Gabriela Mastromonaco oversees the endangered species biobank at Toronto Zoo, which played a central role in the birth of a bison calf from 35-year frozen sperm. 

She has spent more than 25 years working with assisted reproductive technologies in domestic and wild animals. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences in which she focused on in vitro embryo production techniques as tools for genetic preservation. She joined the Toronto Zoo in 2007 as Manager of Reproductive Sciences and has been responsible for implementing research projects to investigate fundamental questions on reproductive biology of non-domestic species, as well as integrating results into conservation management programs.

 

Along with being the Zoo’s reproductive physiologist, she is currently the Senior Director of Wildlife Science, a role that allows her to build multi-disciplinary collaborations to support species recovery strategies ex situ and in situ. Gabriela currently maintains adjunct professor positions at four Canadian universities as part of her commitment to the training of graduate students in reproductive sciences. Her research program involves the full range of reproductive technologies from hormone manipulation to somatic cell reprogramming.