Dr. Zouhair O. Amarin

The Middle East IVF Pioneer, Dr. Zouhair O. Amarin  is an Associate Professor at The Jordan University of Science and technology, Irbid, Jordan. He has worked previously as a Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at The Manor House Hospital, London. And as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nottingham Research and Treatment Unit in Reproduction. He trained in renowned hospitals in Great Britain for over 25 years. Dr. Amarin has a wide clinical experience in obstetrics and gynecology as well as reproductive medicine. His work on Microscopic Epididymal Sperm Aspiration was recognized as a First in the British Isles. He has teaching experience in Scotland and England and has published his work in various international journals. He is one of the very early pioneers in the field of IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technology. He is the First Medical Doctor of Middle Eastern origins to succeed in IVF (His results were media published in 1985).

 Qualifications              Top

MD 1973
M.R.C.O.G 1981
M.Sc. (Medical Science) Glasgow 1985
F.M.G.E.M.S. (ECFMG, USA) 1992
F.R.C.O.G 1995

  Prizes and Awards            Top

 Scholarship Award to read Medicine, 1966 .
 Medical Graduate Merit Award, 1973 .
 Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists Accreditation Title

Present Appointment

Associate Professor at The Jordan University of Science and technology, Irbid, Jordan.

 Experience                Top

 Clinical Experience

In Reproductive Medicine, all throughout his career he has been most interested in the investigation and treatment of sub fertile patients. As an infertility clinician he has been involved in Reconstructive Microsurgery of the fallopian tube, vas deferens, ovulation induction, ultrasonically guided percutaneous transvesical and transvaginal oocyte recovery and embryo transfer. He has taken part in culture medium preparation, sperm washing, oocyte handling and all other aspects of laboratory work. He is very conversant with abdominal and vaginal ultrasound for diagnostic and operative procedures and with the use of the laparoscope for Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT) and was one of the first clinicians to introduce this technique in Britain.

As a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nottingham, his responsibilities included the clinical management of patients of NURTURE (Nottingham University Research and treatment Unit in Reproduction), which provided the full range of services associated with assisted conception; tubal surgery, GIFT, transvaginal oocyte recovery, embryo transfer etc. The Unit deals with a high percentage of patients referred for problems relating to male infertility.

NURTURE has established a microassisted fertilisation programme, which resulted in the birth of Britain's first babies conceived by subzonal insemination and zona breaching procedures. These procedures add a new dimension to reproductive medicine and patients had to be guided through the most appropriate treatment procedure.

As Head and Medical Director of an IVF Centre he I has personal experience in the organization and maintenance of the clinical laboratory as well as tissue culture techniques. He has been responsible for formulating laboratory policies and protocols and quality control procedures in the form of assay application to cell culture media and contact materials to rule out toxins, inappropriate ionic concentration, microbial contamination, or other potential hazards to human gametes or embryos. Quality assurance assays include bioassays such as mouse IVF, one-cell or two-cell mouse embryo development in vitro, or human sperm survival assays. Each batch of all media used for ART procedures would have the following information available: Lot # of media, date prepared, bioassays, osmolarity, pH, method of sterilisation, and expiration date.

Teaching Experience

Medical Undergraduates: Having worked in Teaching Hospitals, he has regularly taken part in the teaching of obstetrics by giving lectures, conducting seminars, class and bedside tutorials, supervising case presentations and teaching at out-patient clinics. He has taken part in class examinations and setting and marking essays.

Medical Postgraduates: In Gynaecology, he has instructed and supervised senior house officers in the performance of minor, intermediate and major surgical procedures. Similarly he has taught obstetrics to senior house officers and supervised the conduct of operative vaginal deliveries and Caesarean sections.

In order to help senior house officers for the M.R.C.O.G. and Diploma of R.C.O.G., he has undertaken ward teaching and informal tutorials. he has also given advice on the preparation of case commentaries for the M.R.C.O.G.

Student midwives: He was a lecturer in Obstetrics to student midwives approved by the Central Midwives Board for Scotland and was regularly involved in giving lectures and tutorials and also informal teaching at ward level. he has also participated in the oral examinations for the hospital finals.

As a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nottingham: his responsibilities included a major involvement in the newly established one-year 's taught Masters Course in Assisted Reproduction Technology.

 Research

he has completed a supervised personal research in Mammalian Embryology and Reproductive Biology for a M.Sc. (Med. Sci.) degree entitled Study of the Effects of Position of Implantation in the Mouse Uterus on the Growth and Development of the Conceptus. University of Glasgow.

Two groups of mouse foetuses were examined at 11 and 15 days of gestation; inbred (CBA females + CBA males) and Fl hybrid (CBA females + NIMR males).

On comparing the total development scores of the foetuses at the ovarian and cervical ends of the uterine horn, no differences were found. Since other researchers have shown developmental differences in the later stages of gestation 17.5 and 18 days (McLaren, 1965 and Waugh and Scothorne, unpublished data), useful further study could examine the developmental criteria at 16 to 17 days of gestation. This would establish the stage in gestation when these differences become statistically significant.

The research element formed a major component of the M.Sc. (Med. Sci.) degree. Its formal taught elements, examining and research provided a valuable training in the various aspects of human anatomy, neuroanatomy, histology, embryology, applied anatomy, radiological and living anatomy.

 Statement on Research

His personal research career has, with positive intent, moved from the pure experimental research to its application in the field of human reproduction. he had to become very much aware of the need for careful analytical research before its application.

 Administrative Experience and Clinical Audit

He has organized the setting up of successful in-vitro fertilization laboratories in three London units and advised on the setting up of few overseas.

