Grant: Foundation Grant

<html> <body> <p> <strong>Program Direction &amp; Research Themes:</strong> The <em>vision</em> of my Foundation program is to advance basic and clinical knowledge about the hormonal determinants of women&rsquo;s reproductive health and to use this knowledge to improve the treatment of reproductive disorders, pregnancy complications and gynecologic cancers. <em>The overarching direction of my research program is</em> to develop translational approaches by capitalizing on knowledge gained by addressing inter-related themes that are important and timely in reproductive medicine and gynecologic oncology. These themes focus on the roles of local hormonal factors and address major health concerns: infertility affects 12-15% of couples; up to 60% of conceptions are lost before 12 weeks; 15-20% of clinical pregnancies never reach term; and ovarian and endometrial cancers are the leading causes of death from gynecologic cancers.<br> </p> <p>Capitalizing on resources and multidisciplinary expertise unique to me and the clinical Program Experts, a multifaceted research strategy utilizing cell models and clinical samples will address key hypotheses within these three themes:<br> <br> <strong><em>Theme 1:</em></strong> To identify which hormonal factors in the ovarian follicle are of significant diagnostic and/or therapeutic relevance to female reproductive disorders and infertility.</p> <p> <strong><em>Theme 2:</em></strong> To delineate the crucial roles of local hormonal factors in the pathophysiology of placental development in early pregnancy.</p> <p> <strong><em>Theme 3:</em></strong> To determine the roles and clinical significance of hormonal factors in the development and progression of epithelial ovarian and endometrial cancers.<br> <br> <strong>Anticipated Impact:</strong> Understanding the normal and pathological roles of intra-ovarian factors, especially as related to granulosa cell functions and follicular fluid levels, will inform innovative approaches to fertility regulation and the treatment of ovarian disorders. This research will deepen our understanding of how local hormonal factors regulate early placental development, especially with respect to trophoblast invasion and endometrial decidualization, and will generate important translational opportunities in infertility, pregnancy loss and the management of pregnancy complications. By advancing knowledge on the functions, mechanisms and clinical significance of hormonal factors in ovarian and uterine endometrial cancers, we will develop novel strategies to improve their diagnosis and treatment.<br> <br> <strong>Core Expertise:</strong> I am recognized internationally for my transformative research in several areas of human reproductive biology and medicine. My Foundation program leverages the strategically assembled expertise of distinguished researchers from UBC (4 Canadian Program Experts) and several centers of excellence in China (4 Chinese Program Experts). These researchers have longstanding interests in infertility, pregnancy and gynecological disorders, and were selected because of their outstanding track records of research and training achievements, ongoing collaborations with me, and unique skills, experience, research methods and patient populations.<br> <br> <strong>Mentorship and Training:</strong>&nbsp;My lab offers a comprehensive training environment with opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning and mentorship. My trainees are registered in the UBC Reproductive &amp; Developmental Sciences graduate program, and receive value-added support from CFRI and UBC. My collaborations with training programs at top academic institutions in China provide a global perspective and multicultural training opportunities.</p> </body> </html>