CryoStore diary - Mahsa Abdi
June and July, 2026 | A summer of science, networking, travel and new experiencesA Summer Full of Research, Travel and New Experiences
This summer was a very special and exciting experience for me as a PhD student. I had the opportunity to travel from the Netherlands to Japan to attend two conferences. There, I presented my research, met researchers from different countries, exchanged ideas and, explored a new country. Afterwards, I returned to Wageningen and continued the summer with an international summer school.
Association for Applied Animal Andrology – Obihiro, Japan
From 19 to 22 June, I attended the 15th Biennial Conference of the Association for Applied Animal Andrology (4A) in Obihiro, Japan. It was a great opportunity to meet researchers working in animal reproduction and animal andrology and to discuss different research ideas.
I presented my poster “Exploratory comparison of bull-specific and boar-specific extenders for porcine semen cryopreservation”. This work was carried out in collaboration with Batu Kaplan, another Cryostore PhD candidate.
Presenting my work and discussing it with other researchers was a great experience. I received valuable feedback, shared ideas, and discussed different challenges and troubleshooting approaches related to our research on porcine semen cryopreservation.
International Congress of Animal Reproduction (ICAR 2026 – Obihiro, Japan)
From 22 to 26 June, I attended the International Congress of Animal Reproduction (ICAR 2026) in Obihiro. This was a large and exciting conference (about 1145 attendees), bringing together researchers from many different countries and areas of animal reproduction.
I presented my poster “Fertility and litter traits in commercial pig production using frozen-thawed semen”. It was a great chance to share my research, learn about the latest developments in animal reproduction, and discuss research ideas with researchers from different backgrounds. Specifically, I was inspired by many presentations about reproductive technologies in pigs but also in other domestic species. Moreover, I could meet the authors of many scientific publications that are main references for my own project and discuss the challenges I face every day in the lab. I found a very collaborative environment, and I hope that these connections will open the door to collaborations.
Exploring Tokyo and Japan
After the conferences, I had a few days to enjoy Tokyo and explore Japan. One of my favorite places was Kamakura. I really enjoyed visiting the Great Buddha and walking around the beautiful and peaceful surroundings.
I also loved the nature in Japan. After spending time in a busy city like Tokyo, it was really nice to experience the peaceful and beautiful natural scenery.
Tokyo itself was also amazing. I enjoyed walking around the city, exploring different areas and experiencing the unique atmosphere of this beautiful city.
And of course, I could not leave Japan without enjoying its incredible food! I tried a variety of delicious Japanese dishes, with sushi being one of my favourites. I also had the chance to try pure matcha, which I really enjoyed and which gave me another opportunity to experience a unique part of Japanese culture.
Back to Wageningen – Summer School
After returning from Japan, I had the opportunity to attend the CryoStore Summer School in Wageningen. The programme offered a diverse range of useful and interesting activities, covering topics from biobanking and gamete collection to transferable skills, and brought together participants from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds.
We had both theoretical and practical sessions, including a full day at Utrecht University, where we took part in interesting lectures and activities related to the CryoStore project. We also visited Topigs Norsvin, the industrial partner of the CryoStore project, which gave us a valuable opportunity to learn more about the industry perspective and see how research can be connected to practical applications. Alongside these academic and professional activities, we also enjoyed some fun and interactive sessions, as well as visits to a farm in Arnhem and Ouwehands Dierenpark in Rhenen, where we attended lectures and spent some time with the beautiful animals.
Practical summer school activity – De Korenmaat, Arnhem
CryoStore DCs Mahsa Abdi, Firouzeh Sadeghzadeh, Batuhan Kaplan, Abdul-Rashid Iddi and Sheyda Shapouri.
Visit to Ouwehands Dierenpark – Rhenen
A cute little souvenir from Japan
The combination of scientific learning, practical experiences, and social activities made the summer school a truly memorable experience. Overall, June and July were very special months for me, filled with new experiences, learning, and meaningful connections. From my time in Japan to the CryoStore Summer School in Wageningen, these experiences added a special dimension to my PhD journey.
A cute little souvenir from Japan. quite appropriate for a researcher working in animal reproduction! 😂
I would like to thank all my supervisors and the Doctoral Network for giving me this wonderful opportunity to travel, explore, learn, and connect with researchers from different backgrounds.
It was a great experience to combine science, networking and discovering new places and cultures. I am very grateful for the opportunity and for all the support throughout this journey.
Thank you for reading! 🌸🧪🐖
Mahsa