OB/GYN Now
a quarterly departmental newsletter
Message from the Chair
Summer is a time of rebirth in all academic medical centers.
In July, new residents and fellows start their training, and new graduates join our faculty. This department is ever-growing and evolving. We celebrate this change and our role in women’s health.
Yet, while we continue to change, a great constant remains: the ability to attract stellar Ob/Gyn physicians and create an environment where we can innovate.
Our faculty and trainees are continuously impacting this world by leading in community-based settings, publishing groundbreaking research, building new training programs, running academic medical centers, and teaching the next generation of leaders.
Telling these stories of change and success is important to us and the primary purpose of this newsletter. We build a sense of community among faculty, trainees, staff, and others with a shared history in our department.
While Yale Ob/Gyn continuously evolves, we also maintain certain core principles—excellent clinical practices, research, and education in women’s health. Each and every department employee contributes to this mission and is an integral part of our team.
Thank you all for who you are!
Yale Ob/Gyn Chair Hugh Taylor, MD
Research/Clinical News
4 Things to Know About Early and Premature Menopause
Several members of our team explain the health effects of menopause before age 45.
Source: Yale Medicine24 Jun 2024Genetic Analysis of Rare, Often Deadly Cervical Cancer Uncovers Potential Treatments
Yale Cancer Center researchers at Yale School of Medicine analyze the genetic landscape of 66 tumors, the largest series of cervical neuroendocrine tumors ever reported in scientific literature.
15 Apr 2024Study Finds No Association Between COVID-19 Vaccines and Stillbirths
Researchers from Yale and 11 other institutions provide important data on COVID-19 vaccines and stillbirth rates.
7 Jun 2024Stem Cell Research Uncovers Clues to Tissue Repair That Could Help Heal the Uterus and More
Researchers discover MiRNAs secreted by stem cells play an important role in repairing uterine tissue.
28 May 2024Topical Shows Promise in Treating Precancerous Cervical Condition
A phase II trial of a topical treatment, led by Yale Cancer Center researchers, shows its promise as a non-invasive treatment for individuals with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
9 Apr 2024Endometriosis
New research is revealing that endometriosis is not just a gynecologic disease, but rather a widespread inflammatory disorder.
20 Mar 2024Does Pregnancy Accelerate Aging? Yale Findings Suggest It Does – at First
New research from Assistant Professor Kieran O’Donnell and his team suggests that pregnancy accelerates aging, but with an important caveat – there appears to be significant reversal of this effect in the postpartum period.
22 Mar 2024
People
Welcome To The Team
Yale Ob/Gyn welcomes new clinical fellows, residents, research associates, postgraduate fellows/associates, postdoctoral fellows/associates, lab associates, and staff.
New Vice Chair of Education
Catherine [Trina] Salva, MD, MSEd, accepted the vice chair of education position for Yale Ob/Gyn, effective Oct. 1.
Magriples Departing
Professor Urania Magriples, MD, is leaving after a long and successful career at Yale.
She first came here in 1987 as an Ob/Gyn resident. Then, in 1994, she completed a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship at Yale School of Medicine.
During her tenure, Dr. Magriples spearheaded the development of the Centering Pregnancy Program, a pioneering initiative in group prenatal care that has earned national recognition and has been adopted by numerous care sites across the United States since 1995.
Aside from research, Dr. Magriples is passionate about humanitarian causes. She is a member of the Global Health Committee for the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and was part of the Human Resources for Health project in Rwanda, which has trained over 100 Ob/Gyn residents.
Pettker Accepts Lead Role Outside of Yale
Christian Pettker, MD, accepted the position of chair at the University of Iowa Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Stephanie M. Nichols-Burns, PhD, MS
Associate Research Scientist and Clinical Embryologist Stephanie M. Nichols-Burns, PhD, MS, has been promoted to research director at the Yale Fertility Center IVF Laboratory.
Virginia Stuermer, MD
A pillar of the Yale Ob/Gyn community, Virginia Stuermer, MD, passed away in May at the age of 100.
Awards/Honors/Recognition
Rankings
- Maternity Care at Yale New Haven Hospital ranked among the best in the U.S. Newsweek Annual listing. Read more.
- Yale Ob/Gyn has been recognized as the fourth-best in the nation for reproductive medicine and fifth-best for women's health in Castle Connolly's 2024 "accolades" listing for top health systems. Read more.
- Connecticut Magazine recognized 15 Ob/Gyn faculty members as top physicians in the 2024 "Top Doctors" list. Read more.
2024 Medical Education Day
- Sarah Cross, MD, won the Innovation In Education category for her poster, "Development of a Perinatal Counseling Curriculum for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellows Using Standardized Patients." Read more.
- Oluwatosin Adeyemo, MD, MPH, gave an oral presentation titled "Empowering Graduating Medical Students from Under-Represented Racial Backgrounds."
- Crina Boeras, MD, had a poster displayed titled "Multimodal Approach to Improving the Ob/Gyn Clinical Component of the Women’s and Children’s Health (WCH) Clerkship at the Bridgeport Hospital Site."
- Chaarushi Ahuja, MD, had a poster displayed titled "Assessing Medical Student Preparedness for Labor Floor Rotation for Implementing Quality Improvement Initiatives."