In his more recent Senior Departmental posts, he had a continuing responsibility for the care of patients in his charge and the functioning of the department, including any necessary administration and involvement in the relevant audit of structure, process, outcome and teaching quality assessment programmes.

 Achievements          Top

 Pioneering Achievements

Shortly after the birth of the first test tube baby in 1978, he enrolled at the University of Glasgow for a Master of Science Embryology Research Project to obtain some experience in handling mammalian gametes in what was; at the time; considered the most novel, exciting and to a major extent controversial technology.

On successfully accomplishing this task, his personal research career had, with positive intent, moved from the pure experimental research to its application in the field of human reproduction. This culminated in the most challenging, independent and state of the art clinical application. As the public at large was most interested in those new developments, it led to large media exposure. On the other hand, we as practitioners were interested in forming the public and popularizing the technique. Soon afterwards he was recognized and documented as The Middle East IVF Pioneer.

In 1992, he developed the role of Microscopic Epididymal Sperm Aspiration in conjunction with assisted reproductive technologies after some pioneering work in this field which was published in the British Press Media as a First in the British Isles.

At present he developing the role of In-Vitro culture of Round Spermatids prior to ICSI.

 Affiliation & Memberships          Top

 Affiliation to Professional Societies

The British Fertility Societies
The European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology
American Society for reproductive Medicine
Saudi Obstetric & Gynaecological Society
British Society of Colposcopy
The National Association for the Childless
The Miscarriages Association
The Endometriosis Society
The Wellington Society

 Other Professional Affiliations

British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Expert Assessor of Manuscripts.

Member of the Faculty at the course for part II Arab Board, Saudi Board & MIRCOG Examination. King Abdul Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Examinar for the Arab Board Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Editorial Board Member for the Saudi Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

 Publications          Top

 Published work

On Metronidazole and Prostaglandin Induced Abortion, Follow up Study of Women with Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, Hypogammaglobulinaemia during Pregnancy in Identical Twin Sisters, Progress report on In-Vitro Fertilisation at a Recently Established Clinic, Inguinal Ovary and Fallopian Tube. An Unusual Hernia, Conserving the cervix at hysterectomy, Round spermatid separation and in-vitro maturation. A new combination and Antisperm Antibodies, Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer, Post-operative Morbidity following Total, Compared to Sub-total Abdominal  Hysterectomies with Emphasis on Sexual and urinary,  Elevated Serum CA 125 in primary Cancer of Fallopian Tube Carcinoma,  Laparoscopic Methotrexate Instillation in Tubal Pregnancy, The Value of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection in Failed Conventional In-Vitro - Fertilization Cycles, Successful Pregnancy after Round Spermatid Injection, Cases of Severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome Requiring Ovarian Cystectomy, Post Embryo Transfer Rest versus Free Mobilisation and Antisperm antibodies and intra uterine insemination.

 Posters and Abstracts

1. Super ovulation using Tamoxifen results in a better ongoing pregnancy rate than with Clomiphine Citrate. 5th World Congress for IVF and ET in USA. Norfolk. Virginia. April. 1987; Abstract number AP 527.

2. Success rates from twelve-month period in an in-vitro centre using Ultrasound Egg Collection. 5th World Congress for IVF and ET in USA. Norfolk, Virginia. April. 1987. Abstract number AP 542

3. Microdroplets in IVF. Human Reproduction. 1987. Abstract number 385

4. Donor Semen use in IVF Programme. Human Reproduction, 1987. Abstract number 370

5. Preliminary results using a high potassium medium do not show improved IVF pregnancy rates. Society for Study of Fertility. 1987. Abstract number 84

6. Effect of Gonadotrophin Dose on IVF results. Symposium abstract. The Early Days of Pregnancy. Kings College. Aberdeen. September 1987

Presentations

 Lectures and Presentations to Learned Societies

1. Hypogammaglobulinaemia in Pregnancy. The Glasgow Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Glasgow. 21st January 1981

2. Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer. Chase Farm Postgraduate Centre. London.
21st September 1988

3. Infertility: what the general practitioner needs to know. Chase Farm Postgraduate  Centre. 10th September 1991

4. GIFT re-visited. Postgraduate meeting. University Hospital. Queen's Medical Centre. University of Nottingham.16th February 1993

5. Assisted Reproductive Technologies Update. Enfield Community Services. Merryhills Clinic. 11th March 1993

6. Advanced Reproductive Techniques, Al-Azhar University-Cairo. Egypt. 3th June 1998.

7. Advanced Reproductive technology. Past and Future. Al Fau Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. Jeddah. Sponsored by Zeneca Pharma International. 29th Oct 1999.

8. In- Vitro Fertilisation overview. Continuing Medical Education Lecture. Dr Fakeeh Hospital in co-operation with Harvard University, and according to the regulation of The Saudi Council of Medical Specialities. 10th April 2000.

9. Human Spermiogenesis in Vitro. The Millennium Gulf International Congress in Obstetrics and Gynaecology & The 10th Annual General Meeting. "Towards enhancing women's Health in the New Millennium". At King Fahd Medical Research Centre, King Abdal Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah. 8th - 11th May, 2000.

Hobbies            

Arts
Member of Cast, University New Year Theatre Review, 1969.
Oil painting and classical music.

Chess
Captain of University Chess Team, 1977.
Chairman, Doctors Open Chess Tournament, the first-ever doctors.
Videoconference chess challenge. United Kingdom. 18th January 1995.
M.S. Abraham's Chess Club, London.

Tennis
White Badge Qualified Lawn Tennis Referee, International Tennis Federation.
Higher Sports Committee Member, King Hussein Sports City, Jordan 1999.
Champion. Fakeeh Hospital Singles Tennis Tournament 1st Jan & 4th April 2000.

Address