What Your Semen Analysis is Not Telling You with Jeff Lysiak, PhD
Are you frustrated by a diagnosis of unexplained infertility? What if a “normal” semen analysis is not telling the whole story about sperm health? Could a new male fertility test help explain why fertilization is not happening, even when sperm count, motility, and morphology look fine?
In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine welcomes Jeff Lysiak, PhD. He is a reproductive biologist, and co-founder and Chief Science Officer of PS Fertility. He is here to to talk about what standard semen analysis may miss.
Together, Dr. Shahine and Dr. Lysiak explore the science behind sperm fertilization competence, the role of phosphatidylserine (PS) on live sperm, and how Dr. Lysiak’s research led to PS Direct, a diagnostic test designed to measure sperm’s ability to bind and fertilize an egg beyond traditional semen parameters.
Dr. Shahine and Dr. Lysiak also discuss the future of male reproductive health research, including lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, and the growing need for more precise answers earlier in the fertility journey.
In this episode you’ll hear:
[0:39] Meet Jeff Lysiak, PhD
[2:01] From Placenta to Sperm
[3:24] PS Discovery Explained
[5:01] How Sperm Meets Egg
[9:02] From Lab to Clinic
[10:19] Limits of Semen Analysis
[12:46] PS Score and Misdiagnosis
[14:12] At Home PS Test Kit
[18:20] Where PS Fits Clinically
[21:13] Varicocele & Repair Surgery
[24:14] Using PS to Guide Care
[27:26] Lifestyle Factors
[33:006] Future Research Directions
[34:21] Where to Find the Test & Connect with Jeff
Resources mentioned:
Dr. Shahine’s Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations
Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books
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This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.
