Ambassador

CHODANKAR Rohan

NHS Lothian and University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

MD MRCOG. Doctor, Specialty trainee in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, NHS Lothian and University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Rohan Chodankar obtained his medical degree from Goa University in 2005 and received basic training in obstetrics and gynaecology at Goa Medical College, India.  He was awarded membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG) in 2013, following which he moved to the United Kingdom. He is undertaking postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynaecology in Edinburgh.

He undertook a clinical research fellowship at the MRC Centre for Reproductive health under the supervision of Professor Hilary Critchley in 2018. His MD thesis focused on the effects of selective progesterone receptor modulators on the endometrium and the reversibility of these effects. He was also a co-investigator for a clinical trial, an industry-funded collaboration with Edinburgh University. His medical interests include chronic pelvic pain and abnormal uterine bleeding and minimal access surgery to manage these conditions. He is well-published in the field of reproductive medicine.

He is involved in the training, examination and academic supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students and specialists. He is currently the trainee representative to the RCOG academic board and the gynaecology lead for the RCOG e-Learning board. He is also an associate editor for an open-access peer-reviewed journal, Reproduction and Fertility.

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Ambassador

ABBASI Sharmin

Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Hospital
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Hospital

Dr. Sharmin Abbasi is now working as Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Hospital. Sharmin has an active role in undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and training. Her major clinical and research interest is in endometriosis & adenomyosis risk factors, diagnosis, and recent updates of treatment – both medical management and surgical aspects.

Sharmin is the founder scientific secretary of Endometriosis Adenomyosis Society of Bangladesh. She is the coordinator of School based Endometriosis Awareness Program in Bangladesh and focal person of social media-based endometriosis awareness program “Voice of Endometriosis’’ which already completed 100 episodes and reached more than 2 million general audience. Dr Sharmin is committed to promoting improvements in the healthcare of women of different ages with chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis by pursuing clinical and research in the epidemiology, symptoms and treatment of endometriosis and other pelvic pain disorders.

Her research is focused on advancing basic and clinical knowledge about endometriosis, adenomyosis, infertility, ART, PCOS and recurrent pregnancy loss. She also has an interest in minimally invasive surgery and fertility preservation.

Dr. Abbasi is International Editor of International Journal of Human Reproduction Research and Development (IJHRRD) and has more than 20 publications including textbooks, book chapters, and research in endometriosis and adenomyosis. She was the executive editor in Dengue in Pregnancy and COVID 19 in Pregnancy management guidelines in Bangladesh. Sharmin is the reviewer of International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics (FIGO), The Asia & Oceania Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AOFOG) and South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SAFOG) Journals. She is the advisor of the scientific committee of FIGO world congress 2023 in Paris.

Sharmin is currently involved in study of prevalence of endometriosis in Bangladesh and involved in promoting awareness of this disease and related symptoms, especially among health professionals and families within. She believes that it is of high importance to identify early symptoms of endometriosis in adolescents those have family history. Impact on mental health and quality of life are also very important issues to consider.

She has been the recipient of many awards for her research and presentations. She regularly writes in newspaper and done advocacy programs for women with endometriosis in the media. She regularly gives talks in national and international conferences on endometriosis to disseminate the updated knowledge.

Currently she also involved as secretary in SIG of International AE-PCOS Society and other societies affiliations are as joint secretary in PCOS Club of Bangladesh, scientific secretary in Fertility preservation Society of Bangladesh, publication secretary in Pediatric Adolescent gynecology Society of Bangladesh, joint secretary in Osteoporosis Task force of Bangladesh and executive member of Obstetrics and Gynecology Society of Bangladesh.

Sharmin wants to devote her academic and clinical works for the highest services of women who are suffering from endometriosis and adenomyosis.

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Ambassador

ARMOUR Mike

Western Sydney University
Sydney, Australia

Dr Mike Armour is a senior research fellow in reproductive health at Western Sydney University.

Mike completed undergraduate honours in biomedicine at the University of Auckland, and completed his PhD in primary dysmenorrhea at Western Sydney University in 2016. Mike’s research focuses on menstrual health literacy, dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain and endometriosis. He has a specific interest in non-pharmaceutical management of endometriosis symptoms, including the use of medicinal cannabis, herbal medicine and acupuncture. Mike has published over 60 peer reviewed journal articles and textbook chapters covering a wide range of methods from surveys, to qualitative and mixed methods research, to randomised controlled trials. Mike is active in supervision of higher degree research students across a range of reproductive health topics.

