Author: Allison

2024 SLOCA Living Out Loud Gala

St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness (SLOCA) held their annual Living Out Loud Gala. What a great event with great physicians!

Dr. Wood on Houston Fox 26

Dr. Sara Wood speaks with Houston Fox 26 about the benefits of bladder botox, insurance coverage, what an office visit looks like, and more.

Education team visits WUSM fair

The Education team got together on the WUSM campus to meet medical students and educate them on what WashU ObGyn is all about! The team included coordinators Kim Coombs & Rayna Mittler, Dr. Tammy Sonn, and Education Manager, Elizabeth Wanken.

Dickson, Khabele, Longmore elected to Association of American Physicians (Links to an external site)

Three physician-scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have been newly elected to the Association of American Physicians. Membership in the organization is an honor bestowed on physicians who lead innovative scientific research to improve health care. Khabele, the Mitchell & Elaine Yanow Professor and head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, […]

Dr. Whorton and Dr. Sharifi awarded Accolade

Residents Dr. Allison Whorton and Dr. Mitra Sharifi were awarded an accolade for contributing to a positive learning environment. Both awards were reported under WashU’s Med’s SAFE reporting. Washington University School of Medicine strives to maintain an environment conducive to learning, research, and high-quality patient care. We aspire to an environment that is inclusive and […]

Dr. Eisenberg on Fox2 on the first daily contraceptive pill for over-the-counter purchase

“The FDA has approved the first daily contraceptive pill for over-the-counter sale, enhancing access to pregnancy prevention options. Dr. David Eisenberg, Chief Division of Complex Family Planning at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, talks about new developments in over-the-counter birth control. Dr. Eisenberg says that the pill, containing an ingredient used in birth control since […]

Kaci Martin receives the Rosalind Kornfeld Student Leadership Award

PhD student Kaci Martin from the Frolova lab received the Rosalind Kornfeld Student Leadership Award from the Academic Women’s Network last week. This award is given to a graduate or medical student that has demonstrated outstanding leadership in service to, or advancement of women within the community. Our Department Chair, Dr. Dineo Khabele, was there […]

CRepHS takes home two awards

Awards Galore! PhD student Kaci Martin from the Frolova lab received two awards from the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences last week – the Student Group Member of the Year Award and the Excellence in Research Award. If that wasn’t enough, Kaci’s PI, Assistant Professor Antonina Frolova, MD, PhD received the Outstanding Faculty Mentor. […]

CRepHS hosts first-ever game table tournament

The Center for Reproductive Health Sciences recently hosted its first Game Table Tournament! Thanks to the Wellness Champion Fund from HR, the CRepHS breakroom received a combination game table complete with ping pong, foosball, and air hockey. We then pitted lab-mates and faculty against one another in an epic event! Please congratulate our champions! – […]

DEIA Committee celebrates Women’s History Month

Women’s HERstory Month started in 1980 when a consortium of women’s groups and historians (National Women’s History Project, now National Women’s History Alliance, advocated for a week long celebration, which President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential Proclamation for. It wasn’t until 1987 that Congress passed Public Law 100-9, officially designating March as “Women’s History Month”. […]

CRepHS at GRS

The Center for Reproductive Health Sciences was well represented this week at the 29th Annual Graduate Research Symposium, hosted by the Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Student Senate on the Danforth Campus. From left to right: Postdoctoral Research Associates Juan Ferreira, PhD (Santi Lab) and Sara Pietroforte, PhD (Amargant i Riera Lab) participated as […]

Dr. Whitney Grither receives ORCA Mentored Investigator Grant

Dr. Whitney Grither received an ORCA Mentored Investigator Grant! The Mentored Investigator Grant provides funding for trainees (post-doctoral fellows or clinical fellows) who are working under the supervision of a mentor who is a recognized leader in the field of ovarian cancer research. Applicants must have an MD or a PhD degree. The grant provides […]

Dr. Mullen awarded with Foundation for Women’s Cancer Move4Her Research Grant

Maggie Mullen, MD, MSCI awarded the Foundation for Women’s Cancer Move4Her Research Grant! “It is an absolute honor to be supported by the Move4Her participants and the Foundation for Women’s Cancer. Thanks to this award we will be able to pursue groundbreaking research that has the potential to improve the lives of women with ovarian […]

Join 8Ways to Wellness Walk Challenge

8ight Ways to Wellness is the framework that guides all of the programs and resources offered through WashU Human Resources Employee Well-Being. This challenge is an opportunity to learn about these evidence-based strategies to improve your overall wellbeing and reduce your risk of disease. Developed by WashU faculty, Dr. Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH, the 8ight […]

