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Summer 2025 | VOL. 23

In this issue

» Letter from the Chair

» Funding News

» Publications & Newsbytes

» Laboratory in the Spotlight

» Clinical Innovations

» Culture & Justice

» Graduating Fellows and Residents

» Incoming OBGYN & RS Interns

» New Faculty and Staff Hires

» Recent Events

» Upcoming: Medical Education

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the summer edition of the Fimbria! The Department of OBGYN & RS has been very busy as we navigate our increasing volume and creating access for patient care.  We are opening a new ultrasound unit at the new Hillcrest McGrath Outpatient Pavilion, welcoming our community to this beautiful center for Fetal and Genetic care.  We are also increasing our gynecologic oncology footprint in that region.  Like many of us, we are navigating the evolving face of the National Institutes of Health as we work on securing funding for the breakthrough research performed by many of our transformative clinician and basic scientists, while keeping women’s health in the forefront of our mission. We are honored and proud to be recognized by the new U.S. News & World Report ranking us #7 for OB/GYN departments in the nation, the top ranking for an OBGYN department in California.  While there are a variety of factors that influence the ultimate rank, we are particularly grateful for the quality leads in obstetrics, gynecology, and oncology whose daily efforts improve women's health. We are grateful for our teams and their diligence in patient care, unconventional and forward-thinking education, and innovation in research.

This edition features the significant research work in multi-omics from Maternal-Fetal Medicine faculty and scientist Marni Jaobs, PhD as well as clinical innovations in urogynecology studies from Emily Lukacz, MD, MS, Cecile Ferrando, MD, MPH, and Lindsey Burnett, MD, PhD. Our Culture and Justice Quorum held a successful Thrive Tour coupled with a community baby shower and celebrated our community Doula Graduation! The Center for Ob/Gyn for Research Innovation launched their inaugural summer series, and photos from the inaugural session are included within.

Visit our website for more information on our divisions, clinical programs, novel research, and varied educational offerings. Please enjoy this issue, and email us with any feedback to Fimbria@ucsd.edu.

Thank you!

Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, MS

Samuel SC Yen Endowed Chair
Department Chair, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences

Professor, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Department CV | Website | CJQ Value Statement | Donate to OBGYN & RS

VICE CHAIRS

Clinical Affairs: Yvette LaCoursiere, MD, MPH

Culture & Justice: Audra Meadows, MD, MPH

Education: Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, MD

Research (Interim): Pamela Mellon, PhD

Translational Research: Marianna Alperin, MD, MS

DIVISION DIRECTORS

Complex Family Planning: Sheila Mody, MD, MPH

Gynecologic Oncology: Michael McHale, MD

Hospitalist: Gina Frugoni, MD

Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Thomas Kelly, MD

Obstetrics & Gynecology Generalist: Jessica Kingston, MD

Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility: Antoni Duleba, MD

Urogynecology: Emily (Mimi) Lukacz, MD, MAS

BUSINESS OFFICE

Administrative Vice Chair: Michael Morales

Editor & Director of Communications: Sunny Worth

Contact us at: Fimbria@ucsd.edu

Kellie Breen Church, PhD

Sponsor
UCSD Academic Senate Bridge Award

Grant
Hindbrain noradrenergic circuits govern reproductive status.

Gopalakrishnan Chandrasekaran, PhD Postdoctoral fellow, Cook-Andersen Lab

Sponsor
Lalor Foundation

Grant
Post-transcriptional regulation of maternal factors to direct reprogramming from oocyte to embryo

Tatyanna Henderson, MD

Sponsor
AUGS June Allyson Memorial Fund

Grant
2025 Fellows Research Award Grant: Impact of Aging on Pelvic Skeletal Muscles

Alexander (Sasha) Kauffman, PhD

Sponsor
UC San Diego Health Sciences Academic Senate

Grant
Hormone actions on reproductive brain circuits

Audra Meadows, MD, MPH

Sponsor
March of Dimes

Grant
Expanding Equitable Access to Doula Services Action Learning Community

H. Irene Su, MD, MSCE

Sponsor
University of California | Office of the President (UCOP) / CA Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP)

Grant
Policy priorities for equitable access to fertility preservation by breast cancer patients

Julie A Suyama, Sheronda M Statum, Aurea V R Mohana-Borges, Xin Cheng, Yajun Ma, Jeffrey D Esko, Jennifer T Anger,  Christine B Chung, Marianna Alperin

Novel Application of T1ρ Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Noninvasive Assessment of Bladder Hyperpermeability Biomarkers: A Focus on Glycosaminoglycan Content | Neurology and Urodynamics • JUNE 2025

Mostafa A Borahay, Marianna Alperin, David Turok, Christos Coutifaris, Nanette Santoro, Irina Burd, Lisa Barroilhet,  Marcelle I Cedars, Laurel W Rice, Ronald D Alvarez

Addressing the crisis in women's health research: an American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society statement | AJOG • MAY 2025

Sarah Averbach, Nicole E Johns, Shweta Tomar, Marielle E Meurice, Namratha Rao, Mohan Ghule, Anita Raj

Psychometric evaluation of the desire to avoid pregnancy scale in India | Contraception • AUGUST 2025

Ariana L Smith, Chloe Falke, Kyle D Rudser, Gerald McGwin, Sonya S Brady, Linda Brubaker, Kimberly Kenton, D Yvette LaCoursiere, Cora E Lewis, Lisa K Low, Jerry L Lowder, Emily S Lukacz, Elizabeth R Mueller, Diane K Newman, Jesse Nodora, Alayne Markland, Sara Putnam, Leslie M Rickey, Todd Rockwood, Melissa A Simon, Ann Stapleton, Camille P Vaughan, Jean F Wyman, Siobhan Sutcliffe; Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS) Research Consortium

Bladder health in US women: population-based estimates from the RISE FOR HEALTH study | AJOG • JUNE 2025

Chase J Morgan, Haley Atkins, Alan J Wolfe, Linda Brubaker, Saima Aslam, Catherine Putonti, Michael B Doud, Lindsey A Burnett 

Phage Therapy for Urinary Tract Infections: Progress and Challenges Ahead | International Urogynecology Journal • MAY 2025

Mariah Milazzo, Abigail Kohut-Jackson, Olivia Negris, J Conrado, Valencia Henry, Sarah Ponce, Rainey Horwitz, Jiayue Chen, Lorna Kwan, Rachel S Rubin, Lindsey Burnett, Maria Uloko

Assessing comfort levels with female sexual dysfunction among medical residents: a nationwide cross-sectional survey study and its implications for medical education | The Journal of Sexual Medicine • MAY 2025

Amander T Clark, Heidi Cook-Andersen, Sarah Franklin, Rosario Isasi, Debra J H Mathews, Vincent Pasque, Peter J Rugg-Gunn, Patrick P L Tam, Hongmei Wang, Jan J Zylicz, Janet Rossant

Stem cell-based embryo models: The 2021 ISSCR stem cell guidelines revisited | Stem Cell Reports • JUNE 20245

Ukachi N Emeruwa, Ana Çapi, Marni B Jacobs, Louise C Laurent, Natalie A Bello, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman

Incidence and Risk Factors of De Novo Postpartum Hypertension: Understanding Links to Long-Term Cardiovascular Risk | JACC Advances  • JUNE 2025

Olumayowa Dayo, Victoria Turcotte, Breanna Reyes, Ricardo E Flores Ortega, Bonnie N Kaiser, Gregory A Aarons, Sara B McMenamin, H Irene Su, Sally A D Romero

Navigating health insurance selection for in vitro fertilization (IVF) benefits: A study protocol | Contemporary Clinical Trials  • JUNE 2025

