The Chana Medical Advisory Panel includes:
Dr Miranda Abraham (Glick)
General Practitioner in practice for 13 years with a special interest in gynaecology. Practices under the NHS in West Hampstead and privately in Golders Green and has experience working with the Stamford Hill Jewish Community.
Website: www.wellingtondiagnosticscentre.com
Mrs Rae Adler
Community Development officer, responsible for helping Chana to widen its links in the community and help potential members access Chana’s services more easily. Member of the senior social work team.
Dr Yossi Adler
General Practitioner who practices in NW London with a large percentage of Orthodox patients. Involved with helping patients with a range of infertility treatments.
Dr Veronique Berman
Formerly the senior scientist in the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory in Haematology at the Hammersmith Hospital, providing the full range of molecular diagnostics and molecular monitoring for malignancies, chimerism for transplants as well as diagnosis of clotting disorders and Thalassemias, both for the Hammersmith Hospital and the West London region. Doctorate in molecular endocrinology with a particular interest in hypogonadism and infertility.
Mrs Carolyn Cohen
Principal Social worker of Chana, responsible for helpline and counselling services and member of management committee. Experience in marital and family social work.
Dr Anthony Cohn
Consultant paediatrician at the Watford and Hemel Hampstead Hospital. Had his own children through treatments. Has special interest in issues resulting from treatments as they relate to premature and multiple births.
Dr Gerard Conway
Dr Conway is lead clinician in endocrinology at UCLH and maintains a clinical research interest in pituitary, ovary and adrenal disorders as well as developmental conditions. Much of this work comes under the heading of reproductive endocrinology, which is a specialist interest in the department.
Dr Conway has pioneered the development of multidisciplinary clinics for Turner syndrome and Congenital adrenal hyperplasia which have become a model for care of these conditions applied throughout the world.
In the area of reproduction Dr Conway undertook research into the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome under Professor Howard Jacobs and has developed this interest over the last 20 years. He runs a clinic specialising in PCOS in the Reproductive Medicine Unit at UCH where he is the physician overseeing hormone aspects of infertility.
Dr Simon Fishel (associate member)
Dr Simon Fishel is Managing Director of the CARE Fertility Group. He is recognised for his pioneering work in IVF, especially in the fields of microinjection for male infertility and preservation of fertility in children with cancer. He has been active in the field for over 30 years, researching at Cambridge with Professor Robert Edwards before the birth of the first IVF baby. He has written over 200 scientific articles and edited three books on the subject. He was awarded a personal Professorial Chair in Human Reproduction in recognition of his work and is also an Inspector for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). CARE Fertility have been associated with the introduction of many of the advanced and specialised technologies in IVF, and their patient Bulletin Board has been described as ‘one of the best patient-patient resources in the field’.
Website: www.carefertility.com
Mrs Devorah Gelley
Support worker for the Chana helpline. Broad experience in the community, having worked with adolescents in school settings and been involved for many years as Rebbetzen and Kallo (bride) teacher. Also works for another Jewish charity as support group facilitator. Fluent English, French, German, Yiddish, Ivrit.
Mr Andy Glew
Andy Glew is currently celebrating his 22nd year working in the field of clinical embryology. His first position was a joint venture with Professor Ian Craft, Wellington Humana Hospital, London and Dr Robert Moor at the Institute of animal physiology and genetic research, Cambridge. This joint role gave Andy a good insight into both animal and human embryology and at the time the Humana IVF unit was the UK’s largest, performing several thousand cases a year. In 1989 Andy co-established the Essex Fertility Centre, now the Herts and Essex Fertility Centre along with the Medical Director, Mr Michael Ah-Moye, where he currently manages a successful team undertaking 700 cycles per annum. Andy was a founder executive member of the Association of Clinical Embryologists, and is currently an external inspector for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. His interests encompass all aspects of embryology with particular interest in blastocyst transfer and the promotion of collaboration and sharing of information within the field. Andy is actively involved in developing electronic systems to enhance the manual witnessing systems in their labs. He has also been involved in setting up and advising assisted reproductive centres in Serbia, Ghana, Durban and Nigeria and is currently acting as a consultant to Xytex International who supply donor sperm throughout the world.
