Distinguished Andrologist Award

Dr. Sylvie Breton is a Full Professor at Université Laval, Québec, Canada, and Emeritus Professor at Harvard Medical School. She is chairholder of the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in « Epithelial dynamics of the kidney and reproductive organs », and elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She completed her PhD in Biophysics at the University of Montreal, under the supervision of Dr. Raynald Laprade, and a post-doctoral training in cell biology, under the supervision of Dr. Dennis Brown, at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Breton has a broad interest in epithelial biology, having made significant contributions to our understanding of ion transport and mucosal immunity in both renal and epididymal epithelia. Her work uses cutting edge microsurgery and microscopy approaches to study the function of epithelial cells while they reside in their native environment. Her research provided a deeper understanding of underlying mechanisms of idiopathic male infertility and the genesis of renal failure. The Breton laboratory showed how an optimal luminal environment is established in the epididymis for the proper maturation and storage of spermatozoa. Her work identified new inter- and intracellular signaling pathways for the regulation of luminal pH and sperm protein acquisition in the epididymis. More recently, Dr. Breton showed that epithelial cells located in the kidney and the epididymis can adopt a variety of tasks including their role as mediators of immunity and inflammation. The goal of her current research is to fill the knowledge gap on this non-traditional role of epithelial cells that will inform how male infertility and kidney diseases are diagnosed and treated in the future. She published over 150 original research articles, invited reviews and book chapters, her work has been cited over 12,800 times, with an h-index of 68 (Google Scholar, February 2026). Her laboratory has received continuous funding, first at NIH and now at CIHR. Dr. Breton has been a proud member of ASA since 2003. Dr. Breton is not only an exceptional scientist but also a remarkable mentor, inspiring and guiding the next generation of biomedical researchers.