Sfontouris Ioannis Biologist - Embryologist

PhD/ Thesis

PhD in Reproductive Physiology

Thesis title: Oocyte-somatic cell interactions during oogenesis and folliculogenesis in monovular species

Board Member

• Coordinator of the Special Interest Group (SIG) “Embryology” of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)

Editorial Boards

• Associate Editor of Human Reproduction

• Review Editor – Frontiers Reproductive Health

AD-HOC REVIEWER for peer-reviewed international journals

• Human Reproduction

• Cochrane Library

• Reproductive Biomedicine Online

• Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics

• Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

• Frontiers in Reproductive Health

• Human Fertility

Professional Experience

• Director of Embryology, Mitera IVF (December 2020 – present)

• Director of Embryology, Eugonia (March 2006 – November 2020)

• Clinical Embryologist, NURTURE University of Nottingham (October 1999 – December 2004)

Education Experience

• Honorary Assistant Professor of Clinical Embryology, University of Nottingham (February 2006 – present)

Clinical and Research Interest

Clinical Interest

Clinical Embryology, Assisted Reproduction, Reproductive Physiology

Research Interest

Oocyte fertilization, embryo development, embryo assessment, reproductive endocrinology (ovarian stimulation protocols, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome)

Awards

• First Award “Best abstract in Gynecology”: 14th ISUOG International Symposium, Athens, Greece, 20-22 April 2018

  Title of study: Ultrasound and haematological early-luteal-phase predictors of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in high-risk patients following triggering of final oocyte maturation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG).

• First award of clinical study ACE 2003 Conference (6-8 January 2003, Glasgow, Scotland)

  Τίτλος μελέτης: Expression of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) in the bovine ovarian follicle Sfontouris I, Marsters P, Campbell BK, (2003), Human Fertility, 6(3):149

• Second prize for clinical study: ACE-BFS Winter Conference (7-8 January 2002, Nottingham, UK)

  Title of study: Effect of follicular fluid and serum-free media on the progression of nuclear maturation in bovine oocytes Sfontouris I and Campbell BK, (2002), Human Fertility, 5(2)

• Shortlisted for the “Fertility Society of Australia Exchange Award” ESHRE Annual Meeting 2011, Stockholm, Sweden 3-6 July 2011.

  Title of study: Assessment of embryo selection using non-invasive metabolomic analysis as an adjunct to morphology indicates improvement in implantation and fetal cardiac activity rates. Sfontouris I. A.

Books

• Chapter: Timing of embryo culture, In Manual of Embryo Culture in Human Assisted Reproduction, Lundin and Alstrom eds, Cambridge University Press, 2021

• Chapter: Technological advances in assisted reproduction, In Obstetric and Gynecological Women’s Health. Prevention and Safeguard (Ed. Gian Carlo Di Renzo)

Recent Publications

A decision-making algorithm for performing or cancelling embryo transfer in patients at high risk for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome after triggering final oocyte maturation with hCG.

Lainas GT, Lainas TG, Sfontouris IA, Venetis CA, Kyprianou MA, Petsas GK, Tarlatzis BC, Kolibianakis EM.

Hum Reprod Open. 2020 Jun 6;2020(3):hoaa013. doi: 10.1093/hropen/hoaa013.

ESHRE PGT Consortium and SIG Embryology good practice recommendations for polar body and embryo biopsy for PGT.

ESHRE PGT Consortium and SIG-Embryology Biopsy Working Group, Kokkali G, Coticchio G, Bronet F, Celebi C, Cimadomo D, Goossens V, Liss J, Nunes S, Sfontouris I, Vermeulen N, Zakharova E, De Rycke M.

Hum Reprod Open. 2020 May 29;2020(3):hoaa020. doi: 10.1093/hropen/hoaa020.

Good practice recommendations for the use of time-lapse technology.

ESHRE Working group on Time-lapse technology, Apter S, Ebner T, Freour T, Guns Y, Kovacic B, Le Clef N, Marques M, Meseguer M, Montjean D, Sfontouris I, Sturmey R, Coticchio G.

