Dr. Woodruff comments on impact of sequestration
February 28, 2013

The federal government is the chief source of financing for basic medical research, so fewer dollars leads to fewer jobs for scientists and technicians, fewer projects being completed and fewer treatments for people suffering from disease, said Teresa Woodruff, who runs a laboratory studying fertility treatments for women who undergo chemotherapy to treat cancer at Northwestern University in Chicago.

"Some of our science is going to be a little slower to get done," Woodruff said. "If we're simply filling in gaps, maybe coloring within the lines, then maybe we're not making sure that the next generation of medical breakthroughs are happening at the pace that I think we want them to happen."

New programs give hope to young cancer patients about bearing children
January 31, 2013

This January 30, 2013 article in the Chicago Tribune by Duaa Eldeib describes how the field of oncofertility provides fertility preservation options to young patients diagnosed with cancer, including embryo, egg, and ovarian tissue banking.

Fewer Resources May Explain Why Some Female Faculty Publish Less
December 19, 2012

A new Northwestern University study of professors in STEM fields at top research universities across the country shows that bias against women is ingrained in the workforce, despite a societal desire to believe workplace equality exists.

Women's Health Research Institute Celebrates Half-decade of Discoveries, Education
November 14, 2012

During an anniversary celebration on Tuesday, November 13, the Women's Health Research Institute re-launched with a new leadership council, new website, and new name, putting more emphasis on its advocacy for sex-based medicine. 

“Women's health research is an area of excellence at Northwestern University and the investment in this institute has catalyzed an even broader research agenda in the sex- and gender-basis of health and disease,” said Teresa Woodruff, PhD, institute co-founder and Thomas J. Watkins Memorial Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Carol Marin receives first award from Women’s Health Research Institute
November 14, 2012

The award was given as part of the Institute’s fifth anniversary celebration.

“If you look back at her history, she has been a trailblazer in reporting,” said Teresa Woodruff, institute director  and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “She makes sure that women’s health is on the agenda.”

St. Louis doctor helping women preserve chance at motherhood
November 13, 2012

The young woman from London wanted a risky stem cell transplant to treat her multiple sclerosis. She knew the chemotherapy involved with the transplant probably would leave her infertile.

So before traveling to Chicago almost two years ago for the treatment being studied by researchers at Northwestern University, she made a stop in St. Louis. Two days before her transplant, Dr. Sherman Silber at St. Luke’s Hospital removed her ovary, cut the egg-producing tissues into strips and froze them.

Fertility Preservation in Female Cancer Patients
October 25, 2012

Five years ago, reproductive endocrinology didn’t have many answers for a young woman who needed radiation or chemotherapy and still wanted to preserve her fertility. Today there are not only technologies that can help, but also there are patient navigators ready to act as the go-between among a variety of health care providers including oncologists and reproductive specialists. They’re also skilled in helping the patient and her caregivers during a highly stressful time, during which there’s only a limited time frame for making complex and often expensive decisions. We’ll learn how to find these patient navigators in a moment, but first, let’s look at some of the new options.

Egg freezing enters clinical mainstream
October 24, 2012

Egg freezing is no longer an experimental procedure, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), which on 22 October issued new guidelines on the controversial practice. The change in policy is expected to accelerate the growth of clinics that offer egg freezing to women who face fertility-damaging treatment for cancer or other conditions,  and to women wishing to delay having a baby — although the society stopped short of endorsing the procedure for that purpose.

Scientists to EPA: Include women in reproductive health research
October 18, 2012
A team of Northwestern University scientists will meet with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrators in Washington D.C. Oct. 18 to advocate for important changes in the agency's guidelines for reproductive health research.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-scientists-epa-women-reproductive-health.html#jCp

IExperiment teaches across the globe
October 18, 2012

iExperiment is a novel portal developed at Northwestern where scientists from around the globe can watch and participate in experiments in reproductive health for the Oncofertility Consortium, a partner of the  Women's Health Research Institute.