Dr. Mutch & Dr. Powell were awarded at SGO

SGO/FWC Service Award “I am truly honored to receive the SGO Service Award. It has been my pleasure to serve the SGO and its mission. I hope to continue to support the SGO and its efforts to prevent andcare for women’s cancers. Thank you for this honor.” David Mutch, MD 2024 Annual Meeting Presidential Abstract […]

Gomez-Lopez lab trainee receives a 2024 AAI Trainee Abstract Award

MD/PhD student Dustyn Levenson in the Gomez-Lopez Lab was selected to present her work in a Block Symposium at “Immunology2024,” the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), and will receive a 2024 AAI Trainee Abstract Award. We are incredibly proud of her hard work! Congratulations, Dustyn! #AAI2024

The Marathon of Medicine: What sports teach us about resiliency, recovery, and how to avoid being benched

How does our understanding of relative energy deficiency in sports (REDs) apply to our jobs in academic medicine?   Intense training and complex schedules can have true physiologic consequences.   It’s well studied in athletes–Chronic low energy availability leads to performance implications.  Turns out rest and recovery are essential for top performance, even for Type A doctors.  […]

Phase 2 Medical Student Work with Dignity Period

Phase 2 medical students stuffing 1000 period kits for non-profit Dignity Period. Dignity Period’s mission: “To impact period poverty around the globe by improving access to accurate menstrual information and distributing high quality washable/reusable menstrual hygiene products. We are motivated by the belief that those who menstruate should do so with comfort and in dignity.” […]

DEIA Committee Celebrates Black History Month

The following information was curated by: Dr. Halley Staples (bio), DEIA Committee. Alexa Irene Canady, MD (1950 – present)  Alexa Irene Canady was born in Michigan in 1950, where she ultimately attended University of Michigan and received a B.S. in zoology. Prior to her graduation, Canady nearly dropped out due to lack of self-confidence, however, […]

DEIA Committee Celebrates L.A.B. Days

The following information was curated by: Dr. Bridget Huysman (bio), DEIA Committee. From February 28 to March 1 we recognize the Betsey, Lucy, and Anarcha Days of Recognition.  Lucy, Anarcha, and Betsey were three enslaved women who underwent multiple experimental surgical procedures without anesthesia under the care of James Marion Sims.  Take a moment during these […]

Dr. Powell receives Dean’s Impact Award

Dr. Matthew Powell has received a 2024 Dean’s Impact Award! The 2024 Dean’s Impact Awards recognize faculty who have demonstrated enduring commitment to advancing the careers of others through exceptional mentorship and sponsorship. The time and commitment of mentors and sponsors are too often underrecognized, but without leaders like them, we could not achieve our potential as a School of Medicine.

WashU Meets at SMFM 2024

WashU ObGyn went to the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2024 Pregnancy meeting. Faculty, fellows, residents Nandini Raghuraman, MD, MSCI was awarded Best Oral Plenary for “The effect of supplemental oxygen for Category II fetal resuscitation on oxidative stress: a randomized controlled trial.”

Dr. Portugal was Selected as the ASRM/Diversity Fellowship Research Award recipient

Dr. Aileen Portugal was selected as an ASRM/Diversity Fellowship Research Award recipient from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Research Institute. Dr. Portugal was awarded $15,000 to support her project. The project is titled, “Language Matters: Exploring the Impact of Language Concordance on Fertility Treatment Progression.” This project will be monumental in moving the needle forward […]

Celebrating some of The First Black Women Surgeons

The following information was curated by: Dr. Rachel Furuya (bio), DEIA Committee The DEIA committee is proud to present our third annual Black History Month programming, which will feature two of the first Black female surgeon pioneers of their time. Patricia E. Bath, MD (1942-2019) Dr. Patricia Bath was an ophthalmologist, research scientist, and advocate […]

Apply for the 2024 Cycle 1 of LAB Awards

The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 100,000 women develop obstetric fistulas annually. Vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas are debilitating complications of obstructed labor resulting in the continuous flow of urine and/or feces, damaged pubic bones, lower extremity contractures, recurrent infections, shame, and social isolation. The surgical repair of vesicovaginal fistulas today is only […]

Update to Wang’s reproductive health research

Yong Wang, PhD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Electrical and System Engineering, Radiology, and Biomedical Engineering, in collaboration with Valerie Ratts, MD, Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, is making strides in discovery related to his project titled “Understanding Uterine Function and How it Relates to Reproductive Health.” This project was recently expanded to investigate […]

Two OBGYN clinical fellows receive project funding

Congratulations to Julia Burd, MD, and Bridget Huysman, MD, MPH, Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellows in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, who are both recipients of grants from the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Dr. Burd’s project is titled “Mode of cervical assessment in preterm prelabor rupture of membranes,” and Dr. Huysman’s is titled “Racism and discrimination on L&D: Birth […]

