Prof. James (Jay) Cross is Professor of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical Genetics, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of Calgary. He was the founding Director of the Institute of Maternal & Child Health a multi-disciplinary institute focused on biomedical, clinical and social aspects of child health and development. He also founded the Training Program in Genetics, Child Development & Health, and the Clara Christie Centre for Genomics and Modeling of Human Disease. Dr. Cross has published over 120 primary research articles and book chapters and is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of animal reproduction, embryology, stem cell biology, and molecular genetics particularly in the areas of embryo implantation, placental development and maternal adaptations to pregnancy. He received the Pioneer Award from the Frontiers in Reproduction Program at the Marine Biology Laboratory, Wood’s Hole USA, and is a Fellow of both the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada.