Katie Ayers, a professor at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute at the University of Melbourne in Australia, was selected as the winner of the 12th Cha Kwang-ryul Stem Cell Award. The Cha Kwang-ryul Stem Cell Award was established in 2011 by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), named after Cha Kwang-ryul, head of the global integrated research institute at CHA Hospital and CHA Bio Group. It is awarded to researchers who have led innovative studies in infertility and reproductive medicine.
On the 28th, according to CHA Hospital, Professor Katie Ayers is researching the genetic mechanisms of human reproductive development and differences in sex development. She developed stem cells to analyze genes involved in fetal gonadal development and disorders of sex differentiation. Professor Katie Ayers said, "The core of the research was using Organoid (human body analogs) derived from stem cells."
Meanwhile, Cha, the head of the research institute, donated $1 million (1.4 billion won) to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. CHA Hospital said the funds will support researchers facing difficulties due to cuts in U.S. reproductive medicine research funding.