Dr David Goldmeier
Consultant physician in Sexual Medicine at Imperial College NHS Trust at St Mary’s Hospital. Clinical lead for the Jane Wadsworth Sexual Function Clinic. Involved in clinical research. Sits on editorial boards for a number of academic journals and on the board of directors/councils of a number of national and international sexual function organisations.
Dr Lyann Gross
Lyann Gross is a GP registrar who has a special interest in gynaecology, fertility and family planning. She also works as a Family Planning doctor for Barnet Primary Care Trust and has lectured to other doctors and health professionals on gynaecological issues in Orthodox Judaism.
Mr Anthony Hirsh
Anthony Hirsh is a surgeon specialising in male sub-fertility and male sexual dysfunction. His main interests involve the management of infertile men by conservative, medical and surgical methods, including surgical sperm recovery techniques and assisted reproduction. A graduate of Westminster Medical School, he is Consultant in Andrology to Whipps Cross Hospital London, Bourn Hall Clinic Cambridge, Guy's Hospital Assisted Conception Unit, where he is Honorary Senior Lecturer, and The Fertility Unit, Homerton Hospital, London. He served on the Development Group for The NICE Fertility Guidelines (2002-2004). He has regularly lectured on the British Fertility Society special skills courses, King's, Guy's and St Thomas's Medical School, The Bourn Hall academic programme, and various clinical meetings. He has also contributed several papers and chapters on the investigation and management of infertile men in the assisted conception unit, and introduced reproductive medicine specialists in several units in the UK and abroad to the skills needed to manage infertile men including surgical sperm recovery.
Mr Arjun Jeyarajah
Mr Arjun Jeyarajah was appointed Consultant Gynaecologist and Gynaecological Oncologist at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in 1999. He has sessions at Queen’s Hospital Romford in his role as Gynaecological Oncologist in the North East London Gynaecological Oncology Network. Mr Jeyarajah qualified from Cambridge University and Kings College Hospital London. He trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Beth Israel Medical Centre in New York City, USA. On his return to the UK he completed his membership of the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists and carried out a further sub-specialisation in Gynaecological Oncology between St Bartholomew’s Hospital and The Royal Marsden Hospital. He was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 2007. His research interests include screening for ovarian cancer and laparoscopic pelvic surgery. In addition he is Chairman of the North East London Gynae-Oncology Tumour Advisory Group and his specific areas of expertise include laparoscopic surgery and coloscopy. He has extensive experience in radical pelvic surgery. In the private sector he consults in Wimpole Street, London and has operating sessions at the Princess Grace and The BUPA Roding Hospital.
Mr Eli Kernkraut
Mr Eli Kernkraut has for many years familiarised himself with information about clinics, specialists and treatment procedures. In a voluntary capacity, Mr Kernkraut helps prospective patients in the Jewish community to find out particular information specific to their own interest and helps them to liaise with appropriate specialists in the field.
Ms Sara Levene
Sara is a Genetic Counsellor based in the Clinical Genetics department at Guy's Hospital. Aside from a broad genetics caseload of general and cancer genetics, Sara has previously managed the long-term follow-up of families with chromosomal re-arrangements, and has more recently taken on the management of long-term follow-up of Fragile X families. Sara also works in a team running a local multi-disciplinary clinic for women with disorders of sexual development. Sara's special interest is in genetic conditions which are more common in the Jewish population, and as well as running the Tay Sachs screening clinic at Guy's she has more recently completed a Dept of Health funded 'Visiting Fellowship' to visit Jewish Genetic screening programmes in the USA, Canada, Australia and Israel. The UK National Screening Committee has now funded further work to review the current Tay Sachs screening service around the UK. In addition, the Guy's Genetics department where Sara is based, in conjunction with the local Assisted Conception Unit, runs one of the most active Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) services in the NHS.
