Pushing the Boundaries for Evidenced-Based Practice: Can Online Training Enhance Andrology Research Capacity Worldwide? An Exploration of the Barriers and Enablers - The Global Andrology Forum

Contributors: Hiva Alipour, DVM, PhD (Aalborg, Denmark) and Mohamed Arafa, MD (Doha, Qatar)

This scientific article discusses a research capacity building (RCB) webinar that was designed and implemented specifically for andrology practitioners worldwide. The study aimed to assess the impact of the webinar on attendees' research knowledge, as well as explore the barriers and enablers to RCB among this group.

The webinar consisted of two sessions on research design and systematic review/meta analysis, delivered by experienced urology and andrology professors. A total of 237 participants attended the webinar, with 184 completing a survey assessing their research knowledge before and after the webinar, satisfaction with the webinar, and barriers and enablers to research.

The results showed that the most common motivators for research among the attendees were to publish scientific papers and develop research abilities or new skills.

The most common barriers to research were the lack of training in research and research software, and the lack of time for research. Overall, satisfaction with the webinar was high, with 86.3% to 88.4% of participants reporting favorable ratings for the various aspects of the webinar. Furthermore, the study found significant improvements in participants' research knowledge after attending the webinar. The total scores for the pre- and post-webinar quiz significantly increased, as well as the scores for the study design and systematic review/meta-analysis sessions.

Overall, the findings suggest that the webinar was effective in enhancing andrology practitioners' research knowledge and skills. The study highlights the importance of addressing barriers and providing opportunities for training and mentorship to promote research capacity building among healthcare professionals in the andrology field.

Key Points:
1. A research capacity building webinar was conducted for andrology practitioners worldwide, aiming to assess the impact on their research knowledge and identify barriers and enablers to research in this group.

2. The webinar consisted of sessions on research design and systematic review/meta analysis, with experienced professors delivering the content. A total of 237 participants attended the webinar, and 184 completed a survey evaluating their research knowledge, satisfaction, and barriers and enablers to research.

3. Motivations for research among attendees included publishing scientific papers and developing research abilities, while barriers included lack of research training and software knowledge, as well as limited time for research. Overall, satisfaction with the webinar was high, and significant improvements were observed in participants' research knowledge after attending the webinar.



Hiva Alipour: Short Biography
Hiva Alipour graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from Urmia IA University (Urmia, Iran) in 2009 before joining the "Royan Institute for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine" (Tehran, Iran), where he established and set up the "Sperm Biology Lab" from the ground up and continued to manage and spearhead the research in this lab until 2013.

He then moved to Denmark to continue his education and was awarded the doctorate degree (Ph.D.) by the "Faculty of Medicine at Aalborg University (Aalborg, Denmark)" for his studies on "The advanced examination and functional biology of sperm in relation to abstinence time and composition of seminal plasma" in 2017. He has since served as a Postdoctoral fellow and Assistant Professor at the same university where he currently holds a position as an Associate Professor at the "Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine."
Through his collaboration with the industry since 2015, acting as a Scientific Consultant and specialist for several pharmaceutival and medical-device companies, he has made a significant contribution to the optimization of "Computer Aided Sperm Analysis" (CASA) and the integration of "advanced (functional) semen analysis" in clinical practice. Dr. Alipour has delivered over 40 invited lectures, workshops, and training sessions on his expert field of sperm quality and CASA, at international conferences, meetings, research institutes, and industrial corporations worldwide.

He is currently involved as topic editor, guest editor, or reviewer for several International Journals dealing with Regenerative and Reproductive Medicine, Assisted Reproduction, Andrology, and Theriogenology. He has been recognized as a member of the scientific board of the "annual International Royan Congress on Reproductive Biomedicine" and the panel of Juries for "The Royan international award" since 2010. Hiva Alipour is currently a Guest Member of GAF management.

Dr. Alipour is actively involved in teaching and research in the field of medicine with a focus on reproduction and ART. His research has encompassed different aspects of male fertility involving the spermatozoa's biology, functional quality, and fertilization potential as affected by seminal metabolomic profiles, microbiota, and environmental factors. His most recent studies focused on the potential role of sperm quality in recurrent miscarriage.