7.344 Treating Infertility-- From Bench to Bedside and Bedside to Bench, Spring 2015

Abstract

In the western world, approximately 10–15% of couples suffer from subfertility. Consequently, over 5 million babies have been born thanks to assisted reproductive technologies, and more than half of those have been born in the past six years alone. This class will cover the basic biology behind fertility and explore the etiology of infertility. We will highlight open questions in reproductive biology, familiarize students with both tried-and-true and emerging reproductive technologies, and explore the advantages and pitfalls of each. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.