Division of Reproductive Sciences

We are often asked, “Why conduct and invest in basic research in a clinical department?” An investment in basic research at the cellular and molecular level provides us with the tools needed to understand diseases that do not yet have a clinical treatment. Where therapies are known and have complications, basic science research is essential to understanding their side effects and how to avoid them.

A significant focus of our basic research program is in seeking to understand the cellular and molecular interactions and functions that are needed to establish a healthy pregnancy to full gestation in both animal and human models. A healthy pregnancy has the greatest benefit to mother, child and society; however, understanding the causes of pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia and potential pre-term labor and delivery that result from this condition is essential to developing safe, effective treatments for mother and child.

Our Mission

As an academic institution, our mission is to educate future scientists and physicians in the new world of interdisciplinary and collaborative biomedical research. In particular, for NIH’s (National Institutes of Health) initiative to build interdisciplinary teams to be achieved we must have basic researchers working in clinical departments in order to understand what the clinical problem is at a mechanistic level. Likewise for doctors who are practicing clinical medicine to know what is possible they need to see and understand cutting edge research being done in their own department. We must not overlook the pre- and post-doctoral scholars within our department who are essential to advancing the research mission not only to support work conducted by the faculty Principal Investigator, but also to develop their own career paths through guided mentorship and training. For these reasons, conducting basic research in a clinical department is essential to a healthy and bright future for all women, infants and children.

Ong publishes in article in Bioinformatics

Irene Ong, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, is the senior author of a new article published in Bioinformatics. Co-authors include Sean J. McIlwain, Anna Hoefges, Amy K. Erbe, and Paul M. Sondel.In “Ranking Antibody Binding Epitopes and Proteins Across Samples from Whole Proteome Tiled Linear ... more

Vazquez earns K01 grant from NIH

Congratulations to Jessica Vazquez, PhD, postdoctoral research associate in the lab of Aleks Stanic-Kostic, MD, Phd! Vazquez received a K01 award from the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Vazquez received a $219,000 grant for the project “Sterile inflammation at the maternal-... more

Virumbrales-Muñoz builds research profile at national conferences

María Virumbrales-Muñoz, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, brought research and built connections at several national research conferences in the summer and fall of 2024!In early August 2024, the National Science Foundation sponsored the first-ever ElevateHER (Engineering Innovations for Women... more

Reproductive Sciences Division excels at ERP Annual Symposium

The UW-Madison Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Program (ERP) held the 2024 Annual ERP Symposium on August 29, 2024 at the Fluno Center. Many members of the Division of Reproductive Sciences racked up exciting accomplishments at the meeting!María Virumbrales-Muñoz, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Reproduc... more

Abbott co-authors article highlighted by Journal of the Endocrine Society

David Abbott, PhD, professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, co-authored a new article published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. The article was chosen as a Featured Article by the journal for the week of November 4, 2024! As the Featured Article, Abbott's study was prominently placed on the Journal of the ... more
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