Nosihle S Msomi, Joshua I Levy, Nathaniel L Matteson, Nkosenhle Ndlovu, Phindile Ntuli, Adam Baer, Dylan Pilz, Victor Mabasa, Sipho Gwala, Natasha Singh, Kathleen Subramoney, Emmanuel Phalane, Mokgaetji Macheke, Mantshali Motloung, Thabo Mangena, Lethabo Monametsi, Lebohang Rabotapi, Sibonginkosi Maposa, Amanda Birmingham,  Mark Zeller, Smruthi Karthikeyan, Peter De Hoff, Simon Harris, Rob Knight, Louise C Laurent, Kristian G Andersen, Kerrigan McCarthy, Mukhlid Yousif

Wastewater-integrated pathogen surveillance dashboards enable real-time, transparent, and interpretable public health risk assessment and dissemination | PLOS Glob Public Health • MAY 2025

Christina M Eckhardt, Wending Li, Tessa R Bloomquist, Gabriela Jackson, Naya Joglekar, Zhonghua Liu, Peter De Hoff,  Pantel S Vokonas, David Sparrow, Louise C Laurent, Lyle G Best, Shelley Cole, Jason G Umans, Ying Zhang, Arce Domingo-Relloso, Tiffany R Sanchez, Joel Schwartz, Ke Cheng, Ana Navas-Acien, Andrea A Baccarelli, Haotian Wu

Extracellular vesicle-encapsulated microRNA signatures of cigarette smoking and smoking-related harm | Respiratory Medicine • JUNE 2025

Mario M Leitao Jr, Kristin L Bixel, Dana Meredith Chase, Allison Quick, Colleen McCormick, Destin Black, Peter C Lim,  Ramez N Eskander, Walter H Gotlieb, Salvatore LoCoco, Martin A Martino, Joan L Walker, Larry J Copeland, Bradley J Monk, Leslie M Randall

ROCC/GOG-3043: a randomized controlled trial of robotic versus open surgery for early-stage cervical cancer | International Journal of Gynecological Oncology  • JUNE 2025

Ramez N Eskander, Michael W Sill, Lindsey Beffa, Richard G Moore, Joanie M Hope, Fernanda B Musa, Robert S Mannel, Mark S Shahin, Guilherme H Cantuaria, Eugenia Girda, Elizabeth Lokich, Juraj Kavecansky, Charles A Leath 3rd, Lilian T Gien, Emily M Hinchcliff, Shashikant B Lele, Lisa M Landrum, Floor Backes, Roisin E O'Cearbhaill, Tareq Al Baghdadi, Emily K Hill, Premal H Thaker, Veena S John, Stephen Welch, Amanda N Fader, Matthew A Powell, Carol Aghajanian

Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer: overall survival and explorator analyses of the NRG GY018 phase 3 randomized trial | Nature Medicine  • MAY 2025

Luigi De Vitis, Anna Giudici, Vincenzo Tarantino, Stuart Ostby, Kelly Bruce, Daniel Breitkopf, Alexander Olawaiye,  Ramez N Eskander, Robert L Coleman, Amir Momeni-Boroujeni, Michael Deavers, Maryam Shahi, Giovanni Scambia,  Giorgia Dinoi, Matthew Powell, John Weroha, Lora H Ellenson, Behrouz Zand, Amanika Kumar, Jessica Gorzelitz,  Jennifer Mueller, Angelica Nogueira-Rodrigues, Mario M Leitao Jr, Karolina Kilowski, Allison Garda, Kaled Alektiar,  Evelyn Reynolds, Andrea E Wahner Hendrickson, David Mutch, Nadeem R Abu-Rustum, Pedro T Ramirez, Andrea Mariani, Gretchen E Glaser

Multi-center, international endometrial cancer consortium highlights | International Journal of Gynecological Cancer  • MAY 2025

Chun R Chao, Nancy Cannizzaro, Erin E Hahn, Ernest Shen, Chunyi Hsu, Quyen Ngo-Metzger, Michael K Gould, Corrine E Munoz-Plaza, Michael H Kanter, Patricia Wride, Lena H Ajamian, Melissa Hodeib, Benjamin I Broder, Ivette T Curiel, Alicia Castaneda, Stephanie K Ong Krishnansu Tewari, Ramez N Eskander, Devansu Tewari, Brian S Mittman

A pragmatic randomized trial to compare strategies for implementing primary HPV testing for routine cervical cancer screening in a large healthcare system | Implementation Science  • MAY 2025

Gabriela E Halder, Cecile A Ferrando, Rebecca Rogers, Caren Elhenawy, Cara L Grimes, Sunil Balgobin, Rosanne M Kho, Andrew I Sokol

The Survey of Barriers for Vaginal Access Surgery Study | JMIG • JULY 2025

Olivia H Chang, Cecile A Ferrando, Marie Fidela R Paraiso, Katie Propst

Dynamic Changes of the Genital Hiatus at the Time of Prolapse Surgery: 1-Year Follow-Up Study | Urogynecology • JULY 2025

Ferrando, Cecile A. MD, MPH

Gynecologic Care of the Transgender Patient | Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology  • JUNE 2025

Sara Rahman, Cecile A Ferrando

Transgender Vulvar and Clitoral Anatomy: A Guide for Gynecologists | Obstetrics & Gynecology • JUNE 2025

Frances W Grimstad, Elizabeth R Boskey, Rachael S Clark, Cecile A Ferrando

Assessment of Sexual Activity and Contraceptive Counseling Among Transgender Individuals Initiating Testosterone | Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health • JUNE 2025

Maetal E Haas Kogan, Barbara Chubak, Elizabeth R Boskey, Steven J Staffa, Carl G Streed Jr, Katharine B Dalke, Arlene Baratz, Cecile Ferrando, Frances W Grimstad

Reconstructive urologists can address the care gap for adults with intersex traits | Nature Reviews Urology • JUNE 2025

Robert Morey, Francesca Soncin, Sampada Kallol, Nirvay Sah, Zoe Manalo, Tony Bui, Jaroslav Slamecka, Virginia Chu Cheung, Don Pizzo, Daniela F Requena, Ching-Wen Chang, Omar Farah, Ryan Kittle, Kelly Lam, Morgan Meads, Mariko Horii, Kathleen M Fisch, Mana M Parast

Single-cell transcriptomics reveal differences between chorionic and basal plate cytotrophoblasts and trophoblast stem cells | Research Square • JUNE 2025

Andrea G Edlow, Lynn M Yee, Alison G Cahill, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman

Until Women's Health Is Everywhere, Women's Health Is Nowhere | JAMA Health Forum • JUNE 2025

Thomas F McElrath, Arun Jeyabalan, Arkady Khodursky, Alison B Moe, Manfred Lee, Maneesh Jain, Laura Goetzl,  Elizabeth F Sutton, Pamela M Simmons, George R Saade, Antonio Saad, Luis D Pacheco, Esther Park-Hwang, Antonina I Frolova, Ebony B Carter, Ai-Ris Y Collier, Daniel G Kiefer, Vincenzo Berghella, Rupsa C Boelig, Michal A Elovitz, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, Joseph R Biggio, Kara Rood, William A Grobman, Carrie Haverty, Morten Rasmussen 

Utility of the US Preventive Services Task Force for Preeclampsia Risk Assessment and Aspirin Prophylaxis | JAMA Network Open • JUNE 2025

Ann M Bruno, Grecio J Sandoval, Brenna L Hughes, William A Grobman, George R Saade, Tracy A Manuck, Monica Longo, Hyagriv N Simhan, Dwight J Rouse, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, Jennifer L Bailit, Maged M Costantine, Harish M Sehdev, Alan T N Tita; for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network*

Validation of an Extended Maternal Comorbidity Index for Prediction of Severe Maternal Morbidity | Obstetrics & Gynecology • JUNE 2025

