Biography

Dagan Wells has been involved in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and the study of gametes and early embryos for three decades. Throughout his career he has been at the forefront of new developments in the field, pioneering the application of advanced methodologies, including genome editing, meiotic spindle transfer, whole genome amplification and next generation sequencing. 

Dagan’s career began at University College London, the site of some of the world’s first PGT cases. After completing a PhD, he won a prestigious fellowship which took him to the United States. He collaborated with Reprogenetics, at the time the largest provider of PGT services in the world, helping to establish a highly successful monogenic PGT program and develop novel technologies for the evaluation of IVF embryos. His work helped numerous families to avoid the transmission of serious inherited conditions to their children. Dagan later accepted a faculty position at Yale University Medical School, where he spent four years running a research laboratory, before returning to the UK in 2007 and joining the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Oxford where he is currently Professor of Reproductive Genetics. 

Dagan’s research has led to the publication of over 200 scientific papers (h-index 77) and has been recognised with multiple awards. Since 2000, his work has been nominated for 27 prizes at major conferences, winning 12. In 2019, he was awarded an honorary Fellowship ad eundem by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and has also been acknowledged with fellowships of the Royal College of Pathologists, the Royal Society of Biology, and the Institute of Biomedical Science. Dagan has served on the advisory boards of various professional societies, and the editorial boards of many of the leading journals in the field of reproductive medicine. He is the incoming President of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS) and chair of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Special Interest Group on PGT. 

Sources of research funding (last 10 years)

• National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Juno Genetics
• Merck Serono
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Reprogenetics
• Oxford Gene Technology

Academic and clinical societies and working groups

• 2023-present, President of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS)
• 2022-present, Chair of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine PGT Special Interest Group
• 2019-present, Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• 2017-present, Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science
• 2016-present, Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology
• 2014-2016, Association of Clinical Embryologists Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) 
• 2012-2018, Co-chair of the UKNEQAS/CEQA Microarray Working Group. Developing an independent external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for cytogenetic tests performed by preimplantation genetic diagnosis laboratories
• 2012-2014, American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Executive Board of the PGD Special Interest Group (PGD-SIG)
• 2012-2014, Executive Board of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS)
• 2008-present, Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists.
• 2006-2008, Executive Board of the New England Fertility Society

Editorial duties (international journals)

• 2009-2021, Section Editor, Reproductive Biomedicine Online
• 1998-2021, Editorial Board of the journal Prenatal Diagnosis
• 2012-2017, Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical Embryology
• 2008-2012, Associate Editor of Molecular Human Reproduction
• 2004-2007, Associate Editor of Human Reproduction

Recognition of research through awards and prize nominations

• 2023- Society for Reproduction and Fertility (Fertility 2023), shortlisted for Post-Doctoral Prize (senior author)

• 2023- Society for Reproductive Investigation, winner of Presenter’s Award (collaborator)

• 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, STAR Award (recognition for having presented work in at least nine of the previous 10 annual conferences)

• 2017- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, winner of the General Program Prize (collaborator)

• 2016- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, shortlisted the Basic Science Prize (senior author)
• 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, STAR Award (recognition for having presented work in at least nine of the previous 10 annual conferences)
• 2015- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, shortlisted for the General Program Prize (senior author)
• 2015- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, winner of Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology prize (senior author)
• 2015- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, shortlisted the Clinical Science Prize (senior author)
• 2014- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, shortlisted the Clinical Science Prize (senior author)
• 2014- Robert G. Edwards Prize Paper Award for best published paper (Palini et al., 2013 RBMO)
• 2013- British Fertility Society and Association of Clinical Embryologists conference (Fertility 2013), 'Peoples Choice' poster award (senior author) 
• 2013- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, shortlisted for the General Program Prize (senior author)
• 2013- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, shortlisted the Clinical Science Prize (first author)
• 2013- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, shortlisted the Basic Science Prize (senior author)
• 2013- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, winner of the Fertility Society of Australia Exchange Award (senior author)
• 2013- Fertility 2013 (Association of Clinical Embryologists and British Fertility Society). Best Poster (senior author)
• 2012- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, shortlisted the Fertility Society of Australia Exchange Award (senior author)
• 2011- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, winner of Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology prize (first author)
• 2011- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, winner of the Basic Science Prize (senior author)
• 2009- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, best oral free communication (senior author)
• 2007- New England Fertility Society first prize paper at annual meeting (senior author)
• 2007- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, short-listed for the Basic Science Prize (first author)
• 2004- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, short-listed for Promising Young Scientist Award (first author)
• 2003- European Society for Human Reproduction & Embryology, short-listed for Established Scientist Prize (first author)
• 2002- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, short-listed for General Program Prize (first author)
• 2001- Mammalian Genetics and Development, first prize paper at the annual meeting (first author)
• 2000- American Society of Reproductive Medicine, winner of General Program Prize (first author)

Dr Zeynep Gunes

Columba Avila Perez

Munuse Savash

Jack Fagan

Georgina Clark

Ayman Haj Ali