Fertility Preservation Research Studies

Testicular Tissue Freezing

The Fertility Preservation Program and Center for Reproduction and Transplantation at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are now recruiting for a research study in which research will be done on testicular tissue. It may be of interest to male subjects who wish to freeze testicular tissue because of risk of infertility due to their disease or medical treatment. This IRB-approved research protocol is open to males of any age with two testes who have a newly-diagnosed or recurrent disease or medical treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiation) that puts them at significant risk for infertility.

For young patients who are not yet producing mature sperm or males who cannot produce a semen sample, techniques are in development to use frozen testicular tissue to produce sperm and/or restore fertility.

In this study, the testicular tissues are collected during surgery:

  • the majority of tissue (75%) is banked for future reproductive use by the patient.
  • a portion of the tissue (25%) is used in ongoing research to develop technologies to produce sperm from the tissue (either inside the body or outside the body).

The research study will cover the costs of surgery, tissue processing, tissue freezing, and the first year of frozen storage.

Spermatogonial Stem Cell Transplant and Testicular Tissue Grafting

The Fertility Preservation Program and the Center for Reproduction and Transplantation at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are recruiting for a research study on spermatogonial stem cell transplantation and testicular tissue grafting. This IRB-approved experimental protocol is open to males who are at least Tanner Stage 3 of puberty, have previously cryopreserved and stored testicular tissue that is available for autologous transplantation (transplantation back into their own body), are in reasonably good health, and have written clearance for the procedure from the physician treating the primary condition (e.g., cancer, bone marrow transplantation, etc.) that created the need for testicular tissue cryopreservation.

Transplants will be performed by Dr. Kathleen Hwang, a reproductive urologist in the Center for Reproduction and Transplantation at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The program will cover the costs of surgery and transplantation.

Testicular Tissue Freezing for Transgender Individuals

The Fertility Preservation Program and the Center for Reproduction and Transplantation at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are recruiting for a research study in which research will be done on testicular tissue. This study may be of interest to transgender subjects who wish to freeze testicular tissue because of risk of infertility due to gender-affirming treatments. This IRB-approved experimental protocol is open to transgender females over the age of 9 who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and are receiving gender affirming treatments or planning to start gender affirming treatments (hormone suppression or cross-sex hormones), do not wish to delay or interrupt their gender affirming treatments to experience male puberty and produce sperm, and have a referral for a fertility preservation consultation from their primary care physician/team.

For young patients who are not yet producing mature sperm, cannot produce a semen sample, or do not want to experience male puberty, techniques are in development to use frozen testicular tissue to produce sperm and/or preserve fertility.

In this study, the testicular tissue is collected during surgery and allocated as follows:

  • 75% of testicular tissue is banked for future reproductive use by the patient. Methods to use frozen testicular tissue in reproduction are still in development.
  • 25% of testicular tissue is used in ongoing research to develop technologies to produce sperm from the tissue.

The research study will cover the costs of surgery, tissue processing, tissue freezing, and the first year of frozen storage.


Ovarian Tissue Freezing

The Fertility Preservation Program in Pittsburgh and the Center for Reproduction and Transplantation at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is enrolling patients for ovarian tissue cryopreservation. This IRB-approved experimental protocol is open to:

  • Women under the age of 40;
  • Who have a newly diagnosed or recurrent disease or medical treatment (e.g., chemotherapy or radiation) that puts them at significant risk for infertility

This research study is for female patients facing a gonadotoxic disease or treatment regimen that can threaten fertility. For young patients who are not yet producing mature eggs or women who are unable to freeze eggs, frozen ovarian tissue might be used in the future to restore fertility or hormone function.

The program will cover the costs of surgery, tissue processing, tissue freezing, and the first year of frozen storage.

Ovarian Tissue Transplantation

The Fertility Preservation Program and the Center for Reproduction and Transplantation at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are recruiting for a research study on ovarian tissue transplantation. This IRB-approved experimental protocol is open to, women between the ages of 18-45 years, who have previously cryopreserved and stored ovarian cortical tissue that is available for autologous transplantation (transplantation back into their own body), have ovarian insufficiency, are candidates for pregnancy (if that is the desired outcome), and have written clearance for the procedure from the physician treating the primary condition (e.g., cancer, bone marrow transplantation, etc.) that created the need for ovarian tissue cryopreservation.

Transplants will be performed by Dr. Ted Lee, the Director of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Magee-Womens Hospital. The program will cover the costs of surgery and transplantation.

Ovarian Tissue Freezing for Transgender Individuals

The Fertility Preservation Program and the Center for Reproduction and Transplantation at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are recruiting for a research study in which research will be done on ovarian tissue. This study may be of interest to transgender subjects who wish to freeze ovarian tissue because of risk of infertility due to gender affirming treatments. This IRB-approved experimental protocol is open to transgender males over the age of 9 who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, are receiving gender affirming treatments or planning to start gender affirming treatments (hormone suppression or cross-sex hormones), do not wish to delay or interrupt their gender affirming treatments to experience female puberty and undergo an egg retrieval procedure, and have a referral for a fertility preservation consultation from their primary care physician/team.

For young patients who are not yet producing mature eggs or patients that do not want to experience female puberty, techniques are in development to use frozen ovarian tissue to produce mature eggs and preserve fertility.

In this study, the ovarian tissue is collected during surgery and allocated as follows:

  • 80% of ovarian tissue is banked for future reproductive use by the patient. Methods to use frozen ovarian tissue in reproduction are still in development.
  • 20% of ovarian tissue is used in ongoing research to develop technologies to produce mature eggs from the tissue.

The research study will cover the costs of surgery, tissue processing, tissue freezing, and the first year of frozen storage.




Interested in participating in one of the fertility research studies above? Contact us for more information.