2012 Research Annual Report

The Division of Gynecology has continued to grow and develop as an independent division. Over the past year, we have transitioned the practice to a new clinical home, joining a larger clinical multidisciplinary Genitourinary practice at Cincinnati Children’s main hospital location. Additionally, services expanded into new satellite locations and evening sessions, increasing clinical volume to record levels. Staff roles have also expanded by developing a new Gynecology nursing role as we completed our migration to a fully independent business unit. In addition, faculty presented at international venues that included India, Ghana and Bosnia.

Research

We continued to focus on research goals including improving the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections in adolescent women and preserving future fertility in children, adolescents, and young women treated for malignancies. Jill Huppert, MD, secured more than $250,000 in industry-sponsored funding for STD diagnostic tests. With colleagues from Johns Hopkins, Huppert also successfully co-authored a resubmission for a U-54 grant and revised and resubmitted an R01 in May 2012. Her expertise in trichomoniasis resulted in being the lead author for the chapter on trichomoniasis in Netter’s Infectious Disease (2011). In addition, her quality improvement work on improving STD care has recently been accepted for publication.

Oncofertility

Cincinnati Children’s is a nationally recognized treatment center for children with malignancies. To support this program, the division has joined with the Hematology /Oncology Division to build the Oncofertility program, which focuses on the impact of medical treatment on future fertility for patients being treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation. Leslie Ayensu-Coker, MD, began enrolling patients in an innovative project, Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation, which allows the cryopreservation of ovarian tissue before treatment with gonadotoxic drugs. She was awarded the ACOG/Merck Research Award in Adolescent Preventive Services for Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Agonist (GnRHa) and ovarian preservation. A joint submission with Frank Biro, MD, Adolescent Medicine, and Karen Burns, MD, Oncology, regarding the evaluation of ovarian toxicity in pediatric oncology was submitted for NIH R21 grant.