Ambassador

VERCELLINI Paolo

Università degli Studi
Milano, Italy

Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi, Milano, Italy. Chief of the Division of Gynaecologic Surgery, “Luigi Mangiagalli” Institute, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy

Professor Vercellini is a gynaecologist specialising in the management of endometriosis and adenomyosis. His research interests include investigation of some pathogenic aspects of the diseases, and assessment of medical and surgical treatments. He joined the “Luigi Mangiagalli” Institute and the University of Milano in 1977 as a medical student, and received his MD in 1981 from the Università degli Studi of Milano, having the honour to work with Professor Giovanni Battista Candiani. Professor Vercellini completed his residency in Ob/Gyn at Milano University in 1985 and initiated the activity of the Mangiagalli Endometriosis Centre, now a national referral service for women with severe disease forms.

In 2002 Vercellini obtained the position of associate professor at the University of Milano. He was later appointed full professor at the same university. He was elected a member of the executive committee of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) for the years 1995-1999. From 2009 to 2015 he served as associate editor for Human Reproduction and, since then, for Human Reproduction Update.

He is author or co-author of more than 300 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals, and has an h-index of 61 (Web of Science) – 67 (Scopus).

Vercellini served on the WES Board from 1998 to 2017, and was its president for the term 2011-2014. Since 2017 he is an ambassador of this organisation that represents in the world all the issues related with the disease he has been working on for his entire professional life.

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Ambassador

STRATTON Pamela

National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, USA

Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, USA

Pamela Stratton MD FACOG is a gynaecologist and surgeon. She completed medical school at New York Medical College, began her residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at Harvard University’s Beth Israel Hospital in Massachusetts and finished her residency at Yale University in Connecticut.

Dr Stratton holds a professorship at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. She is a member of the World Endometriosis Society (WES), Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and is Past Chair of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s (ASRM) Endometriosis Special Interest Group (EndoSIG). She has published and lectured extensively nationally and internationally on endometriosis.

During her nearly 30-year career at NIH, she has pursued ground-breaking research on issues critical to women’s health within both the Intramural and Extramural Research Programs. For the last 20 years, a major area of her research focus has been studying treatments for chronic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis and improving understanding of the relationship between pain and endometriosis.

She has been awarded one of the highest honours in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS), an Outstanding Service Medal, for her research in endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain. Dr Stratton was awarded the first-ever Endometriosis Association Clinical Research Fellow to establish NIH as a site to train clinical investigators in endometriosis. She has shown that women with pain associated with endometriosis have central sensitisation and myofascial dysfunction, findings similar to those described in a rat model. These novel insights regarding the engagement of the central nervous system in the initiation and maintenance of chronic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis were summarised in 2011 in an invited review for Human Reproduction Update.

Dr Stratton has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

ROLLA Edgardo

University of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Board Member – Sociedad Argentina de Cirugía Laparoscópica. Board Member – Sociedad Argentina de Endometriosis. Medical Director – San Isidro Medicina, San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Staff Member – Fertilab, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Staff Member – Faculty 1000

Founding Member – Sociedad Argentina de Cirugía Laparoscópica, World Endometriosis Society, Sociedad Argentina de Endometriosis. Honorific Specialist in Reproductive Medicine, Sociedad Argentina de Medicina Reproductiva. Certified High Complexity Laparoscopic Surgeon – Sociedad Argentina de Cirugía Laparoscópica. Sponsor & Advisor – Mujeres Argentina con Endometriosis

Past President – Sociedad Argentina de Endometriosis. Past Editor in Chief – “Reproducción” (medical journal – Fundación Nicholson). Past Editor in Chief – “Fertilidad” (medical journal – Instituto de Fertilidad)

Dr Edgardo D. Rolla completed his medical studies and graduated from Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Later he was an intern, resident in gynecology and Chief of Residents at the Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Dr Edgardo D. Rolla pioneered laparoscopy in Argentina since 1974 and practised laparoscopic surgeries after 1990. He developed an early interest in endometriosis and infertility, performing assisted reproductive procedures since 1992. Currently he integrates an interdisciplinary surgical team dedicated to the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis with Prof Dr Jorge Grondona (Gastrointestinal Surgeon).

Founding member of the Argentinian laparoscopic surgery and endometriosis societies, he was also a founding member of WES at Quebec in 1998, Since 2014 he actively participates in the activities of different patients´ associations and is a current sponsor and medical advisor of the Mujeres Argentinas con Endometriosis, the leading patient society in Argentina. As an active member of Sociedad de Obstetricia y Ginecología de Buenos Aires and the local laparoscopic surgeons´ and endometriosis societies he routinely gives lectures and participates in debates related to endometriosis at various meetings across Argentina .

He has participated as Principal Investigator in trials for new drugs for endometriosis: AbbVie (Elagolix), Repros (Proellex), and currently Myovant (Relugolix).

He is considered an expert and opinion leader in endometriosis, and is a recognised specialist by the local pharmaceutical industry.

