Male Contraceptive Initiative has evolved to become one of the leading funders and advocates for male contraception.
The foundation of MCI's work is rooted in a keen understanding of the inevitable impact that new male contraceptives will have on the world. Our mission has always been rooted in providing "Reproductive Autonomy for All", and we strive each day to advance that cause through our funding and advocacy efforts. Here we highlight some of the key organizational milestones since our inception.
2020
2020
- Male Contraceptive Initiative partnered with Contraline, Inc. to provide a $1 million Program Related Investment (PRI) to support a first-in-human clinical trial for the company’s novel vas-occlusive contraceptive device, ADAM™
- 2020 Grantees Mike O’Rand, Mariano Buffone, Robert Braun, Alison Ojanen-Goldsmith, and Pablo Visconti are announced
- Oleksander “Sasha” Kirsanov, Saman Nayyab, and Md Abdullah Al Noman named 2020 MCI Fellows
- Brittany Chambers and Jaylan Weaver join us as our first fellows from North Carolina Central University
- Townshend Peters and Elyse Miller join us as our 2020 fellows from UNC Gillings School of Public Health
- Jaylan Weaver is hired as our Program Assistant
- 2020 MCI RFA announced with funding tracks of $150,000 and $300,000, including scope for behavioral research
- David C. Sokal, MD, steps down as Chair of the Board, and is replaced by Michael Rusnak
- MCI publishes peer-reviewed articles in Biology of Reproduction and Contraception
- MCI launches Intended - the first podcast focused entirely on male contraception
2019
2019
- 2019 Grantees Mike O’Rand, Stephen Palmer, Steven L’Hernault, and Zhibing Zhang are announced
- Vas-occlusion grants awarded to Contraline and Revolution Contraceptives
- Four new research grants awarded from $150,000-$300,000
- Kathryn Carpenter joins as our first fellow from UNC Gillings
- MCI publishes our first consumer research study
- Pilot programs launched for Campus Ambassadors & a Youth Advisory Board
- Melanie Balbach, Jae Yeon Hwang, and Max Lyon named 2020 MCI Fellows
- 2019 RFA announced with funding tracks of $150,000 and $300,000
- Ideation event and convening of non-hormonal male contraceptive researchers hosted in San Francisco
2018
2018
- Four $150,000 seed grants awarded to early stage research universities in the US, Australia, and Argentina
- Co-authored a publication on the potential impact of new male contraceptives on unintended pregnancies in the journal, Contraception
- Deb Levine, MA is hired as Interim Executive Director
- Fellowships awarded to 2018 MCI Fellows Aaron Crapster and Liliya Gabalev
- Heather Vahdat, MPH is hired as Executive Director
- Kevin Shane is hired as Marketing & Communications Director
2017
2017
- Logan Nickels, PhD is hired as Director of Programs and Operations
- First $500k grant awarded to start-up, Vibliome, working on kinase inhibitors and their escape pathways
- Conducted market research survey on acceptability of novel male contraceptives with 1500 men in the US
2016
2016
- Partnerships established with FHI360 and DKT International
- Board of Directors expands to a total of 7
- Scientific Advisory Board convened
2015
2015
- Indiegogo campaign raises $10k in donations for MCI
- Grant awarded to Dr. Gary Flynn at the University of Montana
2014
2014
- Aaron Hamlin, JD, MBA hired as the first Executive Director
- Name of the organization is changed to Male Contraception Initiative (MCI)
2013
2013
- Article published in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News titled, “Men and Women Need a New Contraceptive” by David C. Sokal
- The Foundation for Male Contraception incorporated as a 501(c)3
- First funding awarded from Elaine Lissner of the Parsemus Foundation
2012
2012
- David C. Sokal, MD gives a presentation making the case for new reversible male contraceptives at a WHO Technical Consultation in Geneva