Laura Cooney, MD
Assistant Professor (CHS)
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
| Fellowship | Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA |
| Residency | Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA |
| M.D. | Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT |
| B.S. | The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD |
Diplomate, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Androgen Excess and PCOS Society
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Fellow
Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
American Society of Reproductive Medicine
The 2022 Society for Reproductive Investigation’s Annual Scientific Meeting, held in Denver, CO between March 15-19, features several presentations, posters and abstracts from members of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Sciences! Just some of their exciting accomplishments:
Clinical and Translational Perinatology Oral Presentation:
Breastfeeding Promotes Predominant Bifidobacterium in Farm-Exposed Infants
Deborah Chasman, Krittisak Chaiyakul, Samantha Fye, James E Gern, Susan V Lynch, Christine M Seroogy, Irene M Ong
Maternal Biology and Health oral presentation:
Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) Increases Mean Arterial Pressure by Impairing Endothelial Nitric Oxide-Mediated Vasodilation and Enhancing Angiotensin II-Mediated Vascular Contraction in Pregnant Rats
Sri V Dangudubiyyam, Jay S Mishra, Ruolin Song, Sathish Kumar
Preeclampsia oral presentation:
Preeclampsia Differentially Dysregulates Female and Male Fetal Endothelial Cells Function and Transcriptomic Profiles in Lean and Obese Pregnancies.
Chi Zhou, Allison Yang, Colman Freel, Olivia Mills, Jing Zheng
Preeclampsia II Oral Presentation session, moderated by Aishwarya Rengarajan
Abstracts:
An Endogenous Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligand Induces Preeclamptic Phenotypes in Rats. Ying-jie Zhao, Chi Zhou, Hui-hui Li, Jay S Mishra, Sathish Kumar, Jing Zheng
Follicular Immune Signature of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Women Undergoing Infertility Treatment. Soma Banerjee, Fernanda B Levya Jaimes, Abigail A Zettel, Eryne T Jenkins, Jason Austin, Laura G Cooney, Aleksander K Stanic
Immunohistochemical Localization of ACE2 in the Male Reproductive Tract in the Rhesus Macaque: Implications for Nonhuman Primate Model Development for COVID-19. Hayly Hinkle, Sierra Block, Ann Mitzey, Jenna Schmidt, Gregory Wiepz, Thaddeus G. Golos
Estradiol Protects Against Gestational Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Hypertension and Metabolic Dysfunctions in the Adult Female Offspring. Ruolin Song, Jay S Mishra, Sri V Dangudubiyyam, Jyoti Watters, Tracy Baker, Sathish Kumar
Novel Role of Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor in Promoting Angiogenesis in Primary Human Uterine Artery Endothelial Cells. Jay S Mishra, Sri V Dangudubiyyam, Ruolin Song, Dong-Bao Chen, Sathish Kumar
Endothelial Dysfunction in Preeclampsia: The Story of the Interleukins. Rachel L Dahn, Amanda C Ampey, Jason L Austin, Ian M Bird
Congratulations to all!
Our sincere congratulations to Laura Cooney, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Sciences! The UW School of Medicine and Public Health CHS Faculty Appointments and Promotions Committee met in February 2023 and overwhelmingly endorsed her promotion to the rank of Associate Professor (CHS).
The promotion will be effective June 18, 2023. Incredible work, Dr. Cooney!
A new study co-authored by Katie Antony, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Laura Cooney, MD, of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility examines whether screening for sleep apnea should be included for women seeking fertility treatment.
Published in the journal Women, “Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Another Condition to Screen for in Women with Infertility” examined questionnaire results from more than 100 women seeking fertility care in early 2021:
“In this observational study, we found that approximately 8% of young women seeking infertility evaluation screened positive for OSA using the STOP-BANG screening questionnaire. We also found that women who screened positive for OSA were also more likely to screen positive for mild depression and mild-severe anxiety.”
Read the whole study here!
Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines is abundant. One of the most pernicious myths – that COVID-19 vaccines can cause infertility – may be deterring people from getting the vaccine. (Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, already dispelled that myth on a recent episode of the Women’s Healthcast!)
Making up fertility concerns is a common anti-vaccination tactic, used against many other vaccines in the past. A story from PBS News Hour explained vaccine scare tactics and the overwhelming evidence for the safety of COVID vaccines. The story also cited another example of unfounded fertility concerns used to discourage vaccination: this paper by UW Ob-Gyn researchers that found no link between HPV vaccination and infertility. Laura Cooney, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and Nicholas Schmuhl, PhD, formerly of the Division of Reproductive and Population Health, are co-authors.
Read the whole piece from PBS here!
On December 2, 2021, three presenters offered different updates on PCOS during the UW Ob-Gyn Grand Rounds Badger Bytes research presentation. David Abbott, PhD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Sciences, Laura Cooney, MD, of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and Leeann Bui, UW SMPH medical student, each presented updates on polycystic ovary syndrome research.
Presenters discussed a variety of PCOS-related issues: updated PCOS diagnostic criteria; immune predictors that could be used to predict pregnancy rates; potential PCOS candidate genes associated with PCOS in rhesus monkeys; and much more.
Watch the whole “Badger Bytes: PCOS” presentation.
On March 4, 2021, David Abbott, PhD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Sciences and Laura Cooney, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility attended the virtual PCOS Advocacy Day, hosted by PCOS Challenge.
PCOS Advocacy Day focuses on building connections with federal legislators and advocating for increased access to better informed medical care for women with polycystic ovary syndrome and broader and increased NIH funding for PCOS research beyond infertility.
The day included meetings with members of Congress and their staff. The Wisconsin delegations met with staff from the offices of Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson, and Representatives Mark Pocan and Brian Steil.
Thanks to Dr. Abbott and Dr. Cooney for bringing this important issue some national attention!