Dr Rolla has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

FARQUHAR Cindy

University of Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand

Postgraduate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Coordinating editor of the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group

Dr Farquhar’s research interests include clinical trials within subfertility and menstrual disorders, systematic reviews, and clinical practice guidelines. Her clinical interests are women with menstrual disorders, endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility.

In 2000, Dr. Farquhar was a Harkness Fellow for the Commonwealth Fund and spent one year at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in Washington DC. Her clinical interests are polycystic ovarian syndrome, pelvic pain, endometriosis and the management of abnormal uterine bleeding. She has lead guideline development groups on heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine fibroids and the management of women with breech presentation and vaginal birth after caesarean section, as well as assisting with training in guideline development workshops in New Zealand.

Dr Farquhar is currently the chairman of the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee (established 2005). She is a member of the Education Committee of the New Zealand Medical Council. She is a past Chairman of the board of the NZ Guidelines Group, and is a past member of the Quality Improvement Committee which reports to the Minister of Health.

Dr Farquhar completed her medical degree at the University of Auckland and then undertook specialist training in obstetrics and gynaecology in Auckland and London where she worked at Guy’s Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital. She returned to New Zealand in 1989 and has worked at National Women’s Hospital and the University of Auckland since that time. In 1998 she attained certification as a subspecialist in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and has been involved in training and assessment of trainees in fertility services since that time. In 2002 she completed a Masters in Public Health. In 2006 she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Dr Farquhar has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

CALHAZ-JORGE Carlos

Lisbon University Hospital
Lisbon, Portugal

Head of Department and Chief of, Human Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Lisbon University Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. Full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical School, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Professor Calhaz-Jorge received his medical doctor degree, from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Lisbon in 1975, and his specialisation in obstetrics and gynaecology in 1987.  In 2005 he completed his PhD on Endometriosis: pathogenic factors in the peritoneal fluid – clinical implications. He received his master in medical education from the Catholic University of Lisbon in 2006.

Professional experience

• 1987-1997 Member of the staff of the Human Reproduction Unit, Lisbon University Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
• Since 1997 Chief of the Human Reproduction Unit, Lisbon University Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
• 1987-2005 Assistant Professor, Medical School, University of Lisbon, Portugal
• 2000-2009 Member of the Board of the College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Portuguese Medical Association
• Since 2006 Associate Editor, Acta Obstétrica e Ginecológia Portuguesa
• 2006-2014 Member, Ethics Committee, Lisbon University Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
• Since 2006 Head, Gynaecology Division, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Lisbon University Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
• Since 2007 Member of Portuguese Regulatory Authority for ART

Activities related to scientific societies

• 1988 Registered as member of ESHRE
• 1996-2002 Member of Advisory Committee of ESHRE
• Since 2001 Portuguese member of the EIM Consortium of ESHRE
• 2002 Registered as member of WES
• 2009-2015 Member of the Guideline Development Group for Endometriosis – ESHRE
• 2009-2012 President of the Portuguese Society of Reproductive Medicine
• 2011-2015 Member of the Executive Committee of ESHRE
• 2015-2017 Chair of the EIM Consortium of ESHRE

Professor Calhaz-Jorge has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

TSALTAS Jim

Monash University
Melbourne, Australia

Head of Gynaecological Endoscopy and Endometriosis Surgery, Southern Health and Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, Australia

Dr Jim Tsaltas is the current President of the Australasian Gynaecological Endoscopy and Surgery Society (AGES) and a past board member of the International Society for Gynaecologic Endoscopy (ISGE). He has just been appointed to the AAGL reproductive surgery/endometriosis SIG.

Dr Tsaltas has a long standing commitment in advancing laparoscopic surgery. His main surgical and teaching interests are surgical techniques for advanced endometriosis surgery. His current main research interest is the impact of severe deep infiltrative endometriosis on infertility and IVF outcomes. He has published and presented widely in these areas both in Australia and internationally. His department has a longstanding commitment to training in all areas of advanced laparoscopic and endometriosis surgery. Fellows are recruited from within Australia and internationally. Through his involvement as one of the founding members of the Endometriosis Care Centre of Australia (ECCA) he has actively promoted awareness and treatment of endometriosis for his patients and for the women of Australia. He feels that it is extremely important to be both a physician and an advocate for our patients to improve treatment and awareness of this disorder.

Dr Tsaltas has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

SARIDOGAN Ertan

University College London Hospitals
London, England

Consultant in Reproductive Medicine and Minimal Access Surgery, University College London Hospitals, England

Ertan Saridogan MD PhD FRCOG studied medicine at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in Turkey and completed his initial specialist training in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa School of Medicine in 1991. He then moved to London for further postgraduate training in Reproductive Medicine and completed his PhD studies in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at St Bartholomew’s and The Royal London School of Medicine, University of London.