“Dr. Gomez-Lopez on “Deciphering maternal-fetal cross-talk in the human placenta during parturition using single-cell RNA sequencing”

On the weekly Science Podcast, producer Kevin McLean talks with researcher Nardhy Gomez-Lopez, a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology and pathology and immunology in the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The two discuss signaling between fetus and mother during childbirth and how understanding this crosstalk may one […]

Dr. Kuroki Podcast: “Learn about the importance of cervical cancer screening” (Links to an external site)

While cancer can be a scary and overwhelming subject, ‘This is Cancer’ aims to leave listeners feeling empowered and supported. The podcast is for anyone who has been touched by cancer. By having honest, raw, and informative conversations about cancer on this podcast, they hope to bring listeners hope, resources about prevention and wellness, and […]

Dr. Diane Merritt Portrait Reveal and Celebration

Diane Frances Merritt, MD obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree from New York University School of Medicine in 1975 and post-doctoral training in both General Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynecology at Barnes Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine from 1975-1980. She joined the Faculty of Washington University in 1980 and rose to the rank […]

Dr. Gomez-Lopez published in Science Translational Medicine

An atlas revealing the activity of individual placental cells during childbirth offers insight on what happens at the maternal-fetal interface during term labor, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The atlas provides a single-cell analysis of the human placenta and its surrounding membranes and is the first to use […]

Dr. Sassin presents at CRepHS Seminar Series

The Center for Reproductive Health Sciences (CRepHS) welcomed visiting speaker Alexa Sassin, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, on Jan. 5th as part of the CRepHS Seminar Series. Dr. Sassin’s impactful presentation on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) research was well-received by seminar attendees over Zoom and in person at BJC-IH. […]

Dr. Mitchell Named Associate Clerkship Director

The Education Team is excited to announce that Dr. Jennifer Mitchell will be assuming the role of Associate Clerkship Director beginning January 2024. Dr. Mitchell will be leading the OBGYN Clerkship along with (incoming) Clerkship Director Dr. Katherine Massa. Dr. Mitchell joined the Division of Academic Specialists of Obstetrics & Gynecology in August of 2022 […]

Nelson Alumni Society hosts happy hour

Last night our Nelson Society met for a holiday happy hour! We were thrilled to catch up with Jennifer Smith – residency class of 2003, and Denise Meckler – residency class of 1996!

Collaborative Open House a success for CRepHS/CWHE

The Center for Reproductive Health Sciences (CRepHS) and the Center for Women’s Health Engineering (CWHE) hosted an open house event on December 5, 2023. At this collaborative event held on the Medical Campus, more than 70 attendees from the McKelvey School of Engineering and the School of Medicine were able to network and learn about reproductive health research, education […]

DEIA Committee hosts Dr. Chemen Neal on “Health Equity Solutions: Cultivating and Leveraging Diversity”

On Wednesday, 11/8/23, the Washington University in St. Louis Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology had the privilege of learning from Dr. Chemen Neal, who is both an Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology and Executive Associate Dean for Equity & Inclusion, and Chief Diversity Officer at Indiana University School of Medicine.  The 2-hour session included […]

Dr. Gomez-Lopez published in eBioMedicine

Dr. Nardhy Gomez-Lopez’s paper “Blockade of IL-6R prevents preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes” was published in eBioMedicine. Evidence before this study Prematurity remains as the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality before five years of age globally. One in every three preterm infants is born to a pregnant individual with inflammation of the […]

Annual Procedure Night for Medical Students featuring Residents and Fellows

Every fall we recruit our residents, fellows, and faculty to lead various hands-on stations for a three-hour period. We recently hosted this event to great success! Thank you to everyone who joined us. A big thank you to our residents and fellows who helped teach! Residents: Dr. Alexis Allihien, Dr. Sarah Combs, Dr. Kati Turner Fellows: Dr. […]

WashU ObGyn at 3rd Annual Health Equity Seminar with the First Ladies of St. Louis

Left to right: Kim Snyder, REI Clinical Nurse; Tori Whelan, Assistant Professor; Bridget Huysman, MFM Fellow; Dineo Khabele, Dept Chair; LaShanda Jackson, W&I Women’s Health Educator and Outreach Coordinator; Darius Whitaker, IDEA2s Program Manager; and Bisiayo Fashemi, Research Associate (not pictured) On November 4, 2023 the Department of OBGYN at Washington University in St. Louis […]

Portrait of Dr. Sarah England Unveiled

Sarah England, PhD, Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Director of the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine, recently received distinctive recognition of her exceptional research accomplishments and service in the field of obstetrics and […]