Bhagavath, Patankar discuss endometriosis with Badger Herald

Bala Bhagavath, MD, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and Manish Patankar, PhD, professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, spoke with the Badger Herald about endometriosis in honor of Endometriosis Awareness Month. In “During endometriosis awareness month, experts detail disease, current research”, Bhagavath and Patankar described the symptoms, treatment and diagnosis processes, and current research surrounding the condition.

While coverage of endometriosis is increasing, the diagnostic process can take many years – 11 to 12 years on average. Bhagavath’s and Patankar’s research is focused on shortening this interval, as well as developing novel drug therapies: 

“The Patankar research team at UW is working to better understand endometriosis and to develop diagnostic tests for detection of endometriosis as well as therapies for treatment of the disease, according to Patankar. By finding and monitoring biomarkers in the blood, the research team aims to find biomarkers that are higher or lower in endometriosis patients in comparison to a control individual with no known endometriosis, according to Patankar. … The goal of this research is to use biomarkers to detect the disease, rather than vague symptoms like pain or infertility, according to Patankar. Because surgeries and hormonal therapies are not curative treatments for endometriosis, Patankar and Bhagavath are also exploring drugs that can kill endometriosis lesions, rather than just curb their growth.”

Read the whole article here.

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Melis Baskaya