Emily M Frier, Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen, Chun Lin, Fabienne Decrue, Helga Zoega, Karel Allegaert, Jasper V Been, David Burgner, Kate Duhig, Kristjana Einarsdóttir, Lani Florian, Abigail Fraser, Mika Gissler, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, Lars Henning Pedersen, Jessica E Miller, Ben W Mol, Sarah R Murray, Jane Norman, Devender Roberts, Ewoud Schuit, Ting Shi, Aziz Sheikh, Joshua P Vogel, Rachael Wood, Emma McGoldrick, Bo Jacobsson, Eyal Krispin, Rebecca M Reynolds, Sarah J Stock; Co‐OPT Collaboration

Associations of Antenatal Corticosteroids With Neurodevelopment in Children Aged 27-30 Months: A Population-Based Cohort Study | BJOG • JUNE 2025

Margaret H Kyle, Presley Nichols, Lerzan Coskun, William Fifer, Amara Finch, Morgan R Firestein, Dympna Gallagher,  Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, Rachel Marsh, Isabelle Mollicone, Catherine Monk, Mirella Mourad, Jennifer Woo Baidal,  Sharon Oberfield, Melissa S Stockwell, Ilene Fennoy, Dani Dumitriu

Trimester of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection differentially predicts newborn size in the COVID-19 Mother Baby Outcomes (COMBO) cohort | Pediatric Research • MAY 2025

Rashmi Dhital, Marni Jacobs, Chelsey J F Smith, Mana M Parast

Comment on: Placental lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus pregnancies associated with small for gestational age infants: Reply | Rheumatology • JUNE 2024

Tamiko Younge, Marni Jacobs, Lamia Soghier, Karen Fratantoni

Unmet Health and Childcare Needs After Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Discharge | American Journal of Perinatology • MAY 2025

Maggie C Evans, Shaun M Stowe, India L Sawyer, Caroline Decourt, Frank Lee, Alexander S Kauffman, Greg M Anderson

RFRP Neurons Are Required for Acute Stress-induced Suppression of the Estrogen-stimulated LH Surge in Female Mice | Endocrinology • AUGUST 2025

Kelsey Jean Keverline, Breana Hill, Marianne Hom-Tedla, Marni Jacobs, Ramez N Eskander

Impact of mismatch repair (MMR) status on recurrence in high intermediate risk endometrial cancer | Gynecologic Oncology • JUNE 2025

D Yvette LaCoursiere, Shayna D Cunningham, Camille P Vaughan, Lisa Kane Low, Haitao Chu, Alayne D Markland,  Diane K Newman, Sheila Gahagan, Jean F Wyman

A Scoping Review of Quantitative Assessments of Women's Bladder Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs | Journal of Women's Health • JULY 2025

Amanda Berry, Sonya S Brady, Kathryn L Burgio, Shayna D Cunningham, Sheila Gahagan, Aimee S James, Lisa Kane Low, D Yvette LaCoursiere, Terri H Lipman, Gerald McGwin, Margaret G Mueller, Mary H Palmer, Dulce P Rodriguez-Ponciano, Ariana L Smith, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Beverly R Williams, Jean F Wyman, Diane K Newman

Associations Between U.S. Women's Toileting Behaviors and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of RISE for HEALTH Study Data | Journal of Women's Health • MAY 2025

Nicole A Stadnick, Kelli L Cain, Paul Watson, William Oswald, Marina Ibarra, Raphael Lagoc, Keith Pezzoli, Louise C Laurent, Robert Tukey, Adrienn Borsika Rabin

Corrigendum: Engaging underserved communities in COVID-19 health equity implementation research: an analysis of community engagement resource needs and costs | Frontiers in Health Services • JUNE 2025

Ariel Cohen, Breanna Reyes, Maria Linda Burola, Angel Lomeli, Arleth A Escoto, Linda Salgin, Borsika A Rabin, Nicole A Stadnick, Ilya Zaslavsky, Robert Tukey, Louise C Laurent, Marva Seifert

Real-world impact of COVID-19 vaccination, household exposure, and circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants on infection risk and symptom presentation in a U.S./Mexico border community | Frontiers in Public Health • JUNE 2025

Joel O Wertheim, Tetyana I Vasylyeva, Robert J Wood, Kalen Cantrell, Soraya Piña Contreras, Aryeh Feldheim, Ravi Goyal, Jennifer L Havens, Rob Knight, Louise C Laurent, Niema Moshiri, Robert Neuhard, Shashank Sathe, Alysson Satterlund, Angela Scioscia, Angela Y Song; SEARCH Alliance; Robert T Schooley, Cheryl M Anderson, Natasha K Martin

Phylogeographic and genetic network assessment of COVID-19 mitigation protocols on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in university campus residences | eBio Medicine • JUNE 2025

Madeleine Clout, Amanda L Lewis, Madeleine Cochrane, Grace J Young, Paul Abrams, Peter S Blair, Christopher Chapple, Gordon T Taylor, Sian Noble, Tom Steuart-Feilding, Jodi Taylor, J Athene Lane, Marcus J Drake

Urodynamics tests for the diagnosis and management of male bladder outlet obstruction: long-term follow-up of the UPSTREAM non-inferiority RCT | Health Technology Assessment   • JULY 2025

Caroline Pope, Madeleine Cochrane, Clare Clement, Yumeng Liu, Sangeetha Paramasivan, Sian Noble, Stephanie J MacNeill, Amanda L Lewis, Jodi Taylor, Bethanie Fitzgerald, Nikki Cotterill, Tamsin Greenwell, Hashim Hashim, Swati Jha, Nikesh Thiruchelvam, Philip Toozs-Hobson, Alison White, Wael Agur, J Athene Lane, Marcus Drake

Challenges to overcome in a randomised trial for Proper Understanding of Recurrent Stress Urinary Incontinence Treatment in women: the PURSUIT RCT | Health Technology Assessment   • JULY 2025

Shweta Bhagwat, Leila Asadi, Ronald McCarthy, Juan Ferreira, Ping Li, Ethan Li, Sariela Spivak, Ariana Gaydon, Vaka Reddy, Christy Armstrong, Sydney R Morrill, Hillary Zhou, Amanda L Lewis, Warren G Lewis, Celia M Santi

Bacterial vaginosis toxins impair sperm capacitation and fertilization | Human Reproduction  • JULY 2025

Nicole M Gilbert, Luis A Ramirez Hernandez, Daniela Berman, Sydney Morrill, Pascal Gagneux, Amanda L Lewis

Social, microbial, and immune factors linking bacterial vaginosis and infectious diseases | The Journal of Clinical Investigation  • JUNE 2025

Camille P Vaughan, Alayne D Markland, Gerald McGwin, Emily S Lukacz, Sonya S Brady, Yvette D Lacoursiere, Jean F Wyman, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Ariana L Smith, Kimberly Kenton, Ann Stapleton, Linda Brubaker, Bernard L Harlow

Association of menopausal status and hormone use with bladder health and lower urinary tract symptoms in US women: results from the RISE FOR HEALTH study | Menopause: The Journal of Menopause Society • JULY 2025

John K Chan, Krishnansu Tewari, Bradley J Monk, Thomas J Herzog, Robert L Coleman, Michael T McHale, Ritu Salani, Alex A Francoeur, Daniel S Kapp, Michael T Richardson

Optimizing therapy for cervical cancers - Translating trial data into clinical decision-making | Gynecologic Oncology  • JUNE 2025

Mitali Sharma, Francesca Selmoni, Lynn L Ngo, Maya P Pai, Sheila K Mody

A mystery caller study on pain management options for intrauterine device placement | Contraception  • JULY 2025

Marielle E Meurice, Kendahl Wallis-Lang, Marisa C Hildebrand, Tim K Mackey, Sheila K Mody

Experience of nulliparous patients under thirty seeking permanent female contraception: A qualitative study | Contraception  • JULY 2025

Lisa L Bayer, Samir Ahuja, Rebecca H Allen, Melanie A Gold, Jeffrey P Levine, Lynn L Ngo, Sheila Mody

