Committees

Chairpersons

Zion Ben Rafael, Israel

Gab Kovacs, Australia
O&G Monash University

Michael Permezel, Australia
Mercy Hospital for Women

Section Heads

(Scientific Committees)

Fetomaternal Medicine

Aris Antsaklis, Greece
University of Athens

Frank Chervenak, USA
Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Frank A. Chervenak, MD currently serves as the Given Foundation Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as Obstetrician and Gynecologist-in-Chief and the Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University with highest distinction, and his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University where he was elected a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. Dr. Chervenak served his internship in Internal Medicine at New York Medical College, residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Medical College in St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center, and a fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. He was Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, where he was also Director of Perinatal Research and received the Dr. Solomon Silver Award for application of advances in research to the practice of Clinical Medicine.
Dr. Chervenak was appointed Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Obstetric Ultrasound and Ethics at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in 1987. In 1991 he was named Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Director of Obstetrics. In 1992 he was made Full Professor with tenure, in 1998 he was named Vice Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and in 1999 was named Acting Chairman of that department. Dr. Chervenak was named Chairman and Obstetrician and Gynecologist-in-Chief in 2000. He received his Master in Medical Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 2002 and earned fellowship status from the American College of Physician Executives in 2008.
Dr. Chervenak has published over 260 papers in peer review literature and has co-authored or co-edited 28 textbooks. Research interests include ultrasound and ethics in obstetrics & gynecology and physician leadership. He has been named a member of the Institute of Medicine of The National Academies. Dr. Chervenak has served on the Board of Governors of the American Institute in Ultrasound and Medicine and the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians. He has served as President of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine, International Fetal Medicine in Surgery Society, the New York Perinatal Society and the New York Academy of Medicine Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the New York Obstetrical Society. Currently, Dr. Chervenak serves as President of the International Society of the Fetus as a Patient, Vice-president of the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine, and Co-director of The Ian Donald Inter-University School of Medicine and Ultrasound. He serves on the March of Dimes Bioethics Committee and Prematurity Research Advisory Committee.
He has been awarded honorary doctorates from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary, the University of Athens, Greece, Carol Davila University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romani, and the University of The Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay. He is an honorary member of the Italian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Barcelona Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Russian Association of Perinatal Medicine, Hungarian Ultrasound Society, the Texas Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Croatian Association for Perinatal Medicine. He has been admitted as a fellow ad eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Great Britain.

Dan Farine, Canada
University of Toronto

ART/IVF

David Gardner, Australia
University of Melbourne

Victor Gomel, Canada
University of BC

Dr. Victor Gomel holds the rank of Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of British Columbia. He served as Chairperson of his Department for fifteen years, during which the department was greatly expanded and attained international recognition.
Dr. Gomel’s special research interests lie in the fields of gynecologic surgery and reproductive medicine. In the field of human reproduction, his work included infertility associated with tubal and peritoneal causes, fertility control, reproductive surgery, operative laparoscopy and in vitro fertilization. His other research interests include reproductive physiology and formation and prevention of peritoneal adhesions.
He is internationally known for his pioneering work in both microsurgery and operative laparoscopy. He was responsible for the introduction of laparoscopy in Canada; he was the first to demonstrate the efficacy of laparoscopic fertility-promoting procedures and other general gynecologic procedures using laparoscopic surgical access.
For nearly four decades, he has been involved in work to better understand the tubal and peritoneal factors that cause infertility, and to improve the surgical techniques to correct them. His experimental work was designed to elucidate the function of the fallopian tube. Microsurgical techniques were employed to alter the structure of the fallopian tube and thus gain understanding of the function of its various parts. Another aspect of his animal work was designed to better understand the formation of peritoneal adhesions. Various techniques and numerous substances were used in the attempt to diminish or prevent the formation of peritoneal adhesions. This work was carried out with the collaboration of members and various trainees (fellows) in his Department. These efforts led to the development and introduction of microsurgical techniques in gynecology, which produce significantly better results. These techniques have gained international acceptance and recognition.
He established an in vitro fertilization (IVF) program in Vancouver in 1981. Under his leadership this program was the first to achieve success, resulting in the birth (on December 25, 1983) of the first IVF baby in Canada.
He was responsible for the establishment of a masters and PhD. Program “Reproductive and Developmental Sciences”, within his Department, which has been operative since 1984; at present this program has more than 40 graduate students.
He was also instrumental in the creation of the “Women’s Health Centre,” which was the first such tertiary facility in Canada, and has been operational since early 1992.