Advancements in Reproductive Science at the 4th Annual UMSRS
The 4th Annual Upper Midwest Summit for Reproductive Science was held October 5, 2026, at the I-Hotel in Champaign, Illinois. Hosted by the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign this years meeting gathered more than 230 scientists and physicians from across the upper Midwest region to share their research advancements and to network with peers and colleagues in an exchange of ideas. This year’s theme was “Engineering Solutions for Reproductive Health” which highlighted our community’s innovations in technological advancements to aid in understanding reproduction and fertility. 
The 2026 Summit was run by a talented committee of trainees from UIUC, Northwestern, Purdue, and UIC. CRS trainees, Maggie Stapleton (T32 trainee, Kozorovitskiy Lab) and Brianna Thompson (T32 trainee, Laronda Lab), supported the trainee planning committee and helped to moderate oral sessions on “Germ Cell Development and Pregnancy Diagnostics," “Ovarian and Oocyte Biology," and “The Uterus and Placenta, Maternal-Fetal Interface," respectively. The agenda was full of excellent trainee presentations that showcased the depth and breath of innovation in the current generation of trainee scientists in the field, but also highlighted the collaboration and shared advancement of our science.
Two featured keynotes were presented by Juan Gnecco, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, who presented the Andrew Nalbandov Lecture and shared his work on understanding the immune-endocrine mechanisms driving uterine reproductive health and disease, and Amander Clark, PhD who presented the Janice Bahr Lecture focusing on her work characterize the molecular mechanisms required for human primordial germ cells (hPGCs). These talks bookended a series of alumni talks that showcased the diversity of careers and research of UIUC graduates of the Illinois reproductive community. Amongst the speakers, CRS’s Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, Pamela Monahan, PhD, shared her journey to becoming reproductive science educator. 
CRS trainees shined in the event’s poster session and oral presentations. Lauren Haky (Duncan Lab) and Brianna Thompson (Laronda Lab) presented their work superbly and were awarded 2nd and 3rd place in the trainee oral presentations. Congratulations to all the trainees for all their hard work. Creating the knowledge that builds our field is a monumental accomplishment.
The UMSRS will gather again in October of 2027 at Northwestern University and explore the theme “The Matrix, Mechanobiology, and More in Reproductive Health and Disease”. See everyone next year!