2026 Activated Egg Symposium to Explore Human Egg Activation

The 2026 Activated Egg Symposium: "Unique Human Egg Activation Pathways" will convene an exceptional group of internationally recognized scientists and clinicians for a one-day meeting focused on one of the most fundamental questions in reproductive and developmental biology: how human eggs activate and begin early embryonic development. Hosted by the Bedford Research Foundation as part of its symposium series running since 2002, the event is designed to foster scientific exchange, spark new collaborations, and bring experts from academia, fertility clinics, and biotechnology together to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms that shape human egg activation, fertilization, and developmental competence.

The program will feature presentations spanning ovarian biology, fertilization, calcium signaling, genome stability, cellular reprogramming, stem cell-based models of early development, and the biological foundations of successful embryo development. Featured speakers include Evelyn Telfer, BSc (Hons), PhD, CBE, FRSB, Professor and Chair of Reproductive Biology at the University of Edinburgh; Ali H. Brivanlou, PhD, Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Professor at The Rockefeller University; Rafael Fissore, DVM, PhD, Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst; Ehsan Habibi, PhD, Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa; Jonathan van Blerkom, PhD, Research Professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder; Dietrich M. Egli, PhD, Associate Professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Elizebeth Carr, America's first IVF baby, speaker and advocate. Collectively, these speakers represent pioneering work in ovarian biology, fertilization, egg activation, developmental competence, nuclear transfer, pluripotency, synthetic embryology, and genome stability in early development.

Ann A. Kiessling, Director of the Bedford Research Foundation, said, "We still have fundamental questions about how human eggs develop, and answering them could open new possibilities in reproductive and regenerative medicine." The symposium offers a rare opportunity for researchers, clinicians, trainees, and innovators to engage directly with leaders whose work has helped define modern reproductive biology, stem cell science, and regenerative medicine. The Bedford Research Foundation is dedicated to advancing biomedical research, with a focus on reproductive biology and stem cell technologies, and is supported by the ESHE Fund.