Best practices for reducing pain associated with intrauterine device placement | AJOG  • MAY 2025

Emily M Godfrey, Amalia Magaret, Andrea Roe, Jennifer L Taylor-Cousar, Patricia Walker, Elinor Langfelder-Schwind,  Traci M Kazmerski, Raksha Jain, Sheila K Mody, Ahmet Uluer, Natalie E West, Leigh Ann Bray, Chialing Hsu, Anna Fiastro,  Karen D Hinckley Stukovsky, Dennis Hadjiliadis, George M Solomon, Sigrid Ladores-Barrett

Contraceptive use and pregnancy in cystic fibrosis: Survey findings from 10 cystic fibrosis centers | Journal of Cystic Fibrosis  • MAY 2025

Austin Oberlin, Katherine Yoh, Eve Overton, Whitney A Booker, John G Ilagan, Dib Sassine, Alexandra Diggs, Sherelle Laifer-Narin, Adela Cimic, Laurence E Ring, Maria Sheikh, Caryn St Clair, June Hou, Alexandre Buckley De Meritens,  Jason D Wright, Mary D'Alton, Chia-Ling Nhan Chang, Mirella Mourad, Fady Khoury-Collado

Transverse versus Vertical Incision in the Surgical Management of Placenta Accreta Spectrum | American Journal of Perinatology  • JULY 2025

Nutaitis, Alexandra C. DO; Yao, Meng MS; Hickman, Lisa C. MD; Kollikonda, Swapna MD; Propst, Katie A. MD

Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury: Interpregnancy Interval and Route of Subsequent Delivery | Urogynecology • JULY 2025

Guoping Li, Lingfei Sun, Cuiyan Xin, Tian Hao, Prakash Kharel, Aidan C Manning, Christopher L O'Connor 6, Henry Moore, Shuwen Lei, Priyanka Gokulnath, Xinyu Yang, Ritin Sharma, Krystine Garcia-Mansfield, Priyadarshini Pantham,  Chunyang Xiao, Hanna Y Wang, Emeli Chatterjee, Seungbin Yim, Leo B Ren, Michail Spanos, Hua Zhu, Haobo Li, Ji Lei,  James F Markmann, Louise C Laurent, John J Rossi, Oluwaseun Akeju, Quanhu Sheng, Ravi V Shah, William A Goddard 3rd, Todd M Lowe, Patrick Pirrotte, Markus Bitzer, Pavel Ivanov, Joseph V Bonventre, Saumya Das

A hypoxia-responsive tRNA-derived small RNA confers renal protection through RNA autophagy | Science • JULY 2025

Minhazur Sarker, Gladys A Ramos, Lauren Ferrara, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman

Simplifying Management of Cholestasis: A Proposal for a Classification System | American Journal of Perinatology • JULY 2025

Minhazur Sarker, Timothy Wen, E. Nicole Teal, Ukachi N. Emeruwa

Immediate release oral nifedipine for severe hypertension in pregnancy – time for re-prioritization as a management option | Pregnancy • JULY 2025

Minhazur R. Sarker, Dana Canfield, Lauren Ferrara, Chelsea A. Debolt

Earlier diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes | Pregnancy • JULY 2025

Minhazur R Sarker, Dana Canfield, Lauren Ferrara, Gladys A Ramos, Chelsea A DeBolt

Adverse Outcomes Associated with Progressive Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy | American Journal of Perinatology • JULY 2025

Minhazur R. Sarker, Elizabeth N. Teal, Rachel Wiley, Ukachi Emeruwa, Joyce Kim, George Arida, Marc Engelbert, Cynthia Gyamfi‐Bannerman, Timothy Wen

Contemporary Trends in Operative Vaginal Delivery and Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries from 2016-2023 | Pregnancy  • JUNE 2025

Minhazur Sarker, Emily Yang, Ukachi Emeruwa, Timothy Wen

Impact Factor Trends of Top Obstetrics and Gynecology Journals During COVID-19 | Interactive Journal of Medical Research • JUNE 2025

Minhazur R Sarker, Gladys A Ramos, Chelsea A DeBolt

In Reply: Response to Letter to the Editor regarding “Serial Total Bile Acid Measurements in Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy | Obstetrics & Gynecology  • MAY 2025

Xiao Lei Chen, Marjaana Ojalill, Christine Jean, Isabelle Tancioni, Shulin Jiang, Antonia Boyer, Duygu Ozmadenci, Sean Uryu, David Tarin, Joseph Schlessinger, Dwayne G Stupack, David D Schlaepfer

Inducible FAK loss but not FAK inhibition in endothelial cells of PYK2-null mice activates p53 tumor suppressor to prevent tumor growth | Molecular Biology of the Cell • JUNE 2025

H Irene Su, Christina Lacchetti, Joseph Letourneau, Ann H Partridge, Rubina Qamar, Gwendolyn P Quinn, Joyce Reinecke, James F Smith, Megan Tesch, W Hamish Wallace, Erica T Wang, Alison W Loren

Erratum: Fertility Preservation in People With Cancer: ASCO Guideline Update | Journal of Clinical Oncology • JUNE 2025

Kun Tan, Jonathan Sebat, Miles F Wilkinson

Cell type- and factor-specific nonsense-mediated RNA decay | Nucleic Acids Research • MAY 2025

Kun Tan, Miles F Wilkinson

Biological roles of nonsense-mediated RNA decay: insights from the nervous system | Current Opinion in Genetics & Development • MAY 2025

Afshan B Hameed, Maryam Tarsa, Ashten Waks

Response to Letter to the Editor: Standardized Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Pregnancy and Postpartum | AJOG MFM • JUNE 2025

Afshan B Hameed, Maryam Tarsa, Ashten Waks, Anna Grodzinsky, Karen L Florio, Jenny Chang, Marni B Jacobs,  Omotayo I Balogun, Heike Thiel de Bocanegra

Results of cardiovascular testing among pregnant and postpartum persons undergoing standardized cardiovascular risk assessment | AJOG MFM  • MAY 2025

Nicholas Rubashkin, E Nicole Teal, Rebecca J Baer, Saraswathi Vedam, Miriam Kuppermann, Grace Lanouette, Laura L Jelliffe-Pawlowski, Melissa G Rosenstein

Assessing Racial/Ethnic Variation and Trends in Vaginal Birth after Cesarean in California: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Linked Birth Certificate and Hospital Discharge Records | American Journal of Perinatology • MAY 2025

Cassandra Wauer, Carolina Thorlund-Diaz, Abbas Hakim, Morgan Meads, Anelizze Castro-Martinez, Mana M Parast,  Louise C Laurent, Marni B Jacobs

A pilot study of apolipoprotein E genotype and associations with maternal lipid levels and small for gestational age outcomes in non-hypertensive pregnancies | The Journal of Metal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine • MAY 2025

Manasa G Rao, Timothy Wen, Mary D'Alton, Teresa C Logue, Alexander Friedman, Noelia Zork

Adverse outcomes during delivery hospitalizations among patients with an intellectual or developmental disability diagnosis | AJOG • JULY 2025

Timothy Wen, Gabriela Tessler, Yongmei Huang, Maria Andrikopoulou, Alexandre Buckley De Meritens, Kartik K Venkatesh, Alexander Friedman, Brittany Arditi, Mirella Mourad, Eve Overton

Variation in Inpatient Admission for Management and Cost Drivers in Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorder | Obstetrics & Gynecology • JUNE 2025

Nasim C Sobhani, Yongmei Huang, Kartik K Venkatesh, Jason D Wright, Alexander M Friedman, Timothy Wen

Diabetes Technology Use in Pregnancies with Type 1 Diabetes in the United States from 2009 to 2020 | American Journal of Perinatology • JUNE 2025

