Company History

The Genetics & IVF Institute, founded by Dr. Joseph D. Schulman in 1984 in Fairfax, Virginia, is the first clinical and laboratory facility designed from inception to provide fully integrated, comprehensive outpatient services in the areas of human genetics and infertility. In addition to having one of the largest programs in the USA in infertility including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in medical genetics and prenatal diagnosis, the Institute has developed one of the premier cryopreservation programs in the world.

In 1986, the Genetics & IVF Institute established a cryopreservation Division with one of the world's outstanding cryobiology teams led by Dr. Edward F. Fugger. The Institute has become a pioneering center in the application of cryobiology having produced the first frozen human embryo twins in the USA, established one of the largest human embryo cryopreservation and storage laboratories in the country, founded one of the largest human sperm banks in the world, and initiated the first human ovarian tissue cryopreservation program in the USA.

Fairfax Cryobank was originally organized in 1986 to provide patients at the Genetics & IVF Institute with anonymous frozen donor semen that had a higher standard of genetic and infectious donor screening and sperm quality than could be obtained elsewhere. Physicians that visited the Institute and observed the results of the frozen donor specimens began to request the use of Fairfax Cryobank donor specimens in their own infertility practices. Although it was not the original intent to provide specimens outside the Institute, due to continued requests by physicians and patients Fairfax Cryobank now provides donor semen to physicians and university medical centers in all 50 states and many foreign countries. Upon request from patients, physicians, and numerous medical facilities, the Cryobank also began providing semen freezing and storage for patients desiring to have their specimens cryopreserved for future use.

Family Solutions from Fairfax Cryobank was initiated in 1998 to offer anonymous donor sperm at a discounted rate. In 2008 we reevaluated this donor category so as to include more donors. Some of the donors in this group were in and out of the program before we started gathering extensive personal information. Other donors are in this group in order to balance our inventories. Summary and medical profiles are available for all donors in this group, and several of them have additional information available. Donors will rotate into and out of this category as our inventory requirements dictate.

Cryogenic Laboratories, Inc. joined the Genetics & IVF Institute family of Cryobanks (now referred to as GIVF Cryobanks) in 2002. This affiliation provides patients even more choices when considering donor sperm. Specimens from more than 200 donors are now available from the GIVF Cryobanks.

GIVF Cryobanks Embryo Storage Program has been storing long term reproductive specimens since 1986. Embryo storage has been available to patients at our IVF center for more than 15 years. We have extensive expertise transporting samples to and from physician practices in all 50 states and many countries throughout the world. Our facilities are equipped with the latest technology. Embryos are stored in state of the art liquid nitrogen tanks that are not dependent on electricity to keep your embryos frozen. These storage tanks are monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Today patients, physicians, and medical centers around the world use donor semen from Fairfax Cryobank because of their experience and confidence in the donor selection, screening, infectious and genetic disease testing, sperm quality standards and service of Fairfax Cryobank.