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Fundamental Studies on Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation – Interrogation of Biological and Physical Factors Causing Cryo-Injuries, their Mitigation for Better Clinical Translation

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Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is used to preserve fertility in girls and women scheduled to receive chemo or radiotherapy.
The overall goals of this project are to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of tissue injury which occur during handling, freezing and thawing and based on this, develop novel protocols to preserve tissue viability. Established protocols will be compared with sucrose/propanediol, alginate encapsulation and vitrification, using robust molecular endpoints. Post transplant vascularisation and tissue integrity will be assessed using a chorioallantoic membrane model. This combination of expertise and facilities in cryobiology, ultrastructural imaging and reproductive science is unique in the UK.

Disciplines and Techniques
Project supervisor/s
Dr. Paul Hardiman
Paul's interested in the long term morbidity associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
University College London
Professor Rowland Fleck
Roland has extensive experience and knowledge of low temperature biology and cryopreservation having investigated how cells and tissues both avoid and are damaged by chilling and freezing events
King's College University
References
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Benson EE, Harding K, Ryan M, Petrenko A, Petrenko Y, Fuller B
Cryo Letters ;39(1):14-38
2018 Jan/Feb
Techniques for ovarian tissue transplantation and results
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Minerva Ginecol ;70(4):424-431
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Characterisation of cryoinjury in Euglena gracilis using flow-cytometry and cryomicroscopy
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Reactive oxygen species regulate axonal regeneration through the release of exosomal NADPH oxidase 2 complexes into injured axons
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The effect of thawing protocols on follicle conservation in human ovarian tissue cryopreservation
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