He is chair of the Australasian Interdisciplinary Researchers in Endometriosis (AIRE), the academic lead of the Menstrual Cycle Research Network (MCRN) at Western Sydney University, member of the Endometriosis NZ special interest group, incoming chair of the Endometriosis Australia clinical advisory board and chair of the Endometriosis Australia research committee. Mike is also involved in leading the patient reported outlines section the National Endometriosis and Clinical Trials (NECST) network in Australia, and was part of the expert working group providing expertise in complementary medicines for the recently released RANZCOG guidelines on the treatment of endometriosis.

Mike’s passion for improving menstrual health literacy to reduce delay in diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis and other forms of pelvic pain has lead to several partnership grants resulting in the development of the Menstruation Matters project, supported by Western Sydney University (https://menstruationmatters.com.au) an evidence based resource to help improve health literacy, screen for potentially problematic symptoms, and provide evidence based self-care for dysmenorrhea and other menstrual symptoms. Mike is currently the lead investigator on two national, and one international clinical trial.

Dr. Mike Armour was appointed a WES Ambassador in January 2022.

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Ambassador

CONDOUS George

University of Sydney
Sydney, Australia

Associate Professor of Gynaecology at Sydney Medical School Nepean, University of Sydney, Australia.Head of Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Sydney Medical School Nepean, University of Sydney, Australia

George Condous MBBS (Adel), FRANZCOG, FRCOG, MD (Lon) is a gynaecological surgeon sonologist in the field of endometriosis. He is an associate professor of Gynaecology at Sydney Medical School Nepean, University of Sydney, with special interests in gynaecological ultrasound imaging (EFSUMB level 3 equivalent) and minimally invasive gynaecological surgery (MIGS). He is also head of discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Sydney Medical School Nepean, University of Sydney.

He is immediate past president of the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM), vice president of the World Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) and on the scientific committee for the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG). He was the co-chair for the ISUOG World Congresses in Sydney 2013 and Singapore 2017 as well as the chair for the WFUMB World Congress in Melbourne 2019.

A/Prof Condous performs AGES Level 6 advanced endosurgery for pelvic masses, adnexal pathology, severe endometriosis, and/or hysterectomy with VMO appointments at the SAN Hospital. He set up, with Dr Walid Barto (colorectal surgeon), the first public hospital endometriosis multi-disciplinary team (MDT) in Australia at Nepean Hospital. He and Dr Barto perform joint laparoscopic surgery for women with stage IV intestinal endometriosis at the SAN. He is also a member of the North Shore Multi-Disciplinary Endometriosis Research and Clinical (MERC) Care Team. He also runs RANZCOG accredited ‘Hands on’ Laparoscopic Workshops for Gynaecologists at the Kolling Institute RNSH.

He has edited four books including the Handbook of Early Pregnancy Care and How to perform ultrasonography in Endometriosis, published over 200 papers in international journals, and is internationally renowned for his work in early pregnancy and endometriosis. He is the editor-in-chief for the Australasian Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine (AJUM). His current research interests relate to the management of ectopic pregnancy, PULs and miscarriage prediction, as well as the use of transvaginal ultrasound, and in particular ‘deep endometriosis ultrasound’, to predict the extent of endometriosis.

Dr Condous’ research in non-invasive imaging diagnosis of endometriosis is internationally recognised. The International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) consensus statement (which he co-led) for classifying endometriosis on ultrasound has been adopted internationally throughout Europe, Australasia, Canada, South America, North Africa and, more recently, in China. He is the joint lead investigator for the IDEA multi-centre prospective study which includes collaborating units from Belgium, Australia, Italy, Sweden, Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, and Spain. The IDEA study will be the largest international pre-operative imaging study on endometriosis. The ASUM’s Diploma of Diagnostic Gynaecological Ultrasound curriculum now includes the IDEA terms and definitions nationally for endometriosis ultrasound recognition. He has introduced ‘deep endometriosis’ imaging technology to Sydney, Canberra, Perth, and Melbourne, as well as Vancouver, Ottawa, and Toronto in Canada through training fellowships, educational courses, and live scanning demonstrations.

George Condous was appointed a WES Ambassador in May 2020.

