The ORCHID-NET consortium is an international network of experts in the field of male fertility preservation.
To preserve fertility in young boys, a fragment of the testis can be surgically removed and frozen, before cancer therapy starts. This testis fragment contains spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) that have the potential to form sperm later in life.
Currently, research is ongoing to develop techniques to use these SSCs in order to restore fertility in adult life.
To better capture current practice and to co-ordinate clinical and research activity in fertility preservation in boys and restoration in their adult life, we have established the ORCHID-NET consortium.
ORCHID-NET was founded in 2022, with the aim of bringing together a network of experts in male fertility preservation and restoration, to focus on improving fertility outcomes after childhood illness.
ORCHID-NET: Optimizing male Reproductive potential after CHIldhood Disease.
Our name is derived from the Greek word “orkhis” or “orchis” meaning testicle.
Publications
Is the time right for transplanting immature testicular tissue or cells to restore male fertility? Expert perspectives on clinical implementation of autotransplantation of cryopreserved testicular tissue or cells for fertility restoration (2025)
Myriam Safrai, Ellen Goossens, Rod T Mitchell, Kyle E Orwig, Callista L Mulder, Ans M M van Pelt, Debra A Gook, Aurélie Feraille, Emily Delgouffe, Jill P Ginsberg, Jan-Bernd Stukenborg, Kathleen Duffin, Kirsi Jahnukainen, Claus Yding Andersen, Marianne D van de Wetering, Michael P Rimmer, Virginie Barraud-Lange, Nina Neuhaus, Sheila Lane, Hooman Sadri-Ardekani, Nathalie Rives, Christine Wyns.
ESHRE good practice recommendations on fertility preservation involving testicular tissue cryopreservation in children receiving gonadotoxic therapies (2025)
ESHRE FP for Boys Working Group, Rod T Mitchell, Cristina Eguizabal, Ellen Goossens, Michael Grynberg, Kirsi Jahnukainen, Nathalie Le Clef, Callista L Mulder, Nina Neuhaus, Michael P Rimmer, Jan-Bernd Stukenborg, Marianne D van de Wetering, Ans M M van Pelt, Christine Wyns.
A 20-year overview of fertility preservation in boys: new insights gained through a comprehensive international survey (2024)
Kathleen Duffin, Nina Neuhaus, Claus Yding Andersen, Virginie Barraud-Lange, Aude Braye, Cristina Eguizabal, Aurélie Feraille, Jill P Ginsberg, Debra Gook, Ellen Goossens, Kirsi Jahnukainen, Yasmin Jayasinghe, Victoria Keros, Sabine Kliesch, Sheila Lane, Callista L Mulder, Kyle E Orwig, Ans M M van Pelt, Catherine Poirot, Michael P Rimmer, Nathalie Rives, Hooman Sadri-Ardekani, Myriam Safrai, Stefan Schlatt, Jan-Bernd Stukenborg, Marianne D van de Wetering, Christine Wyns, Rod T Mitchell.