Rachel L Wiley, Minhazur R Sarker, Douglas A Woelkers

Novel biomarkers for preeclampsia: Promises and pitfalls | Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology • AUGUST 2025

Rachel L Wiley, Ipsita Ghose, Dana R Canfield, Minhazur R Sarker, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Suneet Chauhan

Immediate skin-to-skin contact and postpartum hemorrhagic morbidity | International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics • JULY 2025

News featuring The Department of OBGYN & RS and Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, MS

UC San Diego Health No. 1 in San Diego, Specialty Care Nationally Ranked | UC San Diego Today • JULY 2025

News featuring Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, MS

Utility of the US Preventive Services Task Force for Preeclampsia Risk Assessment and Aspirin Prophylaxis | JAMA Network • JULY 2025

Until Women’s Health Is Everywhere, Women’s Health Is Nowhere | JAMA Network • JUNE 2025

Sildenafil During Labor Did Not Improve Perinatal Outcomes, Trial Data Show | MedPage Tody • JUNE 2025

News featuring Yvette LaCoursiere, MD, MPH

Yvette LaCoursiere Appointed Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education | UCSD SOM News • JUNE 2025

News featuring Jessica Kingston, MD

Multilevel Intervention Increased HPV Vaccination for Most Children— However, the most socioeconomically marginalized children saw the least benefit | MedPage Today • JUNE 2025

Podcast featuring Kathryn Macaulay, MD

Menopause treatment is the focus of new CA bills | KPBS Midday • MAY 2025

News featuring H. Irene Su, MD, MSCE

ASCO updates guidelines on fertility preservation, emphasizes talks through survivorship | Healio • MAY 2025

Motherhood Channel featuring Sandy Ramos, MD

Maternal & Infant Health: Clinical Landscape and OGRS Opportunities | University of California Television • JULY 2025

News featuring CORI

Center for OB/GYN Research Innovation is Leading the Way to Improve Women’s Health | UC San Diego Today • JUNE 2025

Media Relations Contact: Jeanna Vazquez

Marni Jacobs, PhD, MPH, transpires avenues to beneficial systemic change as an Assistant Professor of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences in the UC San Diego School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.  

"I became interested in a career in research because I like solving puzzles and research seemed like a way to do that while contributing knowledge that could potentially help people.  Designing studies and analyzing data is almost like putting together puzzle pieces to find the best fit, and I really like that each study and dataset are unique.  Conducting research is continuous adaptation, and I like that you never know what you’re going to find when all is said and done.  Sometimes you see exactly what you think you are going to, and other times you find something completely unexpected that sends you down a whole new avenue.” – Marni Jacobs, PhD, MPH

Meet the Jacobs Lab Team

Dr. Jacobs' "lean-and-mighty" lab team with Research Data Analysts Carolina Thorland-Diaz, MPH and Margaret (Meg) Quattrocchi, MPH conduct significant research sparking innovational discoveries and bridging gaps to translate these into clinical settings for prenatal through postpartum care.  "Multi-Omics for Maternal Health after Preeclampsia (MOM-Health)" part of the "Multi-Omics for Human Health and Disease (MOHD) Research Consortium" is an active study presented by  Dr. Jacobs at the inaugural Center for Ob/Gyn Research Innovation Women's Health Symposium. The MOM-Health Study and MOHD Consortium is funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).  Vanderbilt is a subaward to UC San Diego.

 L-R: Carolina Thorlund-Diaz, MPH (Research Data Analyst); Marni Jacobs, PhD, MPH; Margaret (Meg) Quattrocchi, MPH (Research Data Analyst) 

"My independent research program focuses on identifying predictors of poor birth outcomes using easily obtained clinical measures, particularly those that are amenable to intervention. I am also interested in the impact of adversity across the life-course on reproductive outcomes, potentially mitigated through biological adaptations.” – Marni Jacobs, PhD, MPH

Marni Jacobs, Ph.D., MPH presents her MOM-Health and MOHD research at the CORI Women's Health Symposium

"The Women’s Health Symposium was an incredible opportunity to present the Multi-Omics for Health and Disease (MOHD) Consortium and the Mom-Health (Multi-Omics for Maternal Health) Study specifically, with the goal of creating a multi-dimensional dataset that is available to the research community. The consortium overall aims to use multi-omics to detect and assess profiles associated with healthy and disease states from a wide variety of conditions, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), to asthma, diabetes, kidney, and liver diseases, from study sites across the U.S.  Specific to the focus of CORI, 70% of maternal deaths due to HDP occur in the year after delivery, and HDP are further associated with poor health outcomes later in life, highlighting the importance of this disorder to health across the lifespan. Through CORI and the collaborations events like the CORI symposium generates, we aim to use multi-omics to uncover mechanisms to improve maternal and infant health outcomes during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and beyond.” – Marni Jacobs, PhD, MPH.” 

The MOM-Health Study and the Multi-Omics for Health and Disease (MOHD) Consortium

The MOHD Consortium is an NIH collaborative initiative consisting of 6 Disease Study Sites (DSS) exploring 200 cases and 100 controls with various health conditions with goals of advancing multi-omics technologies integrated with phenotypic and exposure datasets to detect and classify healthy and disease states in community populations while filling in data gaps from outmoded genetic studies. Multi-omics refers to applying a biomarker analysis to forge novel discoveries which integrates and harmonizes data traversing epigenomics, genomics, metabolomics, microbiome, proteomics, and transcriptomics vs. single-omics (one area analysis).

Consortium enrollment began February 2025, and the Jacobs lab works on the MOM-Health Study, studying maternal conditions including Preeclampsia (PE) and Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP). Other DSS who are evaluating phenotypic and environmental exposures and collecting biologic samples and data elements (demographics, medical history, clinical measures, etc.) at a minimum of 3 time points include:

Dr. Jacobs lab multi-omics research

Dr. Jacobs lab Mom-Health innovative study design

Powerful predictions

Powerful research breakthroughs from leveraging Dr. Jacobs’ integrated multi-omics data insights helps our providers have a more holistic view of their patients' overall health from which they can predict and  identify prenatal and postpartum complications for early intervention and treatment. This approach to disease risk can reduce long-term poor health outcomes caused by PE and HDP, serious diorders with an increased risk of maternal and fetal death. Thank you, Dr. Jacobs and team for your miracle-work progressive research creating quality datasets to advance understanding within the scientific community and extending diuturnal outlook for moms and infants with preventative therapies to ward off future health conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, chronic hypertension, renal failure, and low cognitive function. 

Emily Lukacz, MD, MAS

At UC San Diego Health, "TULIP," "BASIS," "BEST," "BELIEVE," and "ELIMINATE" clinical studies introduced below are in progress and actively enrolling to evaluate medical device interventions and therapies for effective long-term management of complex bladder health and pelvic floor dysfunction. Principal Investigator, Emily 'Mimi' Lukacz, MD, MAS, Cecile Ferrando, MD, MPH, and Lindsey Burnett, MD, PhD spearhead this state-of-art research with teams of healthcare providers across the country. Dr. Lukacz serves as Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS) Division Director, UC San Diego Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UC San Diego Health Sciences, and Professor of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, UC San Diego School of Medicine. Continuous improvement of comprehensive clinical patient care – informed by scientific research and FDA approval – for the spectrum of urogynecology conditions is paramount under Dr. Lukacz's leadership.

Cecile Ferrando, MD, MPH

Dr. Ferrando serves as the Principal Investigator of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded BELIEVE trial and is the clinical medical director of the UCSD Urogynecology clinic and URPS fellowship program director. As one of the country's top fellowship training programs, our URPS Division Fellows, the next generation of clinician scientists and academic leaders, receive advanced training which includes medical education on clinical study outcomes and delivering the highest quality of translational care. Drs. Lukacz and Ferrando's patient-centric research approach leverages new device technologies in her teams' study designs in combo with existing FDA approved methods to accelerate novel outcomes using new therapeutic strategies that enhance productivity, accessibility, and integration into the clinical space. Clinical studies at UC San Diego are the epitome of clinical innovation and drive the future of care for women with Urogynecologic conditions.

