Spermatogonial stem cell preservation and restoration
Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Ellen Goossens, Prof. Dr. Herman Tournaye
PhD Students: Emily Delgouffe, Ellen De Beer
The preservation and transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) is a potential strategy to circumvent sterility: frozen-thawed SSCs can be transplanted back into the cured patient to restore spermatogenesis. For over 20 years, the research group BITE performed pioneering work to develop this strategy towards a clinical application. For patients at high risk of losing their SSCs, the cryopreservation of SSCs is a valuable clinical tool to preserve their fertility. The research group BITE developed optimal protocols to cryopreserve either testicular cell suspensions or testicular tissue containing SSCs. These protocols are now being used in clinical fertility preservation programmes. The UZ Brussel started in 2002 to store testicular tissue of young boys who are at high risk of losing their spermatogonia.
In order to harvest their testicular tissue, these young boys need to undergo a testicular tissue biopsy. Although the biopsy procedure itself does not have a high complication rate, little is known about its effects on the long-term. BITE studies the effect of a testicular biopsy on the later pubertal development and fertility.
At adulthood, spermatogenesis could be restored by transplanting back the frozen-thawed SSCs into the cured patient. The technique of spermatogonial stem cell transplantation involves the injection of a testicular cell suspension containing SSCs into the seminiferous tubules. An alternative method is testicular tissue grafting. Testicular tissue fragments can be grafted into both ectopic and homotopic locations. The BITE research group was the first to show SSC differentiation in human tissue grafted into the mouse testis and, in December 2024, performed the world's first transplant of frozen testicular tissue after gonadotoxic therapy in childhood, in collaboration with UZ Brussel.
In vitro spermatogenesis
Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Ellen Goossens, Prof. Dr. Yoni Baert
PhD Students: Samuel Silva, Katerina Papageorgiou
Although donor gametes might offer a chance of starting a family for infertile patients, often the wish for genetic parenthood remains. Autotransplantation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) could restore fertility, but only in certain cases. When transplantation is not applicable, in vitro spermatogenesis could result in patient-specific gametes. Research at BITE focuses on developing new culture systems for human in vitro spermatogenesis using state-of-the-art tissue engineering approaches such as organoid technology and 3D bioprinting. When SSCs can be retrieved from the patient, these primary cells can be used to differentiate towards fertilization-competent gametes. Alongside in vitro spermatogenesis, BITE also performs toxicological studies on in vitro testicular tissue and organoid cultures.
Networks on fertility preservation
COST Action ANDRONET aims to boost research collaboration, education and public awareness in andrology, a field of science that deals with male health.
ORCHID-NET consortium is an international network of experts in the field of male fertility preservation.
Theses
PhD Theses
Emily Delgouffe, Effects of gonadotoxic treatments on spermatogonial stem cells and their niche; academic year 2024-2025 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Guillaume Richer, Formation of testicular organoids for male reproductive health; academic year 2023-2024 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Aude Braye, Immature testicular tissue banking for fertility preservation in (pre)pubertal boys: patient enrolment and follow-up; academic year 2022-2023 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Margo Willems, Unravelling the mechanisms behind testicular fibrosis in Klinefelter men; academic year 2022-2023 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Prashant Kadam, Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation: co-transplantation of supporting cells; academic year 2018-2019 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Elissavet Ntemou, Experimental approaches to improve immature testis tissue transplantation for fertility restoration; academic year 2018-2019 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Jaime Onofre Meza, Testicular cell freezing to preserve fertility in prepubertal boys undergoing gonadotoxic therapy; academic year 2018-2019 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Yoni Baert, In vitro systems to restore male fertility following testicular tissue banking; academic year 2015-2016 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Katrien Faes, Translation of fertility preservation techniques to the clinic; academic year 2015-2016 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Dorien Van Saen, In search of the most efficient fertility preservation strategy for prepubertal boys; academic year 2011-2012 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Liang Ning, Spermatogonial stem cells as a source for fertility preservation and regenerative medicine; academic year 2010-2011 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Mieke Geens, Strategies for fertility preservation and restoration in the male; academic year 2009-2010 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Ellen Goossens, Testicular stem cell transplantation in a mouse model: reproductive efficiency and safety; academic year 2005-2006 (PhD in Medical Sciences)
