The long-term goal of the WRHR Career Development (WRHR) Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is to continue to foster and develop an outstanding mentored research training program for Obstetricians and Gynecologists and to prepare our WRHR Scholars to become successful independent investigators in women's health research. Since it has been first funded in 2005, our WRHR Program has made major strides in attaining this goal. We have met all of our WRHR benchmarks having successfully trained 8 female Scholars (1 Hispanic and 1 African American) who have published over 231 peer-reviewed manuscripts and have received over 63 grant awards as PI including 17 from NIH across 6 Institutes (NICHD, NHLBI, NIMH, NIMHD, NCI, and NIA). The Department of Ob/Gyn will continue to coordinate and administer the WRHR Program and optimize the leverage of the scientific wealth and robust reproductive research infrastructure at Northwestern. The key leadership at Northwestern continues to make strong institutional commitments to this WRHR Program. Serdar Bulun, MD, the original Program Director is now the Chair of the Department of Ob/Gyn and PI of this WRHR renewal. Melissa Simon, MD MPH, the Vice Chair of Clinical Research in the Department is one of our highly successful original WRHR Scholars and is the Research Director. The Blue Ridge Institute ranks our Department as the third highest for Ob/Gyn NIH funding in the U.S. Amongst all U.S. Ob/Gyn Department faculty members, 5 of our 21 named mentors on this application are in the top 50 in NIH funding (Drs. Bulun, Simon, Woodruff, Peaceman, and Grobman). Having the second largest Ob/Gyn residency program in the U.S., we have a large and active pool of candidates for WRHR Scholar selection as we attract the best and brightest residents and fellows. Our WRHR Scholars have an opportunity to choose between highly competitive clinical research teams or basic and translational science laboratories conducting research in the areas of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Oncofertility, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Gynecologic Oncology, Reproductive Genetics, Family Planning and Contraception, and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. Research methodologies and approaches span a world class group of mentors and collaborators with areas of expertise ranging from cutting edge basic and translational techniques to clinical trial and behavioral intervention specialists, psychometricians, biostatisticians, and experts in a wide range of biomarkers, bio-behavioral and social science research approaches. The WRHR Scholars will interact with several Department, Medical School and University wide Institutes and Centers including the Center for Reproductive Science, Institute for Women's Health Research, Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute and the Institute for Public Health and Medicine which are home to large scale center and multi-site grants in focused Ob/Gyn areas.

Public Health Relevance

There continues to be a severe shortage of physician scientists who hail from the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, yet there is a growing number of pressing health issues among women that would greatly benefit from targeted investigation. During the first 2 funding periods of the Northwestern University WRHR Program, since 2005, we have successfully developed and fostered the growth of an outstanding mentored career development program highly conducive to transition Obstetricians and Gynecologists to become independent investigators. Here, we continue to build on our successes and strive to continue and improve this Program.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Physician Scientist Award (Program) (PSA) (K12)
Project #
5K12HD050121-15
Application #
9742989
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHD1)
Program Officer
Mazloomdoost, Donna
Project Start
2005-04-27
Project End
2020-06-30
Budget Start
2019-07-01
Budget End
2020-06-30
Support Year
15
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Northwestern University at Chicago
Department
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005436803
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60611
McKenney, Kathryn M; Martinez, Noelle G; Yee, Lynn M (2018) Patient navigation across the spectrum of women's health care in the United States. Am J Obstet Gynecol 218:280-286
Miller, Emily S; Grobman, William A; Culhane, Jennifer et al. (2018) Antenatal depression, psychotropic medication use, and inflammation among pregnant women. Arch Womens Ment Health 21:785-790
Battarbee, Ashley N; Yee, Lynn M (2018) Barriers to Postpartum Follow-Up and Glucose Tolerance Testing in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Am J Perinatol 35:354-360
Miller, Emily S; Hoxha, Denada; Pinheiro, Emily et al. (2018) The association of serum C-reactive protein with the occurrence and course of postpartum depression. Arch Womens Ment Health :
Yee, Lynn M; McGregor, Donna V; Sutton, Sarah H et al. (2018) Association between maternal HIV disclosure and risk factors for perinatal transmission. J Perinatol 38:639-644
Yee, Lynn M; Miller, Emily S (2018) Association of Obstetrician Gender With Obstetric Interventions and Outcomes. Obstet Gynecol 132:79-84
Ukoha, Erinma P; Yee, Lynn M (2018) Use of Electronic Patient Portals in Pregnancy: An Overview. J Midwifery Womens Health 63:335-339
Melamed, Alexander; Margul, Daniel J; Chen, Ling et al. (2018) Survival after Minimally Invasive Radical Hysterectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer. N Engl J Med 379:1905-1914
Badreldin, Nevert; Grobman, William A; Chang, Katherine T et al. (2018) Patient and Health Care Provider Factors Associated With Prescription of Opioids After Delivery. Obstet Gynecol 132:929-936
Son, Moeun; Roy, Archana; Grobman, William A et al. (2018) Association Between Attempted External Cephalic Version and Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality. Obstet Gynecol 132:365-370

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