Researchers at Yale School of Medicine, under Kutluk Oktay, have developed a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure to harvest and cryopreserve ovarian cortex containing primordial follicles. Upon reaching menopausal thresholds, the cortical grafts are re-implanted to sustain ovarian function and extend reproductive lifespan.

Key points

• Laparoscopic ovarian cortex retrieval and cryopreservation from Yale trial provides tissue for autologous grafting.
• Low-dose rapamycin by Columbia team inhibits mTOR to slow follicular activation and preserve ovarian reserve.
• Gameto uses engineered ovarian support cells from stem cells in animal models to reduce follicle loss.
• Celmatix develops small molecules targeting follicular atresia pathways to maintain primordial follicle pools.
• Preclinical senolytics and energy-boosting compounds aim to rejuvenate ovarian tissue and restore endocrine function.

Why it matters: These precision strategies represent a paradigm shift in reproductive aging by treating menopause as a modifiable health event rather than an inevitability. Delaying ovarian aging could improve long-term cardiovascular, bone, and cognitive health outcomes, while offering new avenues for preserving fertility and hormonal balance beyond current standards of care.