- Sarah Cross, MD, and Crina Boeras, MD, graduated from the 2024 Medical Education Fellowship. Read more.
Teaching Award
Scott Casper, MD, MHS, associate clinical professor of OB/GYN, receives the Alvin R. Feinstein Award for Outstanding Teaching.
Members Announced for the New Education Scholar Fellow Program
Terri Huynh, MD, is selected as one of 15 faculty members to make up the 2024-25 Education Scholar Fellow program.
AGOS Accepts Yale Ob/Gyn Faculty Member as Fellow
Yale Ob/Gyn Continues to Engage in Mentoring Opportunities
Tessa Madden, MD, MPH, and Richard Moscarelli, MD, have been selected as coaches for the Yale School of Medicine's second Longitudinal Coach Cohort Program.
Upcoming Events
- August 6: Community Physician Dinner at Il Gabbiano Restaurant on Long Wharf
- September 12: 12th Annual State of Connecticut Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Research Day at Yale West Campus, 230 West Campus Drive, Orange, CT, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Jr CT ACOG Session will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- October 12: MFM Blood Drive at 1 Long Wharf Drive, 2nd floor, Suite 200, New Haven, CT, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- November 6: 39th Annual Ella T. Grasso Memorial CME Conference
Happenings
2024 Yale Ob/Gyn Graduation
Take a look at all that happened during The C. Lee Buxton Research Day and Graduation Banquet.
Graduating Residents
- Zoe Athens, MD
- Xiomara Brioso Rubio, MD
- Rachel DeSpenza, MD
- Ecem Esencan, MD
- Julia Gelissen, MD
- Bertie Geng, MD
- Ayomipo Madein, MD
- Melissa Markowitz, MD
- Elisabeth Stark, MD
Graduating Fellows
- Caiyun Liao, MD, MPH, Reproductive Endocrine and Infertility
- Levent Mutlu, MD, Gynecologic Oncology
- Hillary Hosier, MD, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Jia Jennifer Ding, MD, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Brad St. Martin, MD, MPH, Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery
Incoming Chief Residents for 2024-25
- Chaarushi Ahuja, MD
- Yifan Chang, MD
- Rebecca Borneman, MD
- Hannah Cunningham, MD
- Jasmin Mahabamunuge, MD
- Anabel Starosta, MD
- Sarah Wang, MD
Faculty Present at AACR
Several faculty members, including Elena Ratner, MD, MBA, Alessandro Santin, MD, and Sangini Sheth, MD, MPH, presented new research findings at the annual American Association for Cancer Research in April.
Below the Belt Screening Event
Did you miss the Below the Belt screening? Here's a recap of the event, including medical student Iris Becene's personal story of living with endometriosis.
Oncology Treatment and Care Webinar
Katyayani Papatla, MD, MPH, and Peter Dottino, MD, were featured speakers in Smilow Cancer Hospital at Greenwich’s CME series on GynOnc treatment and care.
16th Annual Yale Obstetrical and Gynecological Society Reunion
The 16th Annual YOGS Alumni Reunion featured resident and fellow alum David Keefe, MD, who was also honored for his many achievements.
FCC 2nd Annual Beardsley Zoo Reunion
Yale New Haven Children's Hospital Fetal Care Center had its 2nd Annual Beardsley Zoo Reunion, bringing together families, faculty, and staff.
Discovery To Cure Beverly Levy Walk and Block Party
Read about the Discovery To Cure Beverly Levy Walk and Block Party event at High Plains Fairgrounds in May.
Baby Cunningham
Congrats to Hannah Cunningham, MD, on the birth of her son, Rowan Murphy Cunningham Flake, on May 18.
Baby Pifer
Congrats to Benjamin Pifer, MD, on the birth of his daughter, Evanora Willene Pifer, also on May 18.
Wedding Celebration
Congrats to MFM clinical liaison, John Laudano, on his wedding in May.
Grants
Fall 2023 to Present
- Vikki Abrahams, PhD: 5-year funding from NIH/NIAID, “Mechanisms Regulating Fetal Membrane and Neutrophil Responses to Infection” $3,477,945
- Katarina Braun, MD, PhD: 1-year funding from The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, “Perinatal Research Consortium Trainee Grant” $5,000
- Katherine Kohari, MD: 1-year funding from The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, “The Genomic Architecture of Pregnancy Loss: Year 2” $4,281; and 1-year funding from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, “UAB – CHAP Maternal Follow-up Study: Year 3” $59,227
- Molly McAdow, MD, PhD: 5-year subaward from Weill Medical College of Cornell University funded by NIH, “STIM: Stimulation Therapy to Induce Mothers: a Multicenter Trial” $2,264,998
- Hugh Taylor, MD: 1-year funding from Harvard Apparatus Regenerative Technology Inc., “Development of an MSC Seeded Intrauterine Endometrial Patch” $259,994
- Michelle Volovsky, MD: 1-year funding from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, “The Impact of Environmental Toxins on the Ovarian Follicular Microenvironment and Reproductive Outcomes” $10,000
- Yang Yang-Hartwich, PhD: 4-year funding from the American Cancer Society, Inc., “MiPEP133: a New Tumor Suppressor for Ovarian Cancer” $768,000