Research

Faculty, residents bring research and leadership to 2025 ACOG District VI annual meeting

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District VI Annual Meeting was held September 19-21, 2025 in St. Louis, MO. UW Department of Ob-Gyn faculty and residents held leadership roles and presented research at the meeting. Learn more about their exciting accomplishments: Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, associate professor and director of the Division of Academic Spe... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Education Research Residency Amy Domeyer-Klenske Ryan McDonald Laura Hanks

Gynecologic Oncology researchers publish study in Green Journal

Physicians and researchers in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn recently published an article in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Matthew Wagar, MD, the 2025 graduate of the UW Department of Ob-Gyn Gynecologic Oncology fellowship, is lead author on the publication; co-authors include Rachel Mojdehbakhsh, MD, MS; Eric Reetz, MD; Dandi Huang, MD; Mary Kao, MD; Ahmed Al-Niaimi, MD; Natalia G... more
Gynecologic Oncology Education Publication Research Fellowship Rachel Mojdehbakhsh Lisa Barroilhet

Knutson-Sinaise, Hoppe bring poster to AHA Hypertension annual meeting

Megan Knutson Sinaise, MS, research program coordinator, and Kara Hoppe, DO, PhD, brought a poster to the American Heart Association’s Annual Hypertension Meeting in Baltimore in early September. They presented the poster “STAC-MyHEARTp: A randomized controlled trial of health coaching and self-measured blood pressure to increase healthcare engagement and blood pressure con... more
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Kara Hoppe

Srishti Gupta, Shapiro Summer Research student, wins poster award at ACP Wisconsin

Srishti Gupta, medical student in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and former Shapiro Summer Research student, received the Best Poster and Presentation award amongst medical student and resident presenters at the American College of Physicians Wisconsin conference in early September! Gupta presented the work she completed with Kara Hoppe, DO,... more
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Education Research Kara Hoppe

Stanic Lab publishes in Frontiers in Immunology

Aleksander Stanic, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Divisions of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and Reproductive Sciences, recently co-authored a publication published in Frontiers in Immunology. Soma Banerjee, PhD, currently a postdoctoral scholar in the iPEND program, was first author on the publication. Co-authors include Fernanda Leyva Jaimes; Mona Mohamed... more
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Reproductive Sciences Publication Research Stanic-Kostic Research Team Aleksandar Stanic-Kostic Laura Cooney

Barroilhet, Sampene co-author study on endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia in Wisconsin Medical Journal

Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS, associate professor and director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, and Katherine Sampene, MD, clinical professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, recently co-authored a publication published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal. Matthew Wagar, MD, a recent graduate of the UW Department of Ob-Gyn Gynecologic Oncology fellowship, i... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Gynecologic Oncology Publication Research Education Fellowship Katherine Sampene Lisa Barroilhet

Grand Rounds: Shapiro Student Research Presentations

On August 21, 2025, medical students participating in the Shapiro Summer Research Program presented a multi-part Grand Rounds lecture sharing their research projects. Six students presented their projects: Anna Heintz – “Rethinking the 2500: Optimizing ꞵ-hCG Cutoffs for Early Pregnancy Viability” – starts at 2:31Morgan Homme – “Incidence of New Eating Disorders in Young Pati... more
Research Grand Rounds

Bird publishes in Pediatric Research

Ian Bird, PhD, professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, is senior author author of a new publication in Pediatric Research. This was a direct collaboration with first author Julie Kessel, MD, associate professor in the UW School of Medicine Department Pediatrics; additional co-authors include Patrice Held, PhD; Eric Bialk; and Ryan McAdams, MD.In “Elevation of cor... more
Reproductive Sciences Publication Research Bird Research Team Ian Bird

Hoppe co-authors secondary analysis from CHAP trial in Green Journal

Kara Hoppe, DO, PhD, professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, recently co-authored a secondary analysis of the Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy (CHAP) trial in Obstetrics & Gynecology. In “Relationship Between Third-Trimester Low Maternal Blood Pressure and Small-for-Pressure and Small-for-Gestational-Age Birth weight in Pregnant Individuals With Mild Chronic ... more
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Publication Research Kara Hoppe