Hum Reprod Open. 2020 Mar 19;2020(2):hoaa008. doi: 10.1093/hropen/hoaa008.

ESHRE PGT Consortium and SIG Embryology good practice recommendations for polar body and embryo biopsy for PGT.

ESHRE PGT Consortium and SIG-Embryology Biopsy Working Group, Kokkali G, Coticchio G, Bronet F, Celebi C, Cimadomo D, Goossens V, Liss J, Nunes S, Sfontouris I, Vermeulen N, Zakharova E, De Rycke M.

Hum Reprod Open. 2020 May 29;2020(3):hoaa020. doi: 10.1093/hropen/hoaa020. eCollection 2020.

A decision-making algorithm for performing or cancelling embryo transfer in patients at high risk for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome after triggering final oocyte maturation with hCG.

Lainas GT, Lainas TG, Sfontouris IA, Venetis CA, Kyprianou MA, Petsas GK, Tarlatzis BC, Kolibianakis EM.

Hum Reprod Open. 2020 Jun 6;2020(3):hoaa013. doi: 10.1093/hropen/hoaa013.

Association between body mass index and oocyte maturation in patients triggered with GnRH agonist who are at high risk for severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: an observational cohort study.

Lainas GT, Lainas TG, Sfontouris IA, Venetis CA, Bosdou JK, Chatzimeletiou A, Grimbizis GF, Tarlatzis BC, Kolibianakis EM.

Reprod Biomed Online. 2020 Jan;40(1):168-175. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2019.10.006. Epub 2019 Oct 15.

Is oocyte maturation rate associated with triptorelin dose used for triggering final oocyte maturation in patients at high risk for severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome?

Lainas GT, Lainas TG, Sfontouris IA, Chatzimeletiou K, Venetis CA, Bosdou JK, Tarlatzis BC, Grimbizis GF, Kolibianakis EM.

Hum Reprod. 2019 Sep 29;34(9):1770-1777. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dez105.

Ultrasound and hematological early-luteal-phase predictors of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in high-risk patients following triggering of final oocyte maturation with human chorionic gonadotropin.

Sfontouris I, Lainas G, Lainas T, Venetis C, Makris A, Tarlatzis B, Kolibianakis E.

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Oct;52(4):556. doi: 10.1002/uog.19205.

Complex chromosomal aberrations in a fetus originating from oocytes with smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) aggregates.

Sfontouris IA, Lainas GT, Lainas TG, Faros E, Banti M, Kardara K, Anagnostopoulou K, Kontos H, Petsas GK, Kolibianakis EM.

Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2018 Aug;64(4):283-290. doi: 10.1080/19396368.2018.1466375. Epub 2018 May 2.

Blastocyst utilization rates after continuous culture in two commercial single-step media: a prospective randomized study with sibling oocytes.

Sfontouris IA, Kolibianakis EM, Lainas GT, Venetis CA, Petsas GK, Tarlatzis BC, Lainas TG.

J Assist Reprod Genet. 2017 Oct;34(10):1377-1383. doi: 10.1007/s10815-017-0997-0. Epub 2017 Jul 17.

Blastocyst Development in a Single Medium Compared to Sequential Media: A Prospective Study With Sibling Oocytes.

Sfontouris IA, Kolibianakis EM, Lainas GT, Petsas GK, Tarlatzis BC, Lainas TG.

Reprod Sci. 2017 Sep;24(9):1312-1318. doi: 10.1177/1933719116687653. Epub 2017 Jan 17.

Blastocyst culture using single versus sequential media in clinical IVF: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Sfontouris IA, Martins WP, Nastri CO, Viana IG, Navarro PA, Raine-Fenning N, van der Poel S, Rienzi L, Racowsky C.

J Assist Reprod Genet. 2016 Oct;33(10):1261-1272. doi: 10.1007/s10815-016-0774-5. Epub 2016 Aug 5.