Marianna Alperin, MD, MS

Dr. Marianna Alperin, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences Professor and Vice Chair of Translational Research, serves as Co-Director of the Women's Health Innovations through Scientific Development, Engineering, and Medicine (WHISDEM) Center, and is on the Steering Committee for the Center for OB/GYN Research Innovation (CORI). Dr. Alperin trailblazes innovation in women's health research to uncover scientific breakthroughs, advance clinical care, and strengthen team science. Her research focuses on the impact of pregnancy, birth injury, and aging on the structure, function, plasticity, and regenerative potential of the female pelvic soft tissues. Her research aims to help reduce the epidemic of pelvic floor disorders and improve the lives of millions of women.

Lindsey Burnett, MD, PhD

Dr. Lindsey Burnett, Director of the Pelvic Health After Birth Clinic and Assistant Professor of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, is the UC San Diego site lead for the TULIP study and is an expert in the field of peripartum pelvic floor dysfunction with translational research expertise in the microbiome and metabalomics. 

TULIP Study

ClinicalTrials.Gov ID: NCT06411158

Study Overview: The Training for Urinary Leakage Improvement after Pregnancy (TULIP) study, sponsored by NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network, investigates options to help new moms deal with accidental leakage of urine which can't be controlled without a specialist consult. 

Study Design: Participants are assigned to 1 of 3 groups to study which pelvic muscle exercies may help reduce urinary leakage. Over the course of the study, moms will visit the clinic upon enrollment, at 6 months, and again at 12 months post-delivery. This three armed trial compares standard pelvic floor exercises to a home biofeedback device. The goal of TULIP is to help medical teams learn how to treat new moms experiencing urinary leakage while introducing moms to proper techniques using proven therapies to lessen leakage incidents.

TULIP Study video

TULIP-B Study video

"Millions of women worldwide experience this condition including one out of three new moms dealing with unpredictable urinary leakage symptoms which can be embarrassing, affects a new mother's relationships and daily activities, and even increases the risk of anxiety and depression." – TULIP study team

TULIP STUDY GROUPS

TULIP-B Study

TULIP-B, our companion study, is looking at why some women leak and others do not. Participants are tasked with collecting vaginal swabs and urine samples at home and during clinic visits. Dr. Lukacz's successful completion of a 2024 study published in Urogynecology determined home collection for urogenital microbiome specimens was feasible and viable for analysis. Dr. Burnett's area of expertise in basic science revolves around evaluating signs of inflammation in the vagina while examining bacteria that naturally live in the vagina to see if certain bacteria are found in different amounts in moms who have versus those who do not have urine leakage.

"Even new moms without urine leakage can help us understand potential differences. Learning about inflammation and natural bacteria may help doctors someday develop new treatments for urine leakage in new moms." – TULIP study team

BASIS Study

ClinicalTrials.Gov ID: NCT06480227

Study Overview: The Transurethral Bulking Agent Injection Versus Single-Incision Sling for Stress Urinary Incontinence (BASIS) study, sponsored by NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network and National Institutes of Health (NIH), investigates using Bulkamid, a transurethral bulking agent device, versus Solyx, a single-incision sling medical device, as FDA-approved, non-experimental, less-invasive, interventions with reduced recovery time to treat stress urinary incontinence as alternatives to traditional surgery.

"More than 30% of women suffer from bladder leakage or urinary incontinence. In particular, stress urinary incontinence is a common type of bladder leakage that happens with sneezing, coughing, or physical activity. Many women with stress incontinence try to minimize symptoms by avoiding activities like exercising or dancing. Conservative treatments may not be enough for up to 50% of women with stress urinary incontinence." – BASIS study team

BASIS Study video

Cummulative Actual vs. Expected BASIS Enrollment

Study Design: Dr. Lukacz is the lead investigator and designed the BASIS trial, which is a NICHD sponsored, multi-centered, double-blind, randomized controlled, surgical trial of 358 women age 21 and over with indaequate symptom relief of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or stress predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) after conservative care. Two different outpatient procedures are compared and assigned randomly to trial participants. Following treatment, participants will attend two in-person research visits during and then online/telehealth visits yearly for up to 3 years to assess satisfaction using the patient global impression (PGI) primary outcome measure combined with need for additional care. The secondary outcome measure relies on a short form questionnaire (ICIQ-SF) containing scorable questions to measure frequency of leakage, volume of leakage, how much the participant is bothered by leakage from 0-21 (with 21 being worst leakage metric, most bothered), and types of leakage.

"The Primary Aim is to determine the comparative effectiveness (as defined by "much" or "very much" better on PGI-I) of transurethral bulking agent (TBA) [for 1 or 2 injections in 12 months] vs. single-incision sling (SIS) 12 months after treatment intervention in women with predominant stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The PGI-I is used to compare condition improvement, defined as (1) = very much better, (2) = much better, (3) = a little better, (4) = no change, (5) = a little worse, (6) much worse, (7) very much worse." – BASIS study team

Study Sites for TULIP and BASIS:

BEST Study

ClinicalTrials.Gov ID: NCT05806164

Study Overview: The Beta-Agonist versus Botox A® Trial for Urinary Incontinence (BEST): Therapy for Urge Urinary Incontinence, a strong urge to urinate that is hard to stop and culminates in leakage, compares the efficacy and safety of beta agonist oral medication (mirabegron or virgron) to injected medication Onabotulinumtoxin (Botox A®). Both treatments are FDA approved to lessen Urge Urinary Incontinence (UUI) but the beta agaonist is taken orally by mouth to relax the bladder muscles and Botox A® is injected into the bladder to decrease bladder contractions during a clinic visit.

BEST Study video

BEST Study brochure

Study Design: BEST is a PCORI funded, multi-centered study of 432 women (87 from UC San Diego Health). Participants are randomly selected to receive treatment with either the beta-agonist or Botox A® with patient reported outcomes (PROs) evaluating treatment satisfaction and urinary symptom severity measured by an Overactive Bladder Questionnaire-Symptom Bother Score (OAB-q-SS) at 3 months and 12 months. Outcomes assessment are at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Predictive models will be created from study outcomes after reviewing adverse events and treatment satisfaction measured from the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Treatment Satisfaction General (FACIT-TS-G) to guide providers on the best treatment in regards to helping patients achieve improved UUI quality of life and sexual function.

Study Sites for BEST:

BELIEVE Study

ClinicalTrials.Gov ID: NCT06754046

Study Overview: The Bulking vErsus sLing for Treating Stress Urinary IncontinEnce at the Time of Vaginal prolapsE Repair (BELIEVE) / RP-MUS vs PAHG for Stress Incontinence study draws from research showing mid-urethral slings (MUS) are a widely used intervention and are considered an effective treatment for women diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence. For some women, in contrast, MUS treatment has not worked and they have experienced recurrent incontinence or complications. This study compares the RP-MUS and bulkamide injection (PAHG) treatments for safety and effectiveness during prolapse repair surgery.

"The  goal of this clinical trial is to learn if retropubic midurethral sling (RP-MUS) or bulkamide injection (PAHG) at the time of pelvic organ prolapse repair is better from the patient's perspective. The main questions it aims to answer are: What is the average difference in the urogenital distress inventory (UDI) long form score 24 months after surgery for each procedure? WHich procedure has the fewest complications and lowest short- and long-term morbidity profile?" – BELIEVE study team

Study Design: The BELIEVE multi-centered trial inclusion criteria consists of women aged 18 or older who have positively tested for and been diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence and are planning for surgical vaginal prolapse repair. Blinded and randomized participants receive either retropubic midurethral sling (RP-MUS) or urethral bulking with polyacrylamide hydrogen (PAHG) during pelvic organ prolapse repair. Follow-up after treatment consists of in-clinic assessments at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months. Over the 24 months trial duration, participants will have a total of 6 visits and be asked to complete three qualitative interviews.

