The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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The Center For Research in Reproduction and Infertility

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports a national network of Centers through a program called the Specialized Cooperative Centers Program in Reproduction and Infertility Research (SCCPIR). These Centers are created to carry out outstanding scientific research aimed at expanding our knowledge of the processes underlying the success or failure of human reproduction with the ultimate goal of improving human reproductive health. Currently, the SCCPIR network of Centers is located at 14 sites across the country. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the SCCPIR centers.

Its Purpose

Failure of the fertilized embryo to implant into the uterine wall is a major cause of early pregnancy loss and infertility. The Center supports a multidisciplinary team of basic and clinical scientists with a common interest to understand the mechanisms and cellular pathways that control maternal-fetal interactions during early pregnancy and to identify factors that underlie infertility in women suffering from endometriosis, a common gynecologic disorder. Endometriosis is reported to affect approximately 15% of reproductive age women and is observed in 30-40% of women with infertility. The scientists at this Center will employ innovative investigative strategies to identify endometrial factors whose aberrant expression or function leads to endometriosis and infertility. The knowledge gained from these studies will have direct relevance to women’s health. It should aid in developing new molecular diagnostic tools for screening endometrial dysfunction and enable targeted therapeutic strategies for the treatment of infertility.

Training in Reproductive Biology

Reproductive Biology Seminar Program: All of the U54 Program PIs at the University of Illinois (M. Bagchi, I. Bagchi, B. Katzenellenbogen) and their lab members are active participants in the Reproductive Biology Seminar Program, a long-standing tradition at the UIUC. It is a program for training both postdoctoral fellows and predoctoral students for research in reproductive biology. This program draws students from various campus departments including Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Department of Comparative Biosciences, Department of Animal Sciences, and Department of Biochemistry. This program has fostered collaborative research and developed an active environment of training postdoctoral and predoctoral scientists for careers in reproductive biology. The program allows trainees to learn effective presentation of their research findings in a weekly reproductive biology research meeting. The trainees participate in extensive discussion with the faculty and other trainees and obtain their input. The program also sponsors research seminars by outstanding reproductive scientists invited by the trainees to the UIUC campus.

The Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Sciences (ISRS) is a new forum for the Illinois U54 Centers at UIUC and Northwestern to interact with each other and with the U54 Center at Michigan State University. The 1st and 2nd ISRS were held at Chicago and the 3rd ISRS was held at Urbana-Champaign in 2011. These meetings, which included oral and poster presentations by the U54 Center trainees, fostered extensive discussion of research findings and close interactions between these Centers.

Research Projects at the Center

The overall objective of the Center of Research in Reproduction and Infertility is to characterize, at molecular and cellular levels, the hormonal pathways that regulate embryo implantation and fertility. Failure of the fertilized embryo to implant into the endometrium is a major cause of infertility. Following its initial attachment to the uterine epithelium, the embryo invades the endometrial stroma, which then undergoes extensive differentiation and remodeling, known as decidualization. Implantation and decidualization are complex processes driven by a cascade of signaling events regulated by the steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone. The central hypothesis of this research program is that defects in these hormonal signaling pathways lead to improper uterine receptivity, decidualization and early pregnancy loss.

Microarray-based gene expression profiling and receptor-coregulator analyses have revealed novel steroid-regulated pathways, providing important insights into the cellular mechanisms by which implantation is controlled. Combination of this new knowledge with functional analysis in gene knockout mouse models will provide a blueprint of the molecular networks that mediate the hormonal regulation of this process. Extension of these analyses to endometrial tissues obtained from normal women as well as those with endometriosis, a common gynecologic disorder associated with reduced fertility, will provide the important translational component of this research.

The research program in the Center is comprised of four complementary, synergistic projects:

  1. Role of C/EBP beta in Uterine Decidualization and Implantation (P.I. Milan K. Bagchi),

  2. Nuclear Receptor Coregulators in Implantation and Uterine Function (P.I. Benita S. Katzenellenbogen),

  3. Regulation of Stromal Differentiation and Implantation by the BMP2 Pathway (P.I. Indrani C. Bagchi), and

  4. Endometriosis as a Clinical Model of Predecidual Dysfunction (P. I. Robert N. Taylor).
    Investigators will be aided by an Administrative Core (Leader: Milan K. Bagchi) that will oversee inter-project interactions and data sharing, and a Microscopy Core (Leader: Paul S. Cooke) that will provide gene and protein expression analyses in cells and tissues.