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Ambassador

OSUGA Yutaka

University of Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan

Professor, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan. Vice President, University of Tokyo Hospital, Japan. President, Japan Society of Gynecologic and Obstetric Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Therapy. Vice President, Japan Society for Reproductive Medicine. Vice President, Japan Society of Fertilization and Implantation

Professor Osuga received his MD in 1985 and PhD in 1995 from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tokyo, Japan. He completed his OB/GYN residency training at the University of Tokyo and subsequently trained as a postdoctoral fellow in the field of ovarian physiology in Stanford University from 1995 to 1997.

Professor Osuga provides clinical services in gynaecology and reproductive medicine with a special expertise in laparoscopic surgery and assisted reproductive technology.  His main research targets cover a wide variety of physiology and pathology of reproduction including endometriosis, implantation, folliculogenesis, and reproductive aging. He has authored more than 300 research papers published in eminent peer-reviewed international journals and has written and edited many textbooks.

He serves as an executive board member of several medical groups and associations and as an editor of several international journals. He is frequently sought out to provide his expertise at international medical conferences and academic institutions.

Yutaka Osuga was appointed a WES Ambassador in August 2019.

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Ambassador

OPPELT Peter

Kepler University
Linz, Austria

Professor and Chair of the Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics, and Gynaecological Endocrinology, Kepler University, Linz, Austria

Professor Oppelt studied at the University of Regensburg and Munich in Germany. After his exams he started as a resident at the Goethe University Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. After 5 years he moved to the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen, Germany, as a fellow.

His main interests are the operative therapy and the classification system for endometriosis. In addition to his focus on the relationship between endometriosis and fertility, he is currently particularly interested in the methods of birth after deep endometriosis.

Professor Oppelt is a member of the board of the German Endometriosis Research Foundation (SEF), the German Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy, and the Austrian Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics.

He was the president of the 10th Endometriosis Congress of the German speaking countries in Linz, Austria (2013) and was also in charge of the 4th European Congress of Endometriosis in Vienna, Austria (2018).

Due to his experience in the field, he has been a co-author of the German guidelines for endometriosis for many years.

Peter Oppelt was appointed a WES Ambassador in March 2019.

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Ambassador

ROMANO Andrea

Maastricht University
Maastricht, The Netherlands

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences, Maastricht University, The Netherlands

Andrea Romano PhD graduated in biology (1995) at the University of Bologna (Italy) and subsequently moved to the Netherlands, at the University of Wageningen, where he obtained his PhD in 2002. He then continued his research activity at Maastricht University, where he performed his post doc on steroid hormone receptors (2002-2007) and where he is currently principal investigator and assistant professor at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.

Dr Romano’s professional activity is dedicated to research and the major focus is on steroid hormone signalling in the context of endometrial pathophysiology. His research activities have been financed by prestigious grants from, among others, the Dutch Cancer Society, the European Community, the Canadian Institute for Health Research, the ‘Stichting’ Fertility Foundation. The research of his team has been published in high–impact factor journals like the Journal of Pathology, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Andrea Romano is regularly invited as a lecturer at national and international meetings, like the meetings of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), the German Societies of Gynaecologic Endocrinology and of Reproduction Medicine, the International Menarini Foundation, the Dutch Gynaecology Society, etc.

Andrea Romano acts as reviewer for over 30 international peer-reviewed journals, as expert panel for various funding bodies, and he is an advisory board member for Forendo Pharma Ltd in the development of novel drugs for endometriosis.

Andrea Romano served as associate editor for Human Reproduction (Oxford press, 2013-2016) and is currently guest editor of the special issue for the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, entitled ‘Molecular research in endometrial pathophysiology’.

Andrea Romano was appointed as senior deputy of the ESHRE Special Interest Group for Endometriosis & Endometrial Disorders (SIGEED) in 2015 and from 2017 he serves as coordinator-elect. In this context he contributes to the organisation of the annual ESHRE pre-congress courses, the main sessions for the annual meeting, and additional ESHRE campuses/workshops.

Dr Romano was appointed a WES Ambassador in 2018.

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Ambassador

OH Sung-Tack

Chonnam University Medical School
Gwangju, South Korea

Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Chonnam University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea

Professor Sung-Tack Oh, MD, PhD, is a reproductive endocrinologist and surgeon (especially laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis ). He completed his medical school and residency at the Chonnam University & Hospital of Gwangju in South Korea and his reproductive endocrinology research fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. He has two PhD degrees: biochemistry at Chonnam University Graduate School and computer engineering at Honam University Graduate School. He also graduated from the School of Medicine at Chonnam University and Classic Music College at Gwangju University.

