A Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Dr. Grifo received his MD and PhD degrees at Case Western Reserve Medical School, completed his residency at Cornell University Medical Center, and his Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at Yale University. He is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology, as well as being certified by the Accreditation Council for Gynecologic Endoscopy.

Dr. Grifo has pioneered techniques in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). In 1992, he performed the first embryo biopsy that resulted in a live birth in the United States. A leader in egg freezing, Dr. Grifoundefineds research team produced the NYU Vitrification Method, which has been in use at the Center since 2004. The first baby born through the use of egg freezing at the Center was in July 2005. A member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) since 1989, Dr. Grifo has served on the Ethics Committee and is past president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies (SART).

Dr. Grifo has received many honors during his career, including the Presidentundefineds Award from RESOLVE and the SART prize for research. He has been featured extensively in top-tier national media, including Vogue, The New York Times, TODAY Show, CNN, MSNBC, The New Yorker, Scientific American, and Wired, among others. His book, The Whole Life Fertility Plan, co-written with Kyra Phillips, was published in 2015. In 2021, Dr. Grifo joined the Forbes Health Advisory Board, where he reviews and consults on Forbes Health articles.