Dr Rafael Bernabeu

• Founder and Medical Director of Instituto Bernabeu, with 9 Reproductive Medicine Clinics. 8 clinics in Spain located in Alicante, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Cartagena, Albacete, Elche and Benidorm and 1 in Venice.

• Graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the School of Medicine of the University of Valencia in 1980.

• Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology since 1984 and State Maternity Doctor. He continues training since then and stays in different national, European and international centers (New York University; Cornell University NY; John Hopkins University, Baltimore, etc.).

• PhD degree from the Miguel Hernández University of Elche.

• Author of more than 120 scientific papers published in prestigious national and international journals of Reproductive Medicine: Human Reproduction, Fertility and Sterility, Reproductive Biomedicine Online, Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, Histology and Histopathology, Ebioforum Europe, among others, in addition to writing chapters in different specialised books

• He has developed more than 400 scientific investigations presented at national and international congresses, among which he has obtained the following distinctions for its importance:
  • Award of the “American Foundation for Reproductive Medicine” (FRM) in 2017.
  • 2nd prize of the “American Society for Reproductive Medicine” (ASRM) in 2012.
  • Award of the “British Fertility Society” (BFS) in 2014.
  • On two occasions (2000 and 2010), first prize of the Spanish Fertility Society. On three occasions the first prize for research of the Spanish Society for the study of Reproductive Biology (ASEBIR in Spanish) in its 2009, 2013 and 2021 editions or the first prize of the Spanish Association of Andrology (ASESA in Spanish) in 2012, among others

• University involvement:
  • Director since its foundation in 2004 of the Chair of Reproductive Medicine and Reproductive Health of the School of Medicine of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche. 
  • Founder of the Chair of Reproductive Biology at the University of Alicante.
  • Founder of the Master’s Degree in Reproductive Medicine at the University of Alicante.
  • University Professor:
    • Honorary Collaborating Professor of the School of Medicine of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche.
    • Associate Professor of Developmental Biology of the School of Biology and Honorary Collaborator of the Biotechnology Department of the University of Alicante.
    • Professor of the Master in Human Reproduction of the School of Medicine of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche.
    • Professor of the Master’s Degree in Male Infertility at the University of Castilla La Mancha.

• Representative and Referee:
  • Vice-President of the Infertility and Sterility Section of the SEGO (Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics).
  • Referee of the ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embriology).
  • Referee of national and international publications on infertility, such as “Human Reproduction”, “Fertility & Sterility” or “Reproductive BioMedicine Online (RBMOnline)” among others.
  • Member of the SEF (Spanish Fertility Society).
  • Member of the Editorial Committee of the Revista Iberoamericana de Fertilidad and the Revista Española de Obstetricia y Ginecología.
  • Full member of the SEF, ESHRE, ASRM (American Society of Reproductive Medicine), British Fertility Society (BFS), SEGO (Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics), ASESA (Spanish Society of Andrology) and SGOCV (Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Valencian Community).
  • President of ANACER at its foundation (National Association of Assisted Reproduction Centers).

MILESTONES IN ITS HEALTHCARE ACTIVITY:

The following milestones have been achieved in the field of reproductive medicine:

• In 1985 start and development of one of the first sperm banks in Spain.
• First pregnancy obtained by In Vitro Fertilization in the Valencian Community in 1987, being one of the first ones in Spain.
• Achievement of the first pregnancy in Spain and one of the first in the world with a father without spermatozoa by intra-oocyte injection of his spermatids in 1998.
• Birth in 2004 of the first girl free of retinoschisis (hereditary blindness) in the world by means of preimplantational embryonic genetic diagnosis techniques.
• Birth in 2006 of the world’s first child free of Marfan Syndrome after application of MDA in the preimplantation genetic diagnosis process.
• Description in 2016 of the genes involved in ovarian reserve.
• Among the multiple professional distinctions he has received, the following stand out:
  • Academic of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Zaragoza.
  • Professional Career Award in the modality of “Other Assistance Areas” granted by the General Council of Official Associations of Spain.
  • Gold and Diamond Medal of the Chamber of Commerce of Alicante 2023.
  • Medal of Honor of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche in 2024.
  • Distinction as Honorary Member of the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Further information: www.rafaelbernabeu.com