Alumni Spotlight on Tito Chai

Tito Chai is a graduate of the MS-RSM program, class of 2024. He completed the thesis track and conducted research with Dr. Yogesh Goyal. Tito is currently an embryologist at IVF Florida. 

Thesis mentor: Yogesh Goyal, PhD 

Thesis title: The Fault in Our Models- Improving In Vitro Gastrulation 

What is your connection to the CRS community (mentor and position) and what is your current position? 

I graduated from the MS-RSM thesis track in 2024. I completed my thesis in the lab of Dr. Yogesh Goyal. Currently, I am an embryologist at IVF Florida. 

Could you describe your current research/studies? 

I am currently not involved in academic research but would hope to get involved in it again soon.  For the time being, I am still very early on in my career as an embryologist, and I still have much to learn about the field. 

What aspect of CRS did you find most valuable?  

The inspiration and the resources. I believe good science requires two fundamental things, exciting ideas/questions and the means to explore those ideas/questions. Northwestern University’s facilities provide any resource one could imagine. Additionally, the ideas and questions being asked by some of the experts in the field at Northwestern University’s CRS felt fresh and exciting. 

What has been the most valuable aspect of your training as a reproductive scientist in CRS? 

The exposure and expertise. Northwestern’s CRS trainees get the opportunity to attend lectures and meetings with pioneers of the field.   

What would you recommend to junior scientists in order for them to succeed in their scientific careers?​  

Don’t be so hard on yourself. I am guilty of this from time to time, but I remind myself that each failure is one step closer to a success as long as you’re learning from the mistakes. Good science and growth also take time so have patience.  

What do you think will be the next big contribution in the reproductive biology field?  

This probably is not the next big thing but more so the next big advancement that I’m looking forward to is In Vitro Gametogenesis (IVG). There has been some interesting work done in Japan exploring and demonstrating the possibility of this type of process in murine models. There is also a start-up company in California called Conception who is also looking to expand upon this as well, with hopes of utilizing IVG to allow for same sex couples to create offspring together or help individuals replenish their gametes after aging of/ damage to the gonads. 

Do you have any notable stories from your time in CRS? 

Every guest lecture I attended for one reason or another was memorable. I feel especially privileged to have attended a talk given by a Nobel laureate.