Friday, July 17, 2026

11:15 AM - 1:15 PM

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Details

There are over 200 million pregnancies globally each year and 121 million of these are unwanted. Increased options for contraception would almost certainly decrease the number of unwanted pregnancies. There is clearly a need to develop additional methods of contraception for males, an area of research that has been a major medical challenge for many years. Most strategies have focussed on hormonal strategies, however the problem with hormonal approaches is that they have intolerable side effects such as affecting libido, sexual performance and the development of masculine characteristics. This symposium will bring together speakers from a range of disciplines contributing to male contraceptive research. Speakers will share their discoveries on novel targets for male contraception including the structure and pharmacology of the P2X1-purinergic receptor and the remodelling of sperm cells that affect motility. The symposium will apply a global health lens to research findings, highlighting existing challenges and emerging solutions.

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Session chair