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INFORMATION FOR

Hugh Taylor, MD

Anita O'Keeffe Young Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
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Additional Titles

Chair, Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

Chief , Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale New Haven Hospital

About

Titles

Anita O'Keeffe Young Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Chair, Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences; Chief , Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale New Haven Hospital

Biography

Dr. Taylor is the Anita O'Keeffe Young Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of Medicine and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He is also Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental biology at Yale University. His clinical interests include IVF, infertility, endometriosis, implantation, menopause, uterine anomalies and Asherman's syndrome.

Dr. Hugh Taylor received his undergraduate training at Yale University and received his medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale. His postdoctoral training included a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility as well as a fellowship in Molecular Biology, both at Yale.

Dr. Taylor is a board certified specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology and in Reproductive Endocrinology. His clinical research centers on endometriosis and fibroids. His basic science research focuses on uterine development, endometriosis, endocrine disruption, and on stem cells. He is a recipient of ten National Institutes of Health research grants and directs The Yale Center for Reproductive Biology. Dr. Taylor has published more than 400 articles and in leading medical journals.  He has served as president of the Society for Reproductive Investigation and president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in 2021.  He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.  

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Fellow
Yale University School of Medicine (1998)
Fellow
Yale University School of Medicine (1996)
Resident
Yale-New Haven Hospital (1992)
MD
University of Connecticut (1988)
BA
Yale University, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (1983)

Research

Overview

Endometriosis is characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrium outside of the uterus. It is a common and debilitating disease, causing pain or infertility in approximately 10% of reproductive age women. We have identified several novel mechanisms that lead to and regulate this disease. Our group has demonstrated a role for stem cells, epigenetics and micro RNA in this disease. We have also identified several novel markers of endometriosis and therapies to treat the disease.

Endometrial renewal in each menstrual cycle depends on a small pool of tissue-specific stem cells. These endogenous stem cells allow the rapid regeneration of the endometrium necessary to support pregnancy. My laboratory continues to explore the role of adult stem cells from the endometrium and their role in pathophysiology. We were the first to identify an exogenous source of stem cells that contribute to endometrial regeneration. Bone marrow and other tissues contribute stem cells to the circulation that can engraft and repair the uterus; these cells have proven to be useful in the treatment of Asherman’s syndrome in an animal model. Further, some of these cells remain as multipotent stem cells in the uterine endometrium and can be readily obtained in a simple office biopsy. The cells display remarkable plasticity and we have been able to differentiate them into insulin producing cells, neuronal cells, cartilage as well as other cell types. We have used these differentiated cells in regenerative medicine and have demonstrated their effectiveness in animal models of diseases including diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

The laboratory also studies uterine development. We were the first to describe the molecular mechanism by which the Mullerian duct differentiates into different components of the adult female reproductive track. Differential expression of HOX genes directs segments of the Mullerian duct to take on distinct developmental identities, resulting in the axial differentiation of the fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and vagina. Perturbation of this process leads to uterine developmental anomalies and infertility. We have examined the role of endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A (BPA) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) on the developing female reproductive system. These agents and other environmental estrogens disturb the axial patterning of the female reproductive tract altering development and adult reproductive performance. We have demonstrated that this is largely accomplished by epigenetic reprogramming driven by these compounds.

Many of the same genes that are used in uterine development are subsequently used in cyclic endometrial development in adults. We have characterized the role of HOXA10 in endometrial development and receptivity to embryo implantation. This gene is required for fertility and abnormally expressed in several forms of infertility, leading to failed implantation and pregnancy loss.

We also conduct clinical and translational work on the menopause. We have a particular interest in the effects of menopausal hormone therapies on the endometrium.

Reproductive endocrinology; Discovery to cure

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Endometriosis

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Hugh Taylor's published research.

Publications

2024

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Clinical Trials

Current Trials

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Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • honor

    Elected Member

    National AwardAssociation of American Physicians
  • activity

    President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine

    Professional OrganizationsPresident
  • honor

    Distinguished Scientist Award

    International AwardSociety for Gynecologic Investigation
  • activity

    President of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation

    Professional OrganizationsPresident
  • honor

    National Academy of Medicine

    International Award
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Clinical Care

Overview

Hugh S. Taylor, MD, chair of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, is internationally known for his studies on endometriosis. He combines the latest medical therapies with surgeries when needed to provide optimal care for women with pain or infertility related to endometriosis, a common, painful condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus.

“It’s a fascinating, but troubling disease. We don’t know what causes the lining of the uterus to grow outside it, but we’re doing research to find out why,” Dr. Taylor says. “Women can go 10 years before they are diagnosed, and we are doing a lot to speed that up.”

Another specialized condition for which Dr. Taylor receives referrals from around the country is for women with a very thin endometrium, which makes embryo implantation difficult. “These women aren’t getting pregnant, and we think the problem is not the eggs or the embryo, but that the uterus isn’t receptive to those embryos,” explains Dr. Taylor.

Complicated medical problems and the opportunity to truly help patients drew Dr. Taylor to obstetrics and gynecology. “There are so many unsolved problems that affect people from birth through the rest of their life. If you can make an impact during pregnancy or around the time of birth, you can change the whole trajectory of someone’s life,” he says. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to make such a difference.”

Dr. Taylor has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the nation’s highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. He is an active researcher and has been funded by the National Institutes of Health continuously for more than 20 years. A professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences; and of molecular, cellular and development biology at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Taylor is also chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Clinical Specialties

Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

Fact Sheets

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Board Certifications

  • Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

    Certification Organization
    AB of Obstetrics & Gynecology
    Latest Certification Date
    2020
    Original Certification Date
    2002

  • Obstetrics & Gynecology

    Certification Organization
    AB of Obstetrics & Gynecology
    Latest Certification Date
    2020
    Original Certification Date
    1999

Yale Medicine News

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Get In Touch

Contacts

Email
Academic Office Number
Appointment Number
Clinic Fax Number
Mailing Address

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

PO Box 208063

New Haven, CT 06520-8063

United States

Administrative Support

Locations

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Events

Oct 202411Friday