The 18th Annual Symposium of the Québec Reproduction Network (RQR)

The 18th Annual Symposium of the Québec Reproduction Network (RQR) was held from October 20 to 22 in Québec City, bringing together members of the Québec and Canadian scientific communities working in the field of reproduction. The event once again demonstrated the vitality of the network and the richness of exchanges among researchers, clinicians, students, and partners from various sectors.

The pre-symposium day, held on October 20, focused on the theme “Applications of organoids and organ-on-chip approaches in reproduction”, an emerging topic at the intersection of developmental biology, toxicology, and translational medicine. Invited speakers — Daniel Cyr (Institut national de la recherche scientifique), Étienne Audet-Walsh (Université Laval), and Hagar Labouta (University of Toronto) — presented the latest advances in the use of organoids and organ-on-chip systems to better understand reproductive mechanisms and their perturbations.

The symposium continued with a rich scientific program featuring presentations by Anthony Estienne (Université de Montréal), Jodi Flaws (University of Illinois), Mauro Silva (Université Laval), and Anne Monique Nuyt (Université de Montréal). These talks highlighted innovative approaches and interdisciplinary perspectives spanning reproductive and developmental health, as well as veterinary and human medicine.

Students and trainees from the network also took an active part in the event, presenting their research through oral and poster sessions. Congratulations to all the award winners for the outstanding quality of their presentations!

• Elisa Hug (Postdoctoral Fellow, Géraldine Delbès’ team, INRS)
• Emma Bourdillon (PhD student, Caroline Eozenou’s team, INSERM, France)
• Léa Lafranchise (Master’s student, Robert Viger’s team, Université Laval)
• Hengameh Kazemdarvish (PhD student, Yojiro Yamanaka’s team, McGill University)
• Helia Motamedi (PhD student, Greg FitzHarris’ team, Université de Montréal)
• Krutika Patil (Postdoctoral Fellow, Greg FitzHarris’ team, Université de Montréal)

The RQR Knowledge Mobilization Award was presented to Isabelle Plante (INRS) in recognition of her exceptional commitment to promoting reproductive research to the general public. Over the past year, she distinguished herself through her participation in numerous conferences, public presentations, and media interviews, contributing actively to the dissemination of research knowledge across the network.

We also extend our congratulations to Nour Abou Nader, recipient of the EDI Recognition Award, for the design and implementation of EDIcebraker, an interactive tool that fosters cultural exchange and helps break the ice within research teams. To access the tool, please follow this link.

The symposium also featured social activities organized by the RQR Training Committee, including a mini-golf night and a karaoke evening that were both highly successful and enjoyed by all participants.

The RQR warmly thanks the organizing committee and Maryse Um, network coordinator, for their dedication and outstanding work in making this scientific event a success.