Innovation and collaboration at the 3rd UMSRS

Rhianna Anglin, 2nd year MS-RSM Student

The 3rd Annual Upper Midwest Summit for Reproductive Science was held October 13-14, 2025, at Prentice Women's Hospital in downtown Chicago. Hosted by Northwestern University, the summit brought together students, scientists and physicians from across the upper Midwest region, all united by a shared goal, to advance the field of reproductive science and medicine. This year's theme, "Next Gen Reproduction: Shaping the Future of Reproductive Science and Medicine," emphasized innovation, collaboration and the future direction shaping reproductive health research and care. Opening remarks

The 2025 Summit was co-chaired by Prianka H. Hashim (PhD/MPH candidate, Duncan Lab) and Hannah McDowell (PhD candidate, Laronda Lab), supported by trainee planning committee comprised of trainees from UMSRS institutions: Rhianna Anglin, Lauren Haky, Caroline Kratka, Reva Marwah, María Morales, Iris Mutiu (Northwestern); Emily Hayes, Ria Marathe (University of Illinois Chicago); Kendall Hyde (Southern Illinois University); Ritwik Shukla (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign); Bruna Tatematsu (Loyola University Chicago); Erin Vegter (Michigan State University) and Brittney Williams (University of Kentucky). Together, this team curated an exceptional program that was informative and invigorating.

The summit was opened with a keynote lecture by Dr. Nardhy Gomez-Lopez (Washington University) titled "In Utero Inflammation: Acute vs. Chronic Paths to Preterm Birth and Outcomes". This set the tone for the two days of engaging scientific discussion. Throughout the event, participants were able to attend a series of fascinating talks from invited speakers, including Dr. Kathleen O'Neill (University of Pennsylvania) discussing uterine transplantation; Dr. Jeffrey Lee (University of Toronto) exploring new modalities to block sperm-egg fusion and Dr. Charles Bormann (Harvard University) presenting the application of artificial intelligence in the IVF Laboratory.

Other highlights of the summit were talked from CRS alumna, Dr. Jingjing Kipp (DePaul University), who spoke on the "Role of Retinoic Acid Signaling in Ovarian Development". Additionally, the Reproductive Policy Panel drew significant attention, policy making and reproductive justice, featuring panelists, Rebecca O'Connor, JD, Joyce Reinecke, JD, Juilet Sorenson, JD, Sarah Rodriguez, PhD, and brought about thoughtful discussion about the intersection of science, policy, and reproductive rights.

The Shaw Innovation Award Talks recognized Northwestern researchers conducting groundbreaking sex-inclusive research from early career scientists. Presenters included Dr. Alexa Freedman, Dr. Jane Joy Thomas, Dr. Julia Cox, and Dr. Dominik Kentrup, whose studies explored sex-specific mechanisms and determinants of health and disease. Their presentations reflected the summit's commitment to fostering inclusive and translational approaches in reproductive science.

Co-chairs Trainees played a central role throughout the event, sharing their work through both oral and poster presentations. Selected trainees delivered short, engaging talks showcasing their innovative research, with Emma Lee (University of Illinois – Chicago), Andy Liu (Washington University), and Pranav Volety (University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign), receiving Constance Campbell Research Awards for excellence in their presentations. The two lively poster sessions featured nearly 100 abstracts covering a wide range of topics, from clinical innovations to basic science discoveries. These sessions fostered new collaborations and mentorship connections among trainees and senior scientists. Poster awards were presented to Chrissy Boody (Purdue University), Caroline Kratka (Northwestern University), and Marisa Wen (Northwestern University) for their outstanding research contributions.

Poster session The summit closed with keynote speaker Rebecca O'Connor, JD, who spoke on "Advancing Reproductive Medicine in the Challenging Times." This was a powerful talk on the current viewpoints of reproductive medicine and how we can be involved in the positive progression of reproductive health.

Throughout the summit, the atmosphere was filled with curiosity, collaboration, and a shared excitement for the future of reproductive science. From the innovation keynote lectures and alumni talks to the engaging trainee sessions and policy discussions, the event highlighted how the next generation of researchers is shaping the field.

This year's summit could not have been possible without the incredible dedication of the 2025 Planning Committee and our meeting sponsors and of course all speakers, attendees, and trainees who contributed to making the 3rd Annual Upper Midwest Summit for Reproductive Science a truly inspiring conference.