Our Lab Teams
Embryology & Andrology Lab Team
Wesley Edmonds, PhD
GIVF Andrology Lab Director & Fairfax EggBank Scientific Director
Wes Edmonds, PhD, HCLD, joins GIVF from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility where he held the role of laboratory director of clinical embryology and andrology, as well as scientific director of assisted reproductive technologies. The breadth of these roles in a large academic institution allowed him to consider the fertility process in its entirety, including the embryology team, the clinicians, and the hopeful parents. Wes holds a bachelor’s degree from Troy State University and a doctorate in developmental cell biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
As the GIVF Andrology lab director, Wes provides oversight for the GIVF scientific team and all aspects of our andrology program. His role focuses on ensuring continued optimal outcomes for our patients and identifying areas for scientific advancements. He will have an integral role in maintaining our high standards and quality control protocols. Wes also serves as the scientific director for the Fairfax EggBank.
Melissa Iwaszko, MSc
IVF Lab Director
Melissa Iwaszko has held instrumental roles for 30 years at Genetics & IVF Institute in the United States and China, including acting as a trainer for the embryologists in China. Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and a master of science degree with merit in clinical embryology from the University of Leeds. As the GIVF IVF laboratory director, Melissa oversees the embryologists and lab personnel, develops policies and procedures, and ensures quality measures are maintained at the highest levels.
Michael Geltinger
IVF Laboratory Assistant Director
Michael Geltinger began working with Genetics & IVF Institute in 1994 and is a skilled embryologist with more than 25 years of experience. He holds a degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and is a certified technical supervisor. During his tenure with GIVF, Michael helped train the embryologist at GIVF in Shanghai, China. As the IVF laboratory assistant director, Michael oversees the daily operations of the embryology lab and manages the quality control and quality assurance protocols to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.
Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) Lab Team
Brian Mariani, PhD
Chief Scientist/Scientific Director of Molecular Diagnostics and Molecular Infectious Disease Laboratory
Brian Mariani, PhD, is a Stanford University-educated and Harvard University-trained molecular biologist and serves as chief scientist at the Genetics & IVF Institute. His PhD research focused on cancer biology and genetics, specifically the molecular mechanism of chemotherapeutic resistance in human cancers. Following his PhD, Brian received a Jane Coffin Childs Fellowship to study molecular genetics at Harvard in the department of cellular and development biology. This work focused on how the expression of genetic information is regulated during ovarian development and cellular differentiation.
Dr. Mariani established the Molecular Infectious Disease Laboratory at GIVF in 1998, which offers molecular diagnosis for over 60 clinically relevant infectious diseases and serves critical care patients in hospitals in the Washington, DC, metro area. Dr. Mariani is also the director of the PGT laboratory. In this context, he works on the application of genomic technology for the improved detection of genetic diseases and chromosomal abnormalities in IVF generated embryos using customized, patient-specific protocols. Dr. Mariani and the PGT team take pride in successfully developing molecular strategies to address some of the most technically complex and challenging genetic disorders, providing hope for at-risk couples and a pathway leading to the birth of healthy children.
Veronica Novik, PhD
Assistant Director of the Molecular Diagnostics and Molecular Infectious Disease Laboratory
Veronica Novik, received her PhD in Microbiology from Yale University in 2008 studying the virulence mechanisms that bacteria employ during the infection process. She also holds a bachelor’s in science from Belorussian State University with a major in genetics and biotechnology (1995).
Dr. Novik is the coordinator of the PGT program, managing the critical interaction between the laboratory, embryology, physicians, and clinical genetics staff to ensure a seamless and accurate clinical process for our patients. In this capacity, Veronica is responsible for reviewing and cataloging all 24-chromosome analyses with respect to clinical correlation and outcome. Her technical expertise in molecular methods has also contributed greatly to test design and validation for the infectious disease program.