In summary, the research performed at this Center should improve understanding of the mechanisms and cellular pathways that control implantation and help identify factors that underlie infertility in women with endometriosis. They should also aid in developing new molecular diagnostic tools for screening endometrial dysfunction and enable targeted therapeutic strategies for the treatment of infertility.

The Participants

A close-knit group of basic and clinical scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Baylor College of Medicine participate in this Center.

The Project Leaders

Dr. Milan K. Bagchi, PhD., Center Director, Professor and Chair, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Dr. Benita S. Katzenellenbogen, PhD., Swanlund Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Dr. Indrani C. Bagchi, PhD., Billie Alexander Field Professor of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Dr. Robert N. Taylor, MD. PhD., Professor and Vice Chair for Research Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC

Dr. Milan Bagchi Dr. Benita Katzenellenbogan
Dr. Milan Bagchi Dr. Benita
Katzenellenbogen
Dr. Indrani Bagchi Dr. Robert Taylor
Dr. Indrani Bagchi Dr. Robert Taylor

Microscopy Core of the Center

Dr. Jodi Flaws, Core Director, Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Key Collaborators

Dr. Francesco DeMayo, Gordon Cain Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Director, Genetically Engineered Mouse Core at the Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. John Lydon, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Baylor College of Medicine.

Elizabeth Hunt Mary Laws
Elizabeth Hunt
Project Coordinator		 Mary Laws
Graduate Student
Sunghee Park Cyril Ramathal
Sunghee Park
Graduate Student		 Cyril Ramathal
Graduate Student
Dr. Athi Kannan. Hatice Kaya
Dr. Athi Kannan
Research Scientist		 Hatice Kaya
Graduate Student
Dr. Yuechao Zhao Cyril Ramathal
Dr. Yuechao Zhao
Postdoctoral fellow		 Dr. Quanxi Li
Visiting Assistant Prof.

Translational Impact of the Center on Women's Health

The goal of this Center is to extend the information obtained from basic cell biological studies and unique animal models to the clinical realm to inform the molecular basis of human infertility associated with endometrial dysfunction. This program, therefore, will serve as a focal point for further development of translational research in reproductive biology and women's health on the U. of I. campus and will be an excellent fit with the university's current mission of enhancing translational research in biology. The establishment of the Center will further stimulate the collaborative research and training in reproductive biology that exists on campu.

Funding Source

The research in this Center is supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD/NIH through a cooperative agreement as part of the Specialized Centers Program in Reproduction and Infertility Research. The Center also receives generous institutional support from the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research, the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and the College of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Publications

List of relevant publications supported by U54 HD055787 during 2008-2012
  # Indicates translational/clinical research collaboration
  * Publications resulting from collaborations with other U54 SCCPIR Centers

