of Edinburgh) will provide a historical account of cloning and the advances that resulted in its application to numerous species.

State-of-the-Art Lecture

Dr. Richard Green (University of California-Santa Cruz) will discuss his involvement in the original sequencing of the Neanderthal genome and how this information has transformed our understanding of human evolution.

Hot Topics in Reproductive Sciences Lecture

Dr. Enrica Bianchi (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute) and colleagues recently reported on the characterization of the molecular components, specifically Juno-Izumo protein interactions, which are critical for sperm-egg binding and fertilization. She will provide an overview of this recent work and discuss its potential importance for the control of fertility.

In addition to these outstanding plenary lectures, a full and comprehensive set of Modules and Platform sessions have been scheduled. Please see the SSR meeting website (http://www.ssr.org/14SciProgram) for a complete listing of the meeting events.

This will be a great meeting in a fantastic venue (thanks to Dr. Asgi Fazleabas and the Local Arrangements Committee). There is something for everyone!