Frank Broekmans (1956), MD, PhD, is a gynaecologist and Professor in Reproductive Endocrinology and Surgery at the University Medical Center Utrecht. Recently, he has started to combine his academic career with clinical work in the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at the Dijklander Ziekenhuis in Purmerend. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the VU Medical Center Amsterdam in 1983, became consultant OBGYN in 1990, completed a Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine at the VU Medical Center Amsterdam in 1993, and received his PhD degree in 1995. In October 2010 he was appointed Professor at the University Medical Center in Utrecht

His scientific career has long been devoted to the field of female reproductive ageing. Special focus has been on the normal ovarian ageing pattern, assessment of actual and future fertility status, genetic backgrounds of the variation in the ovarian ageing process, and the link between vascular and ovarian ageing. At present, he is supervising 3 PhD students.

Recent focus has moved towards the role of the endometrium in reproductive success. The banking of endometrium tissue from several patient groups has allowed to develop a research line where endometrium organoids are utilised to unravel many functional aspects that could lead to understanding and prevention of several reproductive failure conditions.

Within these fields of scientific interest he obtained several grants from the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research (ZonMW) and the Dutch College for Health Care Insurance.

He has held an Associate Editorship for Human Reproduction between 2005 and 2009, he is the former chairman of the Dutch Flemish Society for Studies on Fertility, he participates in several Advisory boards, is reviewer for Gynaecological Obstetrical Investigation, Fertility Sterility, Human Reproduction, and Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, he was a member of the Institutional Review Board UMC Utrecht between 2012 and 2014, he was chairman of the department Board on Ethical issues in Reproductive Medicine between 2012 and 2015, he was the coordinator of the Board of the Special Interest Group Reproductive Endocrinology of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology between 2015-2017, he was chairman of the pillar Reproductive Medicine of the Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology between 2015-2018 and has published over 293 peer-reviewed scientific papers, contributed 37 book chapters and presented over 154 invited lectures at international meetings.

2011-today    Member advisory board Merck Serono, the Netherlands

2020-today    Member clinical trial steering committee, POISE, University of Nottingham

Ongoing Research Support

Grants from Dutch Foundation for Scientific Research ZonMw

UMCU 2015 – 2018 Does endometrial scratching in women with implantation failure after a first IVF/ICSI cycle lead to lower costs due to a reduction in the number of subsequent IVF/ICSI cycles needed to achieve a live birth? – the SCRaTCH 1 study 440.000 euro

UMCU 2018 – 2021 Does endometrial scratching increase the rate of spontaneous conception in couples with unexplained infertility and a good prognosis (Hunault >30%)? – the SCRaTCH-OFO study 349.732 euro

UMCU 2018 – 2020 The Development, ValIdatioN and implEmentation of a simple, online FSH dose calculator for IVF treatment” (the DiVINE study) 97.000 euro

UMCU 2022-2026 Luteal Phase Support in MOH-IUI treatment (LUMO study) 754.000 euro

Grants from Merck B.V.

UMCU 2018. Merck funding for ENORM biobanking and endometrial organoid development 40.000 euro

UMCU 2018 Merck funding for Endometrial Biopsy Studies within the SCRaTCH study  (SCRaTCH-2)250.000 euro

UMCU 2018 Merck research grant for “Vascular and Ovarian ageing in the AMH Knock Out mouse 21.000 euro

UMCU 2019 Merck funding for post-graduate scientist fellowship Reproductive Ageing 24.000 euro

UMCU 2019 Merck funding for post-graduate scientist fellowship IPD SCRatCH 28.500 euro

UMCU 2018 Merck funding for ENIORM biobanking and endometrial organoid development 40.000 euro

UMCU 2018 Merck funding for Endometrial Biopsy Studies within the SCRaTCH study (SCRaTCH-2) 250.000 euro

UMCU 2018 Merck research grant for Vascular and Ovarian Ageing in the AMH knock out mouse 21.000 euro

UMCU 2018 Merck research grant for PhD student Jori Leijdekkers 20.000 euro

Completed Research Support

Grants from UMC Reproductive Research fund

UMCU 1995 – 2005 project “Female Reproductive Ageing” 1.200.000 euro

UMCU  2004 – 2010 project “Embryonal development, implantation and early pregnancy” 210.000 euro

UMCU / VUB 2007 – 2010 project “Comparative, controlled trial of treatment of minor uterine cavity abnormalities diagnosed by office hysteroscopy screening in   women indicated for IVF” 60.000 euro

UMCU 2007 - 2010 IMPORT: Individual Patient data for Ovarian                                                    Reserve Testing analysis 120.000 euro

UMCU 2005 - 2011 project “Long term health in WHO II patients” 360.000 euro

UMCU 2009 - 2012 CETRO TRIAL: Identifying the optimal GnRH                                                   antagonist treatment protocol 450.000 euro

UMCU 2008 - 2013 project “Genetic markers of menopausal age ”260.000 euro

Grant from Dutch College for Health Care Insurance

UMCU/AMC 2009 - 2010:    project “Cost Effectiveness of IVF treatment in relation to female age and ovarian reserve tests" 109.000 euro

Grants from Dutch Foundation for Scientific Research

UMCU/EMC 2002 – 2005:    Alternative approaches in IVF. 450.000 euro

UMCU 2011 - 2015:            Optimisation of cost effectiveness through Individualised FSH Stimulation dosages for IVF Treatment  - The OPTIMIST trial. 480.000 euro

UMCU 2011 - 2015:            SIGnificance of routine Hysteroscopy prior to a first IVF Treatment cycle The INSIGHT trial. 493.000 euro