Fertility Preservation SIG
The Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group (SIG) of CFAS is a body of clinicians who provide fertility preservation services and counseling for women and men undergoing potentially sterilizing medical procedures, as well as individuals with an interest in upgrading their knowledge and skills relevant to this area of practice.
Dr. Karen Glass, MD
Chair
Dr. Glass, born in Toronto, started her scientific training in high school at the Ontario Science Centre. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario, her medical degree from the University of Ottawa, and completed her obstetrics and gynecology training at McMaster University.
Her interest in laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery led her to UCLA for a two-year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, as well as urogynecology, working with Dr. David Meldrum’s team.
In 1999, Dr. Glass returned to Canada as an Assistant Professor at McMaster University. By 2002, she focused on fertility preservation for oncology patients at the CReATe Fertility Centre in Toronto, where she is now Director of Fertility Preservation. She also works at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Women’s College Hospital, and is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Glass chairs the Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society and served on the executive of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's group. She has co-investigated a prestigious grant for the RUBY Study and previously participated in the Oncofertility Working Group for Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology. She currently sits on the Medical Advisory Panel for Fertile Future and was their “Evening of Hope” Honouree in 2015. Dr. Glass is frequently invited to speak on oncofertility across Canada and is dedicated to guiding young cancer patients in their fertility preservation options.
Dr. Jennia Michaeli, MD, BSc, FRCSC
Vice-Chair
Dr. Jennia Michaeli is a Clinician-Investigator and Assistant Professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto. She received her medical degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed her residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, followed by a clinical fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Toronto.
“I am honored to empower my patients with cutting-edge technologies, paving the way for them to achieve their reproductive autonomy and fulfill their dreams of building a family.”
Dr. Michaeli is highly dedicated to her patients, aiming to improve patient care and well-being through a personalized and compassionate approach. She advocates and actively promotes projects to improve the care of vulnerable populations as patients requiring fertility preservation for urgent indications. In addition to her clinical activities, she conducts clinical and basic science research, published in peer-reviewed journals, and presented her work in oral and poster sessions at various international conferences. She takes a particular interest in fertility preservation and reproductive aging, focusing on novel biomarkers of reproductive fitness and oocyte and sperm quality.
Outside her clinical practice, she enjoys nature and wall-climbing, always looking for a new adventure.
Dr. Shu Foong, MD, FRCSC
Secretary/Treasurer
Dr. Foong completed medical training in 1997 followed by a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. She subsequently completed a 3-year American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Mayo Clinic, USA. During this time, she was selected as one of “America’s Top Physicians 2004-2005” by the Consumers’ Research Council of America. Upon returning to Canada, Dr. Foong was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology where she was on staff at the Mt. Sinai Hospital Reproductive Biology Unit. Dr. Foong returned to Calgary in 2006 where she currently practices at the Regional Fertility Program and is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary.
Dr. Foong’s clinical and research interests include fertility preservation and premature ovarian failure. She has presented and published her research in several peer-reviewed journals and at both national and international conferences.
Madison Erb, BSc, MHSc
Executive Member
Madison is an Andrologist/Embryologist who graduated from the University of Toronto’s Clinical Embryology master’s program in 2023. Her passion for fertility preservation was sparked in her first semester with a simple presentation on the effects of cyclophosphamide on fertility. This passion led her to pursue a capstone research project on the validation and optimization of slow freezing protocols for ovarian tissue, which would go on to build the foundation of the fertility preservation program at Mount Sinai Fertility. Her research on ovarian tissue cryopreservation has been presented at the University of Toronto’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research Day, and won an award at the Oncofertility Consortium in November of 2023. Madison is dedicated to continuing her education in fertility preservation and sharing her expertise with others through mentorship. She remains committed to making a meaningful impact in the in the field of fertility preservation through her ongoing dedication to
research and clinical work.