Study Sites for BELIEVE:

 Enrollment Heatmaps for TULIP, BASIS, BEST, and BELIEVE Clinical Trials at UC San Diego

ELIMINATE Study

ClinicalTrials.Gov ID: NCT05488340

Study Overview: The Phase 2 ELIMINATE trial, sponsored by Locus Biosciences, studies effectiveness of LBP-EC01 drug intervention in the treatement of acute uncomplicated UTI caused by drug resistant E. Coli to help women "eliminate" frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Study Design: In this double-blind, randomized study, an initial open-label 3-arm pharmacokinetic (PK) lead-in portion is used to treat 30 patients to determine the optimal dosing regimen of drug LBP-EC01. Then, LBP-EC01 + antibiotic versus placebo + antibiotic is evaluated in 288 women ages 18 through 75 with an active UTI and a history of prior UTI caused by E. coli bacteria. ELIMINATE will review the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of the following treatments: Drug: LBP-EC01 0.1 x IV dose, Drug: LBP-EC01 0.01x IV Dose, Drug: LBP-EC01 IV Infusion Dose, Drug: Placebo, Drug: LBP-EC01, and Drug: TMP/SMX.

"It's time to ELIMINATE frequent UTIs. 25-50% of women who experience a UTI will experience multiple recurrent episodess. The ELIMINATE study aims to see if a new investigational treatment is safe and effective in treating drug-resistant UTIs" – ELIMINATE study team

Study Sites for ELIMINATE: 

Continuous Improvement through Urogyn Clinical Innovation

Women traversing pivotal stages of life taking a toll on the body's pelvic organs from pregnancy to postpartum, to menopause, often experience bothersome symptoms while leaking urine which has a negative effect on their overall quality of life. Supporting clinical studies by sharing opportunities for patient enrollment yields important knowledge for healthcare providers on how to progress towards implementation of innovative practices while addressing widespread public health issues such as urinary incontinence. Many patients, especially elderly, avoid activities they would otherwise enjoy due to unnecessary suffering and the inability to self-treat. If interested in the TULIP, BASIS, or BEST studies, reach out to our clinical coordinator, Kyle Herrala at UrogynRSCH@ucsd.edu to discover more including up-and-coming studies in the URPS Division line-up. Thank you Drs. Lukacz, Ferrando, Burnett and Kyle Herrala, and team for continuously improving the quality of life for so many!

Advancing Care through Inclusive Practice, Learning, and Community Engagement

This quarter, our department continued its commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care through efforts that foster inclusion, responsiveness, and community connection. With leadership from the Culture and Justice Quorum (CJQ), faculty, staff, and trainees participated in a range of initiatives that reflect our shared values and strengthen the environments in which we care, learn, and serve.

THRIVE Tour San Diego 2025

This past spring, our department led and hosted the inaugural THRIVE Tour San Diego—a maternal health fair and community baby shower held on Sunday, May 18, at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA. We invited Elev8 Health, a national leader in maternal health, to bring their signature THRIVE model to San Diego for the first time—and built a powerful coalition of local and regional partners to bring the event to life.

With over 100 families, students, and community members in attendance, the event offered maternal wellness support, baby supplies, health education, and direct connection to care and resources. Together with our partners, we curated a welcoming and inclusive space to celebrate, support, and empower families during pregnancy and early parenting.

Participating organizations included UC San Diego Health and the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Elev8 Health, the County of San Diego, Live Well San Diego, JIREH Providers, Dear Fathers, Global Communities Healthy Start, and the American Psychiatric Association Foundation.

From on-site massage and midwifery care to community-led booths and public health outreach, the THRIVE Tour reflected our department’s leadership and commitment to building healthier futures for all families.

Dr. Gyamfi-Bannerman addresses the community at Thrive Tour. Photography by Chelsea Saelee.

Community  resource booths at Thrive Tour

Baby Shower at Thrive Tour

UCSD mama massage at Thrive Tour

UCSD Midwives at Thrive Tour

Advancing Inclusive Clinical Care through Grand Rounds

This spring, our department hosted two Grand Rounds sessions focused on inclusive, responsive, and equity-informed care across the reproductive health continuum.

Both sessions reinforced our department’s commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care that reflects the diverse identities, experiences, and needs of our patients and families.

From left: Latrice Reid, IBCLC, Michelle Leff, MD, IBCLC, NABBLM-C, FAAP, and Karen Deutsch, FNP, MPH

Celebrating the 2025 Community Doula Graduation

This spring, we proudly celebrated the graduation of a new cohort from the UC San Diego Hearts and Hands Volunteer Doula Program, in partnership with UC San Diego Health and the Center for Community Health. With funding support from the Conrad Prebys Foundation, our department collaborated across institutions to expand access to culturally responsive, language-concordant doula care for patients and families.

The Hearts and Hands program trains volunteer doulas to provide compassionate, individualized support during childbirth, centering each patient’s values, language, and lived experience.

The graduation ceremony brought together leaders from across the health system to honor the doulas’ commitment and to celebrate the collective effort to elevate inclusive care.

This milestone reflects our department’s continued investment in building a more connected, person-centered model of perinatal care—where every birth is supported with dignity and cultural alignment.

The graduation ceremony featured remarks from institutional leaders who recognized the doulas as “champions of compassionate, culturally rooted care for every birth journey.” Speakers included:

Their reflections underscored the significance of this work and the value of doulas as trusted partners in advancing respectful, inclusive perinatal care.

Dr. Audra Meadows presents at the 2025 Community Doula Graduation. Photography by Segen Zerey.

2025 Community Doula Graduation. Photography by Segen Zerey, Community Doula Program Manager.

Kelsey Loeliger, MD

Complex Family Planning

Assistant Professor in the Department of OBGYN at Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

Dana Canfield, MD

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

MFM faculty at University of Washington

Olumayowa Dayo, MD, MPH

Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

REI Division at Penn State in Hershey, PA

Breana Hill, MD

Gynecologic Oncology

Faculty at Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland, OR

Ghansh Yadav, MD

Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery

Family Health Centers of San Diego

Keri Cowles, MD

Sharp Rees Steeley

Milli Desai, MD, MS

Faculty at UCSD Health

Rafa Ifthikhar, MD

UCSF / San Francisco as Complex Family Planning Fellow

Jenny Koenig, MD

UC San Diego as Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow

Payton Ottum, MD

Faculty at UCSD Health

Kellie Schueler, MD

Scripps Coastal/Scripps Encinitas

Emmanual Elijah, MD

Hometown: Manteca, CA
Undergraduate School: UC San Diego
Medical School: UC San Diego School of Medicine
Career Interests: Medical Education / Mentorship, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Metabolomics

"Emmanuel went to undergrad at UC San Diego where he was a sprinter on the Track and Field team and studied molecular biology. Prior to medical school at UC San Diego, Emmanuel worked in the Dorrestein lab in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy learning to use metabolomics to understand various disease states. In medical school, he was involved in different mentorship and leadership roles. In addition to medical education and high risk obstetric care, he is interested in understanding the metabolic and psychosocial factors that contribute to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders as well as understanding the urinary and vaginal metabolome. In his free time, Emmanuel enjoys listening to music, spoken word poetry, working out, and spending time with his wife and 2 kids."

Dylan Hutson, MD

Hometown: West Hills, California
Undergraduate School: UC San Diego 
Medical School: UC San Diego School of Medicine
Career Interests: Medical education, complex family planning, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery 

"I was born and raised in Los Angeles but have called San Diego my home for the last 10 years as I completed my undergraduate and medical education at UCSD. Between undergrad and medical school, I worked as a medical assistant for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest which strengthened my love for the field of OB/GYN. When I'm not in scrubs, you'll likely find me hanging out with my two cats, orchestrating an intense board game night, getting lost in a good book, or soaking up the ocean breeze on a long walk. I am so excited to continue my medical training in beautiful sunny San Diego!"