Green, Anderson-Carter receive Wisconsin Partnership Program grant

Congratulations to Tiffany Green, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Reproductive and Population Health, and India Anderson-Carter, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn! Green and Anderson-Carter received a grant from the Wisconsin Partnership Program’s Collaborative Health Sciences Program for the project “Examining inequities i... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Reproductive and Population Health Research Diversity Equity Inclusion Tiffany Green India Anderson-Carter

Sobecki receives grant from University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center Palliative and Supportive Care DOT pilot program

Congratulations to Janelle Sobecki, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology! Sobecki received a two-year grant from the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center Palliative and Supportive Care DOT pilot program. The grant will support Sobecki’s ongoing research into bone loss and gynecologic cancer treatment. She will collaborate with Neil Binkley... more
Gynecologic Oncology Research Janelle Sobecki

Abbott publishes review on origins of PCOS in Reproduction

David Abbott, PhD, professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, co-authored a new publication published in Reproduction. Co-authors include Jon Levine, PhD; Phillip Dumesic, MD, PhD; Vasantha Padmanabhan, MS, PhD; and Daniel Dumesic, MD.In “Origins and Implications: Gestational anti-Müllerian hormone and testosterone excess combined with maternal adiposity program for... more
Reproductive Sciences Publication Research Abbott Research Team David Abbott

Virumbrales-Munoz awarded R21 grant from NIDCR

Congratulations to María Virumbrales-Muñoz, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences! Virumbrales-Muñoz received a R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research for the project “Microphysiological systems to recapitulate and interrogate Sjögren’s disease salivary gland pathogenesis” (1R2... more
Reproductive Sciences Research

Welcome Melissa Neal, PhD, MPH, to Hoppe Research Group

The Hoppe Research Group recently welcomed postdoctoral scholar Melissa Neal, PhD, MPH. Neal is a T32 Primary Care Research Fellow whose appointment began on July 1, 2025. Learn more about Dr. Neal’s past experience and what she will focus on in her new role!What are your primary responsibilities in this role?In my postdoctoral role, my key responsibilities are to gain more ... more
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research

CORE researchers publish study in Journal of Sex Research

Researchers in UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity (CORE) co-authored a new article published in The Journal of Sex Research. Co-authors include Madison Lands, MPH, MSW; Lindsay Cannon, MPH, MSW; Jenny Higgins, PhD, MPH; and Laura Swan, PhD, LCSW. In “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer+ Patients’ Preferences for Contraceptive Counseling and Experiences of Coercion in Con... more
Publication Research Collaborative for Reproductive Equity Jenny Higgins

Jacques publishes study on STIs in Wisconsin Medical Journal

Laura Jacques, MD, associate professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, co-authored a new publication published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal. Co-authors include Kyla Quigley, PhD; Elise S. Cowley, MD, PhD; Kaitlyn Landry, BS; Jessica Dalby, MD; Ryan Westergaard, MD, PhD, MPH.In “Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Infection Rates in Wisconsin, 2010-2022”, Jacques a... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Publication Research Laura Jacques

Cutler, Higgins talk about post-Dobbs research in Cap Times

Abigail Cutler, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, was the lead author on a study published in JAMA Open Network about the impact of the Dobbs decision on the ability of ob-gyns in Wisconsin to provide adequate health care to patients with pregnancy risks or complications. Cutler and co-author Jenny Higgins, PhD, MPH, professor an... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Reproductive and Population Health Research Abigail Cutler Jenny Higgins

Bozzuto appointed to Research on Women’s Health Scholars program

Congratulations to Laura Bozzuto, MD, MS, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, who was selected for the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Research on Women’s Health Scholars (RoWHS) program! Bozzuto’s year-long RoWHS appointment begins July 1, 2025. Bozzuto will use the RoWHS funding for the project “Patient and provider decision makin... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Laura Bozzuto

Sobecki publishes study in Osteoporosis International

Janelle Sobecki, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, published a new article published in Osteoporosis International. Co-authors include Diane Krueger; Perry Pickhardt, MD; Neil Binkley, MD; and Paul Anderson, MD. In “Optimizing region of interest size and placement for clinical opportunistic CT trabecular bone Hounsfield unit measurements”, Sobe... more
Gynecologic Oncology Research Publication Janelle Sobecki