  ARTICLES

  1. # * Laws MJ, Taylor RN, Sidell N, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Gutstein DE, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC (2008) Gap junction communication between uterine stromal cells is critical for pregnancy-associated neovascularization and embryo survival. Development 135: 2659-68. PMCID: PMC2692722
  2. * He, B, Feng, Q, Mukherjee, A, Lonard, DM, DeMayo, FJ, Katzenellenbogen, BS, Lydon, JP, O’Malley, BW (2008) A repressive role for prohibitin in estrogen signaling. Mol Endocrinol 22:344-360. PMCID: PMC2234581
  3. # * Plante BJ, Kannan A, Bagchi MK, Yuan L, Young SL (2009) Cyclic regulation of transcription factor C/EBP beta in human endometrium. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 7: 15. PMCID: PMC2649928
  4. * Simon L, Spiewak KA, Ekman GC, Kim J, Lydon JP, Bagchi MK, Bagchi IC, DeMayo FJ, and Cooke PS (2009) Stromal progesterone receptors mediate function of IHH in uterine epithelium and its downstream targets in uterine stroma. Endocrinology 150: 3871-3876. PMCID: PMC2717869
  5. # Taylor RN, Yu J, Torres PB, Schickedanz AC, Park JK, Mueller MD and Sidell N. (2009) Mechanistic and therapeutic implications of angiogenesis in endometriosis. Reprod Sci 16:140-146. PMCID: PMC2852133
  6. Das A, Mantena S. R., Kannan A., Evans D. B., Bagchi M. K., and Bagchi I. C. (2009) De Novo synthesis of estrogen in pregnant uterus is critical for stromal decidualization and angiogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106: 12542-12547. PMCID: PMC2718343
  7. # *Weiss G, Goldsmith LT, Taylor RN, Bellet D and Taylor HS. (2009) Inflammation in reproductive disorders. Reprod Sci 16:216-229. PMCID: PMC3107847
  8. Kim J, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK (2009) Control of ovulation in mice by progesterone receptor-regulated gene networks. Mol Hum Reprod 15: 821-828. PMCID: PMC2776476
  9. # Ramathal CR, Taylor RN, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK (2010) Endometrial decidualization: Of mice and men. Semin Reprod Med 28: 17-26. PMCID: PMC3095443
  10. Ramathal CR, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK (2010) Lack of CCAAT Enhancer Binding Protein Beta (C/EBPβ) in uterine epithelial cells impairs estrogen-induced DNA replication, induces DNA damage response pathways and promotes apoptosis. Mol Cell Biol 30:1607-1619. (Selected as Spotlight article) PMCID: PMC2838081
  11. # Sidell N, Feng Y, Hao L, Wu J, Yu J, Kane MA, Napoli JL and Taylor RN (2010) Retinoic acid is a cofactor for translational regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in human endometrial stromal cells. Mol Endocrinol 24:148-160. PMCID: PMC2802894
  12. # *Kannan A., Fazleabas AT, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK (2010) The transcription factor C/EBPβ is a marker of uterine receptivity and expressed at the implantation site in the primate. Reprod Sci 17: 434-443. PMCID: PMC3048823
  13. Wang W, Li Q, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK (2010) The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta is a critical regulator of steroid-induced mitotic expansion of uterine stromal cells during decidualization. Endocrinology 151: 3929-3940. PMCID: PMC2940513
  14. * Franco HL, Dai D, Lee KY, Rubel CA, Roop D, Boerboom D, Jeong JW, Lydon JP, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK, and Demayo FJ. (2011) WNT4 is a key regulator of normal postnatal uterine development and progesterone signaling during embryo implantation and decidualization in the mouse. FASEB J 25: 1176-1187. PMCID: PMC3058697
  15. * He, B., Kim, T.H., Kommagani, R., Feng, Q., Lanz, R.B., Jeong, J.W., DeMayo, F.J., Katzenellenbogen, B.S., Lydon, J.P., O’Malley, B.W. (2011) Estrogen-regulated prohibitin is required for mouse uterine development and adult function. Endocrinology 152:1047-1056. PMCID: PMC3040048
  16. # Wu JJ, Hansen JM, Taylor RN and Sidell N. (2011) Retinoic acid stimulation of VEGF secretion from human endometrial stromal cells is mediated by production of reactive oxygen species. J Physiol 589:863-875. PMCID: PMC3060366
  17. * Li Q, Kannan A, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Cooke PS, Yamagishi H, Srivastava D, Bagchi MK, Bagchi IC (2011) The antiproliferative action of progesterone in uterine epithelium Is mediated by Hand2. Science 331:912-916 (Highlighted with a Perspective). PMCID: PMC3320855
