Simon Fishel

Dr Simon Fishel, PhD, is Managing Director of CARE Fertility, and is one of the world’s most eminent specialists in the field of fertility treatment. He is recognized for his pioneering work in embryology and IVF.

Dr. Fishel began his research in Cambridge with Professor Robert Edwards several years before the birth of the first IVF baby in 1978. Later he was appointed Deputy Scientific Director of the world’s first ‘test-tube baby clinic’ at Bourn Hall, Cambridge, while maintaining his lectureship at Cambridge University. In 1987 he was invited by the World Health Organization and the Government of China, to establish an IVF programme in China and advise numerous clinics throughout China on the practices and principles of human IVF. Dr Fishel has been involved in many of the pioneering events in IVF since its inception.

Amongst his numerous scientific firsts, Dr Fishel’s early work at Cambridge during the late 1970’s was the first to demonstrate that embryos are capable of responding to their environment and communicating with the uterus and external factors. He was also the first to show that the human embryo in vitro synthesises and secretes the pregnancy hormone HCG (Science, 1984), and early in the 1990’s he was the first to demonstrate conclusively the need to permanently immobilize the sperm tail for efficient and successful ICSI in humans, and during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s he pioneered human sperm microinjection.

He has published over 200 papers and edited 3 books on the development of IVF and micromanipulation technology, and a recipient of many international awards for his work in the field of IVF. One of Simon’s proudest achievements was as Founder of the world’s first degree courses in Assisted Reproduction, which he initiated in 1992. “Teaching, training and researching with like-minded, able and dedicated students is one of life’s enduring pleasures and indelible memories“ Simon Fishel 2007.
Simon was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University in 2009 for his outstanding contributions to the field of fertility treatment.
Simon formed CARE in 1997 with the aim of making IVF treatment more widely available and maximizing opportunities for those seeking treatment. In addition to being Managing Director of CARE, he is currently on the Editorial Board and Reviewer for many International scientific journals, an Inspector for the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and a member of several HFEA committees, a Patron of ISSUE, an Advisor to CHILD and President of AceBabes, and a Patron of the Blue Shed Theatre Foundation. Simon also established the Rachel Foundation, a charity for research into infertility and fertility preservation.