Master Theses
Nina Junius, The effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors on male fertility using a mouse model; academic year 2024-2025
Jorn Simons, The testicular organoid as a model to study the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on androgen binding; academic year 2024-2025
Ellen De Beer, Steering human testicular organoid architecture by avoiding EMT in Sertoli cells; academic year 2023-2024
Katerina Papageorgiou, Testicular organoids derived from transgender testicular tissue; academic year 2022-2023
Lorna Marchandise, Optimization of murine testicular organoid culture for in-vitro spermatogenesis; academic year 2021-2022
Céline Devriendt, Characterization of testicular fibrosis in Klinefelter men and identification of spermatogonia-specific biomarkers; academic year 2021-2022
Julie Kerckx, The influence of transgender therapy on the testicular environment; academic year 2020-2021 (Universiteit Antwerpen)
Mariella Obermeier, Differentiation of gene-manipulated spermatogonial stem cells in testicular organoid cultures; academic year 2020-2021
Pia Seßenhausen, Mechanisms of testicular fibrosis in Klinefelter Syndrome; academic year 2020-2021
Alicja Hatamnejad, Infertility in Klinefelter syndrome; academic year 2019-2020
Serafien Depoorter, Impact of a testicular tissue biopsy procedure for fertility preservation on pubertal development of pre- and peripubertal boys needing gonadotoxic treatment; academic year 2019-2020
Antoine Beal & Louise Lardeux, Histological study of testicular sections: evaluation of spermatogonial numbers in different pathologies; academic year 2018-2019 (Université Angers)
Gertjan Vereecke, Characterisation of testicular function and spermatogenesis in transgender women; academic year 2018-2019 (Universiteit Gent)
Clement Adams, Characterization of germ cells in testicular tissue from transgenders; academic year 2018-2019
Margo Willems, The role of macrophages and mast cells in testicular fibrosis seen in Klinefelter men; academic year 2018-2019
Melissa De Henau, What is the impact of testicular tissue biopsy at young age on the pubertal and bone development of Klinefelter Syndrome patients?; academic year 2018-2019
Chelsea Camps, Unraveling the mechanisms of azoospermia in male cystinosis patients; academic year 2017-2018
Selin Gündogan, 3D bioprinting of mouse testicular constructs; academic year 2017-2018
Annelore Van Der Kelen, The pubertal development of boys who underwent a testicular tissue biopsy at young age for fertility preservation; academic year 2017-2018
Alexine Messiaen, The value of DNA integrity and oxidative stress in spermatozoa and their relation to the parameters of a standard semen analysis; academic year 2016-2017
Irena Gripshi, Influence of diseases and treatments on testiculat niche cells and extracellular matrix; academic year 2016-2017
Elena Oriza Calvo, Protein expression during testicular development; academic year 2014-2015 (University of Barcelona)
Charlotte Rombaut, The effect of unilateral orchidectomy and subsequent gonadotoxic treatment on the controlateral testis in prepubertal and adult rats; academic year 2014-2015
Aude Braye, Long-term culture of human testicular cells: characterisation before optimization; academic year 2013-2014
Jaime Onofre, Cryopreservation of testicular cell suspensions; academic year 2013-2014 (Université de Paris)
Javier Pino Sanchez, Gene expression during testicular development; academic year 2013-2014 (University of Barcelona)
Sara Mota, Epigenetic modifications in the offspring after spermatogonial stem cell transplantation; academic year 2012-2013 (Lisbon University)
Delphine Groslambert, Transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells and Sertoli cells; academic year 2012-2013
Samuel Barak Ngoe, Characterization of spermatogonial stem cells in culture; academic year 2011-2012
Fatima Zzahra Moustaghfir, Epigenetic modifications in two-cell embryos and in offspring obtained after spermatogonial stem cell transplantation; academic year 2011-2012
Tugba Bilgec, Epigenetic modifications in germ cells after spermatogonial stem cell transplantation and intratesticular tissue grafting; academic year 2010-2011
Yoni Baert, Cryopreservation and transplantation of human testis tissue; academic year 2009-2010
Patricia de Vos, Karyotyping spermatozoa obtained after spermatogonial stem cell transplantation by microarrays; academic year 2008-2009
Dorien Van Saen, Regeneration of spermatogenesis after transplantation of testicular tissue, testicular cells and bone marrow to the testes of sterile mice; academic year 2006-2007
Katrien Faes, Culture and transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells and testicular tissue; academic year 2005-2006
Mieke Geens, Transplantation of cryopreserved testicular stem cells; academic year 2004-2005
Iris Mathijs, Reducing the risk of malignant contamination in testicular stem cell transplantation; academic year 2003-2004
Frederick Beirens, Cryopreservation and culture of human testicular cells; academic year 2000-2001
An Michiels, Cryopreservation and transplantation of testicular stem cells in a mouse model; academic year 1999-2000
Ellen Goossens, Culture and transplantation of testicular stem cells in a mouse model; academic year 1999-2000