He is the president of the Southern Korean Association of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (SKA-MIGS). He is past president of the Korean Society of Endometriosis (KSE) and the Korean Pelvic Pain Society (KCPPS). He currently the chair of the many committees of the Korean Society of Gynaecologic Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Surgery, the Korean Society of Menopause, and the Korean Association of Women’s Sexual Health.

Dr Oh is professor and past director of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Chonnam University Medical School in Korea. He is a member of many professional societies including the Korean Society of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopist (AAGL), the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgens (SLS), and World Endometriosis Society (WES). He has been an advisor, consultant, and reviewer to professional and patient organisations, and has published and lectured extensively nationally and internationally on endometriosis, assisted reproductive technologies, reproductive surgery, and infertility.

He has cared for about 70 patients/day twice a week at OPD and many operations (mainly laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis ) at three times a week and many hysteroscopic surgery in office-bases for over 30 years in Chonnam University Hospital.

Dr Oh became a WES Ambassador in 2018.

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Ambassador

BEDAIWY Mohamed

University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada

Professor with tenure and Division Head of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Dr Mohamed Ali Bedaiwy MD, PhD, FACOG, FRCSC, is double certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in obstetrics and gynaecology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Dr Bedaiwy received his medical degree from Assiut University School of Medicine, Egypt, where he graduated Valedictorian, summa cum laude.

Dr Bedaiwy completed:

• Residency in obstetrics and gynaecology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University Hospital Case Medical Center, CWRU, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
• Fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
• Fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
• PhD from the University of Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Dr Bedaiwy is a prolific author with over 350 peer reviewed papers, abstracts, book chapters, and videos. He was also the associate editor of Human Reproduction (2012-2016) and currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Dr Bedaiwy has had a career-long interest in high quality medical care, research, and education. He was the scientific programme chair of WCE2017.

Dr Bedaiwy’s research is focused on advancing basic and clinical knowledge about endometriosis, infertility, ART, and early pregnancy complications. He also has interest in minimally invasive surgery and fertility preservation. Dr Bedaiwy has served as chairperson of postgraduate courses at ASRM, WCE, and the AAGL that deal with different aspects of reproductive surgery, endometriosis, and infertility enhancing procedures. He has served on review committees for the NICHD and is an oral examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr Bedaiwy has been the recipient of many international awards for surgical and research excellence at different societies from Egypt, Jordan, Australia, Canada, and USA.

Dr Bedaiwy was appointed a WES Ambassador in 2018.

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Ambassador

GAJBHIYE Rahul

National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health
Mumbai, India

Scientist, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, India

Dr Rahul Gajbhiye MBBS PhD is a clinician-scientist working at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

He completed his medical school at Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Memorial Medical College, Amravati, Maharashtra state, India, and obtained a PhD in applied biology at the University of Mumbai, India. He is a recipient of prestigious fellowships including the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Indo-Australia EMCR Fellowship, Burroughs Wellcome Fellowship. Dr Gajbhiye was also a visiting fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Australia.

He is an international ambassador for the World Endometriosis Society (WES) and a life member of Endometriosis Society of India and the Indian Society for Study of Reproduction and Fertility (ISSRF). He is the past member secretary of the Research Advisory Committee, Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRU), Dahanu, Maharashtra state, India, and has contributed immensely to the establishment of MRHRU in Maharashtra state. He was also a member secretary of the Scientific Advisory Committee and Project Review Group of ICMR-NIRRH Field Units and coordinated the research programs at 31 field units of the ICMR-NIRRH located all over India.

Dr Gajbhiye is the recipient of research grants from international (WHO) and national funding agencies (ICMR, DBT, DST and DAE) and is currently heading the research programmes focused on the pathogenesis of endometriosis, non-invasive markers for the diagnosis of endometriosis, pregnancy outcomes in Indian women with endometriosis, genetic risks for endometriosis, and the association between endometriosis and ovarian cancer. He has published consistently nationally and internationally along with two book chapters. He is actively involved in the efforts of World Endometriosis Research Foundation (WERF) for implementing the WERF EPHect Clinical Questionnaire (ECQ) and Standard Surgical Form (SSF). He is instrumental in translating the WERF EPHect ECQ into regional Indian languages. He is collaborating with the gynaecological laparoscopic surgeons and scientists in India as well as abroad with a vision of reducing the burden of endometriosis in India and globally.

Dr Gajbhive was appointed a WES Ambassador in 2018.

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