The Future Conceived

• E46: Fuller W. Bazer Award with Marcella Pecora Milazzotto

  In this episode of The Future Conceived, Dr. Fei Zhao, University of Wisconsin-Madison, sits down with Dr. Marcella Pecora Milazzotto, Federal University of ABC. Dr. Pecora Milazzotto is the 2025 Fuller W. Bazer SSR International Scientist Award. Listen in as Dr. Pecora Milazzotto discusses her relationship with SSR, her research and career development stories, and her advice to trainees.

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• EP45: Sperm Capacitation: Intelligent Motion with Dr. Meisam Zaferani

  This episode, the conclusion of our mini-series on sperm capacitation, features physicist Dr. Meisam Zaferani discussing sperm motility through the lens of search theory and active matter physics. Dr. Zaferani explains how the sperm, which he calls an "autonomous natural robot," overcomes the massive challenges of movement at the microscopic scale, where movement is dominated by fluid viscosity rather than inertia. To maximize their chance of reaching the egg, sperm constantly adapt their swimming strategies—a process physically evident as hyperactivation—to the geometrically complex and viscoelastic environment of the female reproductive tract.

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• EP44: Alternative Careers in Reproductive Biology: Dr. Eglė Ortega, Senior Embryologist at Fertility Institute of Hawaii

  In this episode of The Future Conceived we begin a new series, Alternative Careers in Reproductive Biology, which explores jobs for reproductive biologist outside of academia. Dr. Victor Ruthig from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus interviews Dr. Eglė Ortega about Dr. Ortega’s non-academic career as a reproductive biologist. Dr. Ortega is a Senior Embryologist on the In Vitro Fertilization team in Advanced Reproductive Medicine & Gynecology at the Fertility Institute of Hawaii.

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• EP43: Sperm Capacitation: Energy Metabolism with Dr. Melanie Balbach

  In this episode of The Future Conceived, host Cam Schmidt talks with Dr. Melanie Balbach, an assistant professor at Michigan State University, about the fascinating world of sperm metabolism. Dr. Balbach, an expert in biochemistry and molecular biology, sheds light on the process of sperm capacitation, the essential maturation step that gives sperm the power to fertilize an egg.From the moment of ejaculation, sperm undergo a dynamic transformation, shifting from a state of metabolic dormancy to an activated, energy-hungry powerhouse. Dr. Balbach explains how sperm, despite being transcriptionally and translationally silenced, dynamically adapt their energy metabolism to meet the demands of their journey.Listeners will learn about the interconnected dance between cell signaling and energy production, the "chicken and egg question" of which comes first, and how sperm-specific metabolic enzymes are regulated to fuel their journey. Dr. Balbach also shares insights from her groundbreaking research using stable isotope labeling, which reveals how sperm become more metabolically flexible to survive in the female reproductive tract.Finally, the conversation delves into the exciting application of this research: the development of novel, non-hormonal male contraceptives. Discover how targeting these unique metabolic and signaling pathways could lead to a new generation of on-demand male birth control.Join us to explore the intricate science that drives life's most fundamental journey and learn how a deeper understanding of sperm offers a glimpse into the future of reproductive science and medicine.

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• E42: Sperm Capacitation: Molecular Mechanisms with Dr. Pablo Visconti

  Welcome to Future Conceived, the official podcast of the Society for the Study of Reproduction.  In this episode, host Cam Schmidt chats with Dr. Pablo Visconti, Professor of Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Sperm maturation doesn't end with ejaculation, but instead continues in the female reproductive tract through a series of complex biochemical changes. This maturation process, known as capacitation, can make or break sperm success and its independent discovery in the 1950's by Austin and Chang helped pave the way for the first successful in vitro fertilization. Dr. Visconti has been studying the molecular mechanisms that control mammalian sperm capacitation for more than 40 years. This discussion offers a fascinating window into Dr. Visconti's approach to this problem and how his mechanistic insights have evolved as knowledge about sperm capacitation has accumulated over the course of his career.  

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