  18. Ramathal CR, Wang W, Hunt E, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK (2011) The transcription factor C/EBPβ regulates the formation of a unique extracellular matrix that controls uterine differentiation and embryo implantation J Biol Chem 286:19860-19871. PMCID: PMC3103362
  19. # Yu J, Wu J, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK, Sidell N, Taylor RN (2011) Disruption of gap junctions reduces biomarkers of decidualization and angiogenesis and increases inflammatory mediators in human endometrial stromal cell cultures. Mol Cell Endocrinol 344:25-34. PMCID: PMC3162129
  20. * Park, S., Zhao, Y., Yoon, S., Xu, J., Liao, L., Lydon, J., DeMayo, F., O’Malley, B.W. and Katzenellenbogen, B.S. (2011) Repressor of estrogen receptor activity (REA) is essential for mammary gland morphogenesis and functional activities: studies in conditional knockout mice. Endocrinology 152:4336-4349. PMCID: PMC3199013
  21. Cooke PS, Ekman GC, Kaur J, Davila J, Bagchi IC, Clark SG, Dziuk PJ, Hayashi K, Bartol FF (2011) Brief exposure to progesterone during a critical neonatal window prevents uterine gland formation in mice. Biol Reprod 86:63,1-10. PMCID: PMC3316263
  22. Nallasamy S, Li Q, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC (2012) Msx homeobox genes critically regulate embryo implantation by controlling paracrine signaling between uterine stroma and epithelium. PLoS Genetics 8: e1002500. PMCID: PMC3285581
  23. Das A, Li Q, Laws MJ, BagchI MK, Bagchi IC (2012) Estrogen-induced expression of Fos-related antigen 1 regulates uterine stromal differentiation and remodeling. J Biol Chem [Epub ahead of print] PMCID in process.
  24. # * Plante BJ, Lessey BA, Taylor RN, Wang W, Bagchi MK, Yuan L, Scotchie J, Fritz MA, and Young SL (2012) G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor (GPER) Expression in Normal and Abnormal Endometrium. Reprod Sci [Epub ahead of print] PMCID in process.
  25. # Schutte SC and Taylor RN (2012) A tissue engineered human endometrial stroma that responds to cues for secretory differentiation, decidualization and menstruation. Fertil Steril 97: 997-1003 [Epub ahead of print]. PMCID in process.
  26. # Wieser F, Wu J, Shen Z, Taylor RN, Sidell N (2012) Retinoic acid suppresses growth of lesions, inhibits peritoneal cytokine secretion, and promotes macrophage differentiation in an immunocompetent mouse model of endometriosis. Fertil Steril 97: 1430-1437 [Epub ahead of print] PMCID in process.
  27. * Park, S, Yoon, S, Zhao, Y, Park, SE, Liao, L, Xu, J, Lydon, JP, DeMayo, FJ, O’Malley, BW, Bagchi, MK and Katzenellenbogen, BS (2012) Uterine Development and Fertility are Dependent on Gene Dosage of the Nuclear Receptor Coregulator REA. Endocrinology July 2012, 153(7): [Epub ahead of print] PMCID in process.
  28. Rubel CA, Lanz RB, Kommagani R, Franco HL, Lydon JP, Demayo FJ. (2012) Research Resource: Genome-Wide Profiling of Progesterone Receptor Binding in the Mouse Uterus Mol Endocrinol 2012 May 25. [Epub ahead of print] Note: This work from our U54 Center Co-investigator Dr. Franco DeMayo’s laboratory was partly supported by our U54 grant U54 HD055787
  29. # Wang W, Taylor RN, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK (2012) Regulation of human endometrial stromal proliferation and differentiation by C/EBPβ involves cyclin E-cdk2 and STAT3. Mol Endocrinol (In Press).
  30. # * Li Q, Kannan A, Das A, DeMayo FJ, Hornsby PJ, Taylor RN, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC (2012) WNT4 acts downstream of BMP2 and functions via β-catenin signaling pathway to regulate human endometrial stromal cell differentiation. Endocrinology (In Press).
  31. # Yu J, Boicea A, Barrett KL, James CO, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK, Nezhat C, Sidell N and Taylor RN. (2012) Connexin 43 is reduced in eutopic endometrium and cultured endometrial stromal cells from subjects with endometriosis. Submitted.
  32. # Zhao Y, Park S, Bagchi MK, Taylor RN, and Katzenellenbogen BS (2012) The coregulator, repressor of estrogen receptor activity (REA), controls the timing and magnitude of human and mouse endometrial stromal cell decidualization. Submitted.
  33. # Yu J, Zou W, Sun H, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK, Sidell N and Taylor RN. Gap junction blockade induces apoptotic and chemotactic responses in human endometrial stromal cells. In preparation.
  34. # Zhao Y, Li Q, Lau, L, Bagchi IC, Taylor RN, Katzenellenbogen BS, and Bagchi MK (2012) Regulation of angiogenesis by Cyr61 is critical for endometriosis-like lesion establishment in the mouse. In preparation.

