Joe Conaghan, PhD, HCLD is internationally recognized for his work with human embryos, dedicating himself to the forefront of clinical embryology. Dr. Conaghan brings nearly two decades of experience in human embryology to the Pacific Fertility Center. He is best known for his studies on embryo culture. He currently directs a team of human embryologists focusing on improving embryo viability and selection for transfer and cryopreservation.

Dr. Conaghan is a Board-Certified High-complexity Clinical Laboratory Director in the disciplines of Embryology and Andrology and an official reproductive laboratory Inspector for the College of American Pathologists and an Examiner in embryology for the American Board of Bioanalysis.

Dr. Conaghan received his Bachelors degree from the University of Limerick in Ireland in 1987. He trained in Embryology and Andrology at the Hammersmith Hospital in London and was then invited to join their IVF laboratory as an embryologist. There, he was part of the team that developed preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and performed the first clinical cases in 1989. He graduated with a PhD in human embryology from the Royal Postgraduate Medical School at the University of London in 1994.

In 1995, Dr. Conaghan was recruited by the UCSF IVF Program as their Clinical Laboratory Director. He helped establish the UCSF IVF Program as a national leader in the treatment of infertility. Specifically, his laboratory, which he directed for five years, was recognized for cutting-edge treatment of male infertility, development and implementation of a diagnostic genetic testing program for embryos and the establishment of a highly successful embryo freezing program.

As Director of the Embryology laboratories at Pacific Fertility Center, Dr. Conaghan continues to advance the field of human embryology. Our constantly improving Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) success rates are due to the expertise of PFC’s laboratory under his direction and our excellent physician/embryologist team work. Dr. Conaghan ensures the highest quality of patient care with state-of-the-art-facilities and an experienced team of Embryologists. With the largest IVF laboratory on the West Coast, and as a leader in the provision of infertility services, Dr. Conaghan is charged with setting the standards and providing the results that bring national recognition to the laboratory.

In addition to his laboratory and research responsibilities, Dr. Conaghan welcomes questions from patients and delights in teaching others about the science behind the IVF laboratory. He possesses a unique talent of making the complex understandable to anyone. In addition to speaking with PFC’s patients he is a faculty member at San Francisco State University, teaching Reproductive Technology to graduate students.

In his leisure time Dr. Conaghan enjoys traveling, skiing and spending time with his son.