Andrology & IVF Laboratories

Andrology is home to the Andrology clinical laboratory, the IVF laboratory, the Andrology research laboratory and the cryopreservation facility. In addition to providing a resource to community physicians, the Andrology & IVF Laboratories collaborate with, and are adjacent to the Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine. Andrology is part of the University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Urology.

The Andrology Laboratory at the University of Utah has been providing infertility services since 1978. In the beginning, the laboratory consisted of a traveling lab brought to Salt Lake City every Wednesday. Over the years it has expanded to include the clinical, IVF, and research laboratories.

The first IVF procedure was performed in 1982. Since that time, over 3,500 IVF procedures have taken place. The first micromanipulation procedure in the state of Utah took place in 1990. Micromanipulation procedures such as ICSI, assisted hatching, and PGD were pioneered in the state of Utah at the University of Utah and are now done routinely.

Over the years the Andrology program has won many honors of distinction. In 1989, American Health magazine listed the IVF program at the University of Utah as the "top" IVF program in the United States. Research papers have won the award of "best paper" for the Journal of the American Urological Association and Archives of Andrology. Research on aneuploidy in sperm and eggs began in 1998, leading to the development of the first Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) program in the state of Utah.

For three decades, Andrology at the University of Utah has pioneered infertility treatment in the state of Utah. The research lab produces numerous publications every year in important aspects of infertility. The quest for new knowledge as well as new procedures to better serve the community is a top priority for the Andrology and IVF Laboratories.

Meet our Faculty and Staff

Lab Accreditations

The Andrology & IVF Laboratories evaluate sperm and embryo quality and work with blood, urine and semen. The Laboratories fall under the CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act) definition of a “high complexity laboratory.” Therefore, all personnel must meet strict education and training requirements and participant in on-going laboratory monitoring and accreditation programs. The laboratories are inspected and accredited annually by CAP/ASRM (College of American Pathology/American Society of Reproductive Medicine). The Director of the Andrology program, Douglas T. Carrell, Ph.D., is certified as a High Complexity Laboratory Director (H.C.L.D.) and serves nationally as a CAP/ASRM laboratory inspector.