Bharucha presents poster at ASCO conference

Congratulations to UW Department of Ob-Gyn Kharmen Bharucha, MD, PGY-2, who brought a poster to the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting! ASCO hosted the event May 30-June 3, 2025 in Chicago. Bharucha presented the poster “Progression free survival as a surrogate end point of overall survival in randomized controlled trials of ovarian cancer maintenance ... more
Education Research Residency

Stanic Lab at the 2025 ASRI Conference

The American Society for Reproductive Immunology held the ASRI 2025 Annual Meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota May 18-21, 2025. Faculty and researchers from the Division of Reproductive Sciences helped shape the conference agenda and shared their research at the event, and even received conference awards! Just some of their exciting accomplishments: Aleks Stanic-Kostic, MD, PhD,... more
Reproductive Sciences Research Stanic-Kostic Research Team Aleksandar Stanic-Kostic Laura Cooney

Patankar brings research to World Congress on Endometriosis

Manish Patankar, PhD, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Sciences, brought an oral presentation and poster to the 16th World Congress on Endometriosis 2025, hosted in Sydney, Australia May 21-24, 2025. At the conference, Patankar presented as part of the seminar session Benefits and Bugbears of Modeling Endometriosis Outside of the Human Body: Mediobasal... more
Reproductive Sciences Research Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Gynecologic Oncology Manish Patankar

Department of Ob-Gyn brings research to 2025 American Association for Cancer Research annual conference

Researchers from the UW Department of Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Sciences and Division of Gynecologic Oncology brought posters to the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, held in Chicago April 25-30, 2025. The AACR published conference proceedings, including abstracts, in a supplemental issue of Cancer Research. Each abstract is also linked belo... more
Gynecologic Oncology Reproductive Sciences Research Lisa Barroilhet Manish Patankar

Wegrzynowicz receives oral presentation award at Madison Scholars Symposium

Congratulations to Andrea Wegrzynowicz, PhD, postdoctoral trainee in the Stanic Lab in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, who received the oral presentation award at the Madison Scholars Symposium in early May 2025! The Madison Scholars Symposium was hosted by the T32 Biology of Aging and Age-Related Diseases Training Grant in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Departme... more
Reproductive Sciences Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Research Stanic-Kostic Research Team Laura Cooney Aleksandar Stanic-Kostic

Betancourt Ponce graduates from Barroilhet Lab

Congratulations to Mayra Betancourt Ponce, PhD, first-ever PhD graduate from the Barroilhet Lab in the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology! She graduated in May 2025 with the thesis project “Oxidative Phosphorylation Inhibition in Solid Tumors.” After finishing her PhD, Betancourt Ponce will complete her final year of medical school at the UW School of Medicine and Pu... more
Gynecologic Oncology Reproductive Sciences Education Research

Department of Ob-Gyn mentees share research at 2025 UW–Madison Undergraduate Symposium

Undergraduate student researchers mentored by faculty in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn brought four posters and eight oral presentations to the 2025 UW–Madison Undergraduate Symposium on April 25, 2025.The annual Undergraduate Symposium showcases undergraduate creativity, achievement, research, service-learning and community-based research from all areas of study at UW–Madison... more
Reproductive Sciences Education Research David Abbott

Presentations at Department Research Day 2025

On May 15, 2025, the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology hosted Department Research Day, an annual presentation of graduating fellows’ thesis projects, research from members of the Department of Ob-Gyn, and posters showcasing a variety of ob-gyn and reproductive health research.Margareta Pisarska, MD, director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertil... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery Gynecologic Oncology Maternal-Fetal Medicine Reproductive and Population Health Reproductive Sciences Education Research Fellowship Events Collaborative for Reproductive Equity Stanic-Kostic Research Team Abigail Cutler

Wendland publishes study about maternal mortality misinformation in Global Public Health

Claire Wendland, MD, PhD, professor in the Division of Reproductive and Population Health, co-authored a new study published in Global Public Health. Co-authors include Lynn Morgan.In “Debunking misinformation about abortion-related maternal mortality in Africa,” Wendland and co-authors noted how misinformation in Africa about abortion that justifies its restriction and cri... more
Reproductive and Population Health Publication Research Claire Wendland