  ABSTRACTS

  1. Laws MJ, Li Q, Taylor RN, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Gutstein DE, Ko CM, Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC. Estrogen receptor alpha is a critical regulator of stromal differentiation and neovascularization in the endometrium during early pregnancy. 90th Annual Meeting, The Endocrine Society, San Francisco, CA, 2008
  2. Simon L, Spiewak KA, Ekman G, Kim J, Lydon JP, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK, DeMayo FJ, and Cooke PS Stromal progesterone receptors mediate induction of IHH in uterine epithelium and its downstream targets in uterine stroma. 90th Annual Meeting, The Endocrine Society, San Francisco, CA, 2008
  3. Wang W, Ramathal C, Li Q, Mantena SR, Kannan A, Young S, Taylor RN, Bagchi IC and Bagchi MK. The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta is a critical regulator of the assembly and function of the endometrial stromal extracellular matrix during decidualization. Reproductive Tract Gordon Research Conference, Andover, New Hampshire, August 2008
  4. Das A, Mantena SR, Kannan A, Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC P450 aromatase-derived intra-uterine estrogen is critical for decidualization. Gordon Research Conference on Reproductive Tract Function, Andover, New Hampshire, August 2008
  5. Li Q, Taylor RN, Hornsby PJ, Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC. Wnt4 functions via canonical β-catenin-dependent signaling pathway to regulate human endometrial stromal cell differentiation. Gordon Research Conference on Reproductive Tract Function, Andover, New Hampshire, August 2008
  6. Ramathal CR, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK The CCAAT enhancer binding protein beta is an essential mediator of estrogen-induced cell proliferation and survival in the uterine epithelium of mice. Gordon Research Conference on Reproductive Tract Function, Andover, New Hampshire, August 2008
  7. Kannan A, Fazleabas, AT, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK The expression of the CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein Beta in the endometrial of human and nonhuman primates. 29th Annual Symposium on Reproductive Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago IL, 2008
  8. Das A, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC Fos-related antigen 1 (Fra-1) is regulated by intrauterine biosynthesis of estrogen and plays a critical role in uterine decidualization. 29th Annual Symposium on Reproductive Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 2008
  9. Laws MJ, Li Q, Taylor RN, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Gutstein DE, Ko C, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC Estrogen receptor alpha plays a unique role in controlling stromal differentiation and neovascularization in the mouse and human endometrial during early pregnancy. 29th Annual Symposium on Reproductive Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago IL, 2008
  10. Wang W, Li Q, Taylor RN, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK The CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein Beta is a critical regulator of cytokine signaling during human endometrial stromal decidualization. 29th Annual Symposium on Reproductive Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 2008
  11. Bagchi IC, Das A, Laws MJ, Taylor RN, DeMayo FJ and Bagchi MK. De novo synthesis of estrogen in pregnant uterus controls decidualization. Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Glasgow, March 2009
  12. Ramathal C., Wang W., Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK. C/EBPb controls endometrial stromal differentiation and remodeling during implantation by promoting the formation of a unique extracellular matrix. SCCPIR NICHD Research Meeting, Chicago, 2009
  13. Park, S., Yoon, S., Ramathal, C., Liao, L., Liu, Z., Xu, J., Lydon, J.P., DeMayo, F.J., O’Malley, B., Bagchi, M.K., Katzenellenbogen, B.S. The nuclear receptor coregulator, REA, is essential for normal uterine function and successful maintenance of early pregnancy. SCCPIR NICHD Research Meeting, Chicago, 2009
  14. Franco HL, Jeong J-W, Dai D, Roop D, Boerboom D, Richards JS, Tsai SY, Lydon JP, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK, DeMayo FJ. Wnt4 is critical for the regulation of the differentiation of the uterine epithelium in response to estrogen and for uterine function. 91st Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, Washington, DC. 2009
  15. Li Q, Das A, Kannan A, Taylor RN, DeMayo FJ, Hornsby PJ, Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC. Wnt4 acts downstream of BMP2 and functions via canonical β-catenin-dependent signaling pathway to regulate human endometrial stromal cell differentiation. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Pittsburgh, July 2009
  16. Wang W, Taylor RN, Bagchi IC and Bagchi MK. Regulation of expression of cytokine signal transducer STAT3 by C/EBP beta contributes to human endometrial stromal decidualization. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Pittsburgh, July 2009