Mr Gidon Lieberman
Mr Gidon Lieberman is an experienced consultant gynaecologist practicing in both the NHS and private sectors with a special interest in fertility. He is a Consultant Gynaecologist at The Whittington Hospital and is the clinical lead responsible for Fertility Services and the Early Pregnancy Unit. Mr Lieberman undertook his undergraduate studies at St Andrews University and Manchester Medical School, qualifying in 1993. Since then he has worked at University College Hospital, The Royal Free Hospital and St Bartholomew's & the Royal London Hospital. Mr Lieberman is accredited by the Royal College of Obstetricians in both laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery, gynaecological ultrasound and management of the menopause. He has published peer reviewed articles in gynaecology including gynaecological cancer and reproductive medicine.
Mrs Geeta Nargund
Geeta Nargund is the Consultant and Head of Reproductive Medicine services at St George’s Hospital, London. She is also the Medical Director of Create Health Clinic, London. She was awarded a Visiting Professorship and Gold Medal for her contribution in infertility by the University of St Marco, Lima, Peru (oldest university in Latin America) in September 2007. She has been a Senior Governor of primary and secondary schools in south London. She has published extensively on the use of Advanced Ultrasound Technology in Reproductive Medicine. She pioneered the use of follicular Doppler for assessment of egg quality in infertile women and “One-Stop Fertility Diagnosis” using advanced ultrasound technology. She has also published the first scientific paper of cumulative live birth rates with Natural Cycle IVF (IVF without ovarian stimulation). She is the President of the International Society for Mild Approaches in Assisted Reproduction (ISMAAR). She is passionate about prevention of infertility and making Assisted Conception Treatments (ART) more natural, safer and affordable globally. She is the Chief Executive of the UK national women’s health charity, Health Education Research TRUST (www.hertrust.org). Through this charity she is committed to raising public awareness about women’s health and funds for scientific research.
Website: www.createhealth.org/geeta%20nargund.htm
Dr Jeremy Nathan
Dr Jeremy Nathan is primarily a General Practitioner working in North-West London. His particular interests include Medical Acupuncture and Medical Education. He is a fully accredited member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, holding their Diploma in Medical Acupuncture and is the official Acupuncturist for CHAI Cancer Care. He is also a Clinical Teaching Fellow in the Academic Centre for Medical Education at the Royal Free and University College Medical School, UCL. He lectures undergraduates in Health Promotion, tutors first and third year medical students, and is a finals year examiner.
Website: www.privateacupuncturegp.co.uk.
Mr Nick Panay
Nick Panay is a Consultant Gynaecologist with a special interest in reproductive medicine and surgery, menopause and menstrual disorders.
As director of the West London Menopause & PMS Centre at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals, he heads a busy clinical and research team which publishes widely, presents at scientific meetings and trains health professionals at all levels. Much of his team’s research has focused on improving the understanding and management of premature menopause, PMS, new HRT preparations and complementary therapies. Nick is currently the Editor-in-chief of Climacteric (The Journal of the International Menopause Society) and is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare. He has a particular interest in minimal access surgery, both laparoscopic and hysteroscopic. He heads the operative outpatient hysteroscopy centre at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital which facilitates the one stop investigation and treatment of women with bleeding disorders.
As council member of The British Menopause Society and The British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy, Vice President of The Royal Society of Medicine, Chairman of The National Association for Premenstrual Syndrome and Patron of Daisy Network, he campaigns actively for women's health issues both nationally and internationally.
Website: www.nickpanay.com
Professor Lesley Regan
Professor Lesley Regan is Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Imperial College, St. Mary’s, London. Her specialist interests are in recurrent pregnancy loss, sub-fertility, non-invasive therapies for the management of uterine fibroids and general gynaecology and obstetrics. Recently received a Woman of Achievement Award for services to Reproductive Medicine. Website: www.savethebabyunit.org
Mr Bill Smith
Technical Director of Clinical Diagnostic Services. Ultrasound practitioner with extensive expertise in women's healthcare issues including obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive medicine. Recognised internationally for his pioneering work in developing ultrasound technology in many aspects of gynaecological scanning. Has been involved in setting up several fertility/IVF units within the UK over the past two decades.
Dr Davinia White
Davinia White is a Specialist in Reproductive Medicine based at Imperial College NHS Trust, St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington
