The International Embryo Technology Society (IETS) board of governors voted unanimously to rename
the keynote address at their annual conference the “George E. Seidel Jr. Keynote Lecture.” This act is a
tribute to Dr. George Seidel Jr., who made numerous highly regarded scientific contributions in the field of
reproductive physiology and died in September of 2021. Dr. Seidel, along with his wife, Dr. Sarah Seidel,
were key in the establishment of the IETS. Dr. George Seidel received its highest honor, the Pioneer
Award, as well as the Distinguished Service Award.
The keynote lecture is given by a prestigious speaker who is very notable and significant in the field. It is
the final lecture of the IETS annual conference and is one of the most important and well attended
sessions of the meeting. It is fitting, then, that this lecture be named after Dr. Seidel.
Seidel grew up on a dairy farm in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, and attended a one room school. He went
on to receive his BS from Penn State University and his MS and PhD from Cornell University in 1968 and
1970, respectively, studying reproductive physiology in cattle. He completed is post-doc at Harvard
Medical School before accepting a faculty position at Colorado State University (CSU). There, he
established himself as a cattle rancher and a highly respected scientist. In 1993 he was named University
Distinguished Professor, and while at CSU, he took sabbaticals at Yale University and the Whitehead
Institute at MIT.
Dr. Seidel received numerous awards for his notable career, including being elected to the National
Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Inventors. His research and contributions to the field
included work with bull semen, in vitro embryo production, embryo transfer in cattle, and development of
methods for sexing semen. Dr. Seidel established the CSU Bovine Embryo Transfer Laboratory, where
much of the early research on superovulation, nonsurgical embryo transfer, and embryo freezing was
conducted. He also created a company called XY Inc. and conducted research that resulted in many
patents, the royalties of which he gave to CSU to support students and research.
The IETS is honored to attach his name to their keynote lecture in recognition of his dedication to the
Society and significant contributions to science.
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About the International Embryo Technology Society
The International Embryo Technology Society (IETS; formerly the International Embryo Transfer Society)
was formed in 1974 in Denver, Colorado, USA, to serve as a professional forum for the exchange of
information among practitioners, scientists, educators, regulatory officials, livestock breeders, suppliers of
drugs and equipment, and students. The purpose of the IETS is to further the science of animal embryo
technology by promoting more effective research, disseminating scientific and educational information,
fostering high standards of education, maintaining high standards of ethics, and cooperating with other
organizations that have similar objectives. Members of the Society are engaged in the practice of embryo
transfer in a variety of species, and in research on embryo production, transgenesis and cloning,
mechanisms regulating embryo development, and development following embryo transfer. Species
studied include domesticated and laboratory animals and endangered species.
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