Elisha Jaeke, MD

Hometown: Hartford, WI
Undergraduate School: St. Norbert College
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin
Career Interests: Community engaged research, reproductive justice, health disparities, medical education

"I grew up in rural Wisconsin and was the first in my family to attend college, majoring in biology and Spanish. After graduating, I worked as a bilingual COVID-19 contact tracer for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and in labor and occupational health advocacy/education at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. I returned to Wisconsin for medical school, where I developed strong interests in obstetric quality improvement initiatives, community-engaged research on health disparities, and abortion education in restricted environments. Outside of medicine, I enjoy hiking/backpacking, rock climbing, live music, and beach picnics. I am so grateful for the opportunity to train with exceptional faculty and co-residents while serving the San Diego community!"

Emily Harnois, MD

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Undergraduate School: University of Arizona
Medical School: University of Arizona, College of Medicine
Career Interests: Immigrant Health, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Medical Education

"My name is Emily Harnois, and I am originally from sunny Phoenix, AZ! I studied Physiology and Spanish Translation & Interpretation at the University of Arizona, where I also stayed for medical school (Bear Down!). During medical school, I developed a strong interest in immigrant and underserved healthcare, working to bridge language and access barriers in patient care. Outside of medicine, I am an avid runner and yogi, a dog mom to two, and an amateur chef who makes a mean soup. I am thrilled to start the next chapter of my journey as an Ob/Gyn resident at UC San Diego!"

Ariana Olvera, MD

Hometown: Donna, TX
Undergraduate School: University of Kansas
Medical School: Baylor
Career Interests: Maternal-Fetal Medicine, perinatal substance use disorders/addiction medicine, medical education.

"Dr. Ariana Olvera completed her medical training at Baylor College of Medicine and her Master’s in Public Health at the UTHealth Science Center at Houston. She is interested in MFM or Gyn Onc (hasn’t decided), as well as immigrant health, community outreach, and health policy. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants or new recipes, reading a good book, or spending time with her loved ones. She is new to San Diego and is excited to explore all the beautiful nature it has to offer!"

Nicole Schulick, MD

Hometown: Denver, CO
Undergraduate School: New York University
Medical School: University of Colorado
Career Interests: Global health, medical education, reproductive justice, Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy.

"Nikki went to undergrad at New York University where she studied Latin American Literature and Global Public Health. Prior to starting medical school at the University of Colorado, Nikki worked as a science teacher at a school in Manizales, Colombia. She was in the global health track during medical school and took a research year after clinical rotations studying pregnancy outcomes among women with rheumatic heart disease in Rwanda. She is interested in working in medical education in the global setting to improve care for women worldwide. In her free time, Nikki enjoys reading, dancing, wheel ceramics, and scuba diving."

Robert Tyler Hillman, MD, PhD

Division of Gynecologic Oncology

Tyler Hillman, MD, PhD, is an associate professor and board-certified gynecologist oncologist who is a nationally recognized expert on sex cord/stromal tumors of the ovary including granulosa cell tumors. He has authored multiple scientific publications and textbook chapters on the treatment and molecular characterization of ovarian sex cord/stromal tumors and holds leadership roles in both NRG Oncology and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology related to this expertise. Prior to joining UC San Diego Health, Dr. Hillman was an assistant professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Hillman completed fellowship training in gynecologic oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He completed residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. He earned both his MD and PhD as part of the integrated Medical Scientist Training Program at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has a bioengineering degree from UC Berkeley. Outside of work, Dr. Hillman enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter and son who together love the spectacular outdoor activities that San Diego has to offer. Dr. Hillman was born in San Diego and grew up in the Rancho Peñasquitos neighborhood of North County.

Nadia Abu-Douleh, CNM

Certified Nurse Midwife

Kayleigh Kornher

Clinical Research Coordinator for CORI

Tania Marek, FNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner Gynecologic Oncology

Ali Pakravesh

Lab Assistant

Inaugural CORI REACH Summer Series: Exploring Careers in OB/GYN

CORI REACH overview with Nicole Teal, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, and NIH Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Scholar. Dr. Teal serves on the CORI leadership Steering Committee.

This three-part summer series is designed to introduce 2025 trainees to the wide-ranging career opportunities in obstetrics and gynecology through interactive, community-building sessions. Open to undergraduate, postbac, master’s, PhD, and medical students, the program fosters peer and near-peer support while spotlighting diverse clinical and research pathways. The goals of CORI REACH are to: (1) Expose the next generation of scholars reflective of our patients and community to careers in women's health and (2) Provide opportunities to engage with peers  interested in careers in women's health. 

Session 1 (July 9): Careers in OB/GYN – Dr. Sheila Mody moderated a panel with basic science researcher Varykina Thackray (PhD), clinician scientists Lindsey Burnett, MD, PhD and Sarah Averbach, MD, and clinician educator/clinician Maureen Ries showcasing clinical and research career paths and facilitated cohort introductions.

Session 2 (July 23): Breadth of Clinical Subspecialties & Near-Peer Networking – Led by Drs. Jamie Resnik and Mai Hoang, this session featured rotating breakout groups connecting undergrads with grad students and residents with early-career faculty.

Session 3 (August 6): Connecting Research to Clinical Care – Highlighting translational science in action, this session pairs clinician-researcher teams (Dr. Ina Stelzer and Dr. Lindsey Burnett) to share how discoveries move from bench to bedside.

With 16 PIs and mentors supporting 45 trainees, this program is an enriching opportunity to build community, explore the field, and envision future career paths. 

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

Pratima Gupta, MD, MPH (center) is recognized as a fellow-at-large at the ACOG annual meeting in Minneapolis, MN.

Trainee Research Day

OBGYN & RS Residents attend Trainee Research Day

Endocrine Society's ENDO 2025

Varykina Thackray, PhD Lab at the Endocrine Society annual meeting in San Francisco, CA

Celebrating Pride at Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

From left: RN Brooke Delanoy, RN Nicole Noar, Dr. Rachel Whynott, Dr. Emily Allard-Phillips , RN Amanda Arnold, and MA Alex Salazar 

Fundamental Critical Care Support: Obstetrics course with Scott Harvey, MD

"On May 2, 2025, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) partnered with the Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation to produce an educational simulation video focused on the management of amniotic fluid embolism, based on current evidence-based clinical guidelines. Scott Harvey collaborated closely with the Foundation’s director, Miranda Klassen, and leading subject matter experts in AFE to ensure clinical accuracy and educational impact.

Over the course of eight months, Scott Harvey lead the team and developed a comprehensive script and designed a realistic simulation environment. Numerous members of the UC San Diego Health community generously volunteered to participate as cast members in this critical project. A professional videographer and several embolism specialists traveled to participate in the filming, which took place over an intensive one-day shoot at UCSD’s world class Simulation Center.

The resulting video is currently in post-production and is intended for endorsement by professional societies in obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, and critical care. Sincere thanks go to all who contributed their time and expertise to this important initiative.

Special thank you to: Lisa Chee, RN; Elizabeth Hughes, RN; Minhazur Sarker, MD; Gladys Sandy Ramos, MD; Ryan Ignacio, RT; Miranda Klassen; Sheri Villanueva, RN; Ricardo Wood; Stephanie Martin, MD; Danielle Reicher, MD; Alan Vazquez; Julie Arafeh, RN; Kimberly Gerber, CRNA; Bryce Klassen, RN; Mark McLaughlin; and Sarah Hood who put in tremendous effort to make this tremendous feat successful." – Scott Harvey, MD