  17. Laws MJ, Das A, Li Q, Taylor RN, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Ko C, Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC. The estrogen receptor alpha plays a central role in controlling stromal differentiation and angiogenesis in the mouse and human endometria during early pregnancy. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Pittsburgh, July 2009
  18. Ramathal CR, Wang W, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK The transcription factor C/EBPbeta controls endometrial stromal differentiation and remodeling during implantation by promoting the formation of a unique extracellular matrix. 42nd Annual meeting, Society for the Study of Reproduction, Pittsburgh, 2009
  19. Das, A, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC Fos-related antigen 1 (Fra-1) is regulated by estrogen produced locally in the decidua and plays a critical role in uterine stromal differentiation and remodeling. 42nd Annual meeting, Society for the Study of Reproduction, Pittsburgh, 2009
  20. Kannan A, Li Q, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC The transcription factor Runx2 functions downstream of BMP2 to regulate decidualization in the mouse. 42nd Annual meeting, Society for the Study of Reproduction, Pittsburgh, 2009
  21. MJ Laws, Das A, Li Q, Taylor RN, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Ko C, Bagchi MK, Bagchi IC The estrogen receptor alpha plays a central role in controlling stromal differentiation in the mouse and human endometria during early pregnancy. 30th Annual Minisymposium on Reproductive Biology in conjunction with the 1st Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, October 2009
  22. Park, S., Yoon, S., Ramathal, C., Liao, L., Liu, Z., Xu,J., Lydon, J.P., DeMayo, F.J., O’Malley, B., Bagchi, M.K., Katzenellenbogen, B.S., Normal Uterine Function and Decidualization in Early Pregnancy Require the Nuclear Receptor Coregulator, REA. 30th Annual Minisymposium on Reproductive Biology in conjunction with the 1st Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, October 2009
  23. Taylor RN, Laws M, Yu J, DeMayo F, Sidell N, Lydon J, Katzenellenbogen B, Bagchi IC and Bagchi MK. Gap junctions and decidualization: Of mice and (wo)men. NICHD/NIH SCCPIR Research Meeting, EFRG, Houston, Jan 2010
  24. Taylor RN. Inflammation and endometriosis. Plenary #10. 14th World Congress of Gynecological Endocrinology. Florence, March 2010
  25. Balthazar U, Plante BJ, Lessey BA, Wang W, Taylor RN, Bagchi MK and Young SL. Secretory-phase regulation of human endometrial GPR30 expression. Presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Orlando, March 2010
  26. Park S, Yoon S, Zhao Y, Liao L, Liu Z, Xu J, Lydon JP, DeMayo FJ, O’Malley BW, Bagchi MK, and Katzenellenbogen BS. Altering Coregulator Concentration by Conditional Genetic Modification: Gene Dosage of REA is Critical for Fertility and Uterine Function. 92nd Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, San Diego, CA, 2010
  27. Taylor RN. Endometriosis: Proliferation and apoptosis. Presented at the 3rd SGI Forum, Siena, July 2010
  28. Wu JJ, Hao L, Hansen J, Taylor RN and Sidell N. Retinoic acid stimulation of VEGF secretion from human endometrial stromal cells is mediated by production of reactive oxygen species. 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Milwaukee, August 2010
  29. Zhao Y, Li Q, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK. Estrogen Stimulates De novo Synthesis of Cholesterol in Mouse Uterus during Implantation. 43rd Annual meeting, Society for the Study of Reproduction, Milwaukee, 2010
  30. Park, S., Yoon, S., Park, S., Zhao, Y., Xu, J., Lydon, J.P., DeMayo, F.J., O’Malley, B., Bagchi, M.K., and Katzenellenbogen, B.S., Gene dosage of the coregulator REA is critical for uterine function and fertility, 2nd Illinois Reproductive Biology Symposium, Chicago, IL, October, 2010
  31. Schutte SC and Taylor RN. Menstruation in a dish? A 3-D model to study human endometrial cell biology. 58th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Miami, March 2011
  32. Wu J, Taylor RN and Sidell N. Protein phosphatase 2 is involved in retinoic acid mediated de-phosphorylation of connexin 43 and up-regulation of gap junction communication in human endometrial stromal cells. New investigator prize poster presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Miami, March 2011
  33. Zhao Y, Park S, Bagchi MK, Taylor RN and Katzenellenbogen BS. The coregulator, Repressor of Estrogen receptor Activity (REA), controls the timing and magnitude of human endometrial stromal cell decidualization. NICHD Specialized Cooperative Centers Program in Reproduction and Infertility Research, Chicago, May 2011
  34. Kannan A, Shanmugasundaram N, Li Q, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Bagchi IC and Bagchi MK. Runx1 functions downstream of BMP2 to regulate uterine stromal differentiation and blood vessel formation at the maternal-fetal interface. NICHD/NIH Specialized Cooperative Centers Program in Reproduction and Infertility Research, Chicago, May 2011
  