In 1996, he was granted Associate Professorship by the Higher Education Council of Turkey. Following this, he embarked on training in Minimal Access Surgery and was appointed as a Consultant in Reproductive Medicine and Minimal Access Surgery at University College London Hospitals in 2000. He was the President of the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) between 2014 and 2016, a Trustee and the Chairman of Medical Advisory Panel of Endometriosis UK, and the Representative of United Kingdom for the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Currently he is the Scientific Chair of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) Annual Congresses, a member of the ESGE Executive Board, President of the International Society of Fallopian Tubes and Reproductive Surgery and Director of the BSGE Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgery Education and Assessment (GESEA) Programme.

His clinical interests include laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery, endometriosis and outpatient hysteroscopy. His research interests include healthy and diseased Fallopian tube function and clinical outcomes following endometriosis surgery.

Dr Saridogan has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

METTLER Liselotte

University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein
Kiel, Germany

Emeritus Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany. Honorary Patron of the Kiel School of Gyne Endoscopy and Reproductive Medicine, Germany. Lecturer and Visiting Professor at the German Medical Center, Dubai Healthcare City, UAE. General Manager of Gyne Consulting, Kiel, Germany

Professor Dr Med Liselotte Mettler was born in Vienna, Austria. From 1959-1981 she conducted her medical studies, doctorate, gynaecological specialist training, habilitation, and professorship in Tübingen, Vienna, and Kiel. From 1981-2008 she was Deputy Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein. From 1990 – 2008 she was Director of the Kiel School of Gynecological Endoscopy and also Head of the Kiel Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Division.

Her main fields of activity are reproductive medicine, gynaecological endoscopy, and gynaecological endocrinology. Professor Mettler is actively participating in many societies and organisations. She was president of many societies and received numerous honors. She has written over 700 publications, 20 books, and five textbooks.

Despite retiring in 2008 she also serves as General Secretary of the International Academy of Human Reproduction (IAHR) with the 15th World Congress planned for March 2013 in Venice, Italy. Of the Academy of Human Reproduction and serves on the Scientific Program Committee for the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) September 2013 in Boston, USA.

Dr Mettler has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

CANIS Michel

CNRS Research Unit on Computer Vision and Endoscopy
Clermont-Ferrand, France

Director of a CNRS Research Unit on Computer Vision and Endoscopy (ENCOV, part of The Pascal Institute of Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne University), France

Professor Canis is full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2003 and served as head of the department of Gynecologic Surgery in the CHU of Clermont-Ferrand up to 1 July 2018.

Michel Canis was born in October 1957 in Chamalières in the Clermont-Ferrand area. He went to Clermont-Ferrand medical school from 1974 to 1980 and did his residency from 1980 to 1984. He became a resident in Professor’s Bruhat department in 1982 where he confirmed his interest in laparoscopic surgery which he discovered as a medical student attending many laparoscopic surgical procedures with Dr Hubert Manhès who pioneered laparoscopic surgery in Europe.

Professor Canis’s interest in Endometriosis begun during his residency. He performed a literature review on this topic, from this work Pr Bruhat and he selected all the speakers of the first world congress on endometriosis which was organized in Clermont-Ferrand in November 1986. Since then he has been involved both in the development of advanced laparoscopic surgical procedures, such as laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and excision of deep endometriotic nodules, and in basic research on the pathophysiology of endometriosis and of the peritoneal surgical environment.

He is full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2003 and served as head of the department of Gynecologic Surgery in the CHU of Clermont-Ferrand up to 1 July 2018. Since 2012, he is, together with Pr Bartoli, director of a CNRS Research Unit on Computer Vision and Endoscopy (ENCOV part of The Pascal Institute of Clermont Ferrand Auvergne University).

Professor Canis has two children: Hugo and Anouk.

Professor Canis has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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Ambassador

ATTAR Erkut

University of Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey

Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, CAPA, Istanbul, Turkey. Advisory Board Member of International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS). President of the Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis Society of Turkey

Dr Erkut Attar qualified as a medical doctor at Istanbul University and currently working for Istanbul University Istanbul Medical School, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility as a Faculty.

He worked as a Research Fellow at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the University of Connecticut Health Center (USA). Subsequently, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University, New Haven (USA).

As member of the group he won the Reproductive Immunology Special Interest Group Prize of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in 1995, and he received the Travel Award of American Society for Reproductive Immunology (ASRI) in 1994.

His study, The Effect of Selective COX-2 Blockers on IL1-beta Protein Expression in Human Endometrial Cells in Culture was selected as a prize poster at ASRM meeting in November 2002 in Seattle, USA.

Dr Attar became a member of American Society for Gynecological Investigation (SGI) in 2007. He was awarded by International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) in 2009 for his work on the experimental treatment of endometriosis.

He used to work as invited faculty and research associate at Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. Dr Attar is currently advisory board member of IPPS.

He has published more than hundreds of papers on peer reviewed journals. He established Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis Society of Turkey and is a current President of this society. He published books and book chapters in national and international publications. He has been invited to many international and national meetings as a speaker and keynote lecturer. He organised scientific meetings (SGI Summit 2013, IPPS 2011, 2017).

His research interests include implantation, pelvic pain, endometriosis and reproductive immunology.

Dr Attar has been a WES Ambassador since 2011.

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