Professor Alan Handyside (Co-Director)
A pioneer in preimplantation genetics and embryology, Professor Handyside has recently been appointed as Director at Bridge to provide a science-led approach to the problems of infertility treatment.
Research achievements include (1) early demonstration of the role of cell polarisation in the allocation of cell lineages in mouse preimplantation development, (2) production of the first 'knock out' mouse model of a human inherited disease (Lesch-Nyhan syndrome) using embryo stem cells, (3) the first pregnancies following preimplantation genetic diagnosis of sex in X-linked disease and specific diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, (4) early studies of embryo metabolism and growth factor expression in human embryos, (5) the discovery of widespread nuclear and chromosomal abnormalities in early human embryos.
Pioneering clinical work in preimplantation genetic diagnosis with Professor Lord Robert Winston at the Hammersmith Hospital culminated in the birth of the first child following PGD. Professor Handyside's work has featured in many newspapers, magazine articles and television documentaries.
Professor Handyside has chaired the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Special Interest Group in Reproductive Genetics and steering committee for the ESHRE PGD Consortium. He currently holds the Chair of Developmental Biology, School of Biology, University of Leeds.
Professor Handyside has authored over 120 articles on developmental biology and genetics with contributions to Science, Nature, Development, Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, BMJ and Nucleic Acids Research.
Current research interests include (1) nuclear and chromosomal abnormalities in the human preimplantation embryo, (2) the genetics of infertility, and (3) human embryonic and trophectoderm stem cell lines.
See Professor Handyside's peer-reviewed publications
Dr Francesco Fiorentino (Co-Director)
Dr Francesco Fiorentino is an experienced molecular biologist, internationally recognized in the fields of reproductive genetics for his work in Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) and infertility treatment, as well as in the field of molecular genetics, for prenatal and postnatal diagnosis of genetic disorders.
Dr Fiorentino is the Founder, Owner, CEO, Technical and Scientific Director of Laboratorio Genoma in Rome, Italy. Genoma is a private molecular genetics laboratory, which is now one of the world's largest, fully integrated, specialized provider of genetics services, internationally renowned for its leadership in PGD diagnosis and for its work in infertility and molecular genetics. Genoma processes over 50,000 samples per year and tests for over 500 different genetic conditions.
See Dr Fiorentino's peer-reviewed publications
Dr Alan Thornhill (Assistant Director)
One of the UK's leading specialists in preimplantation genetics and clinical embryology, Alan has joined Bridge as Scientific Director following periods as Director of the Andrology, IVF and PGD laboratories at Mayo Clinic, USA, and as Scientific Director of London Fertility Centre. Dr Thornhill is a state-registered clinical scientist, HFEA recognized human embryo biopsy practitioner and board-certified High Complexity Laboratory Director (American Board of Bioanalysis).
Dr Thornhill has a PhD from the University of London in Genetics, with post-graduate training in single cell diagnostics at the Institute of Child Health and St Thomas' Hospital, London where he initially trained under Professor Alan Handyside.
Dr Thornhill holds an honorary lectureship at University College London and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the ESHRE PGD Consortium and Secretary of Alpha: Scientists in Reproductive Medicine.
Dr Thornhill has authored over 100 articles on fertility and genetics and his current areas of research interest are the genetics of male factor infertility, preimplantation genetics and reproductive pharmacogenetics.
See Dr Thornhill's peer-reviewed publications
Professor Darren Griffin (Consultant - Cytogenetics)
Darren Griffin is currently a Professor of Genetics in the Department of Biosciences, University of Kent at Canterbury and was involved in the world's first Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis cases which used the Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation (FISH) technique to identify male embryos which would be at risk of inheriting sex-linked disorders such as Haemophilia and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Professor Griffin oversees all cytogenetic test development at Bridge Genoma and has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles in the areas of cancer cytogenetics, genome organization, the cytogenetic basis of male factor infertility and preimplantation genetic diagnosis.