Activated Egg Symposium 2026: Unique Human Egg Activation Pathways

The 2026 Activated Egg Symposium, "Unique Human Egg Activation Pathways," continues a series the Bedford Research Foundation launched in 2002 to advance understanding of how the human egg begins development. It takes place at MIT Endicott House in Dedham, Massachusetts, with live streaming for remote participants. The one-day event brings together investigators from academia, industry, and infertility clinics to meet, share findings, and form new collaborations.

What sets the symposium apart is its deliberately intimate format. In-person attendance is limited to 100, and the day is designed around conversation as much as presentation. Scientific sessions run alongside three poster sessions held during the coffee break, lunch, and happy hour, with prizes awarded for outstanding work. Breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner are included, giving researchers and clinicians ample time to connect.

The 2026 program opens with remarks from Ann A. Kiessling of the Bedford Research Foundation and a keynote by Evelyn Telfer of the University of Edinburgh. The faculty also includes Ali H. Brivanlou of The Rockefeller University, Rafael Fissore, Jose Cibelli, Jonathan Van Blerkom, and Dietrich M. Egli. Elizabeth Carr, America's first IVF baby, joins as an author and advocate.

Its speakers cover egg activation, early embryo development, genome stability, and synthetic embryology. With that focus, the Activated Egg Symposium continues to connect basic science with clinical practice and to shape the future of reproductive biology.