Scientific Status and Needs of Cryopreservation and Other Long-Term Preservation Approaches for Animal Models in Biomedical Research

Session VI: Challenges and Opportunities of Swine’s Biomedical Models Germplasm Preservation

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
April 27, 2026

Agenda

10:00 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.	Event Overview Desirée von Kollmar, B.S., Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
10:05 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.	Opening Remarks Harvey Blackburn, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Stephanie Murphy, V.M.D., Ph.D., Director, Division of Comparative Medicine, ORIP, NIH

10:25 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.	Kiho Lee, Ph.D., National Swine Resource and Research Center (NSRRC) Preservation of Swine Genetics for Biomedical Research
10:45 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.	Q&A

Session Lead: Kristin Whitworth, Ph.D., NSRRC

10:50 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.	Kristin Whitworth, Ph.D., NSRRC Cryopreservation of Oocytes, Embryos, and Semen, an NSRRC Perspective
11:05 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.	Harvey Blackburn, Ph.D., USDA Conserving Swine Genetic Resources via Cryopreservation
11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.	John Driver, Ph.D., University of Missouri Challenges of Propagating Swine Models for Research
11:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.	Alfonso Bolarín Guillén, D.V.M., Ph.D., AcuFast Worldwide Use of Cryopreserved Semen in the Swine Industry
11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Q&A
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.	Lunch Break

Session Lead: Kiho Lee, Ph.D., NSRRC

12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.	Xu Han, Ph.D., Wake Forest University School of Medicine and CryoCrate LLC A New School of Cryobiology: Nano-Scale Cubic Ice–Enabled Biocompatible Cryopreservation Validated in Swine Models and Driving Glycocalyx-Mediated Translational Platform Technologies
12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.	Cristina Cuello, Ph.D., University of Murcia, Spain Vitrification of Porcine Embryos: A Key Tool for Biomedical Models and Genetic Conservation
1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.	Marc Yeste, Ph.D., M.Sc., University of Girona, Spain Sperm Cryopreservation in Swine: Past, Present and Future
1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.	Pierre Comizzoli, D.V.M., Ph.D., M.Sc., Smithsonian Institution Scientific Advances and Knowledge Gaps in Preserving Germplasms from Domestic Cats—The Other Large Model
1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.	Robert Thorne, Ph.D., Cornell University Ice Formation, its Elimination, and Consequences for Cryopreservation of Oocytes and Embryos
1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.	Q&A

Session Lead/Facilitator: Harvey Blackburn, Ph.D., USDA

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Discussion: Gaps, Challenges, and Opportunities Highlighted by Session 3 Presenters What are the commonalities and unique aspects of preserving swine germplasm? What would be required to make a significant impact?
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.	Final Thoughts by Workshop Session I–VI Chairs Session I: Joseph Rinehart (joseph.rinehart@usda.gov) and John Bischof (bischof@umn.edu) Session II: Terrence Tiersch (ttiersch@agcenter.lsu.edu) and Yue Liu (yliu@agcenter.lsu.edu) Session III: Robyn Tanguay (robyn.tanguay@oregonstate.edu) Session IV: Yuksel Agca (agcay@missouri.edu) Session V: Carol Hanna (hannaca@ohsu.edu) and Jenna Schmidt (jenna.schmidt@primate.wisc.edu) Session VI: Harvey Blackburn (harvey.blackburn@usda.gov)
3:00 p.m.	Adjournment

Session I: Joseph Rinehart, joseph.rinehart@usda.gov, and John Bischof, bischof@umn.edu

Session IV: Yuksel Agca, agcay@missouri.edu

Harvey Blackburn, Ph.D. (USDA/National Animal Germplasm Program)

Kiho Lee, Ph.D. (University of Missouri/NSRRC)

Randall Prather (Emeritus; University of Missouri/NSRRC)

Kristin Whitworth, Ph.D. (University of Missouri/NSRRC)

Ravi Balijepalli (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Susan Chandran (ORIP)

Miguel Contreras (ORIP)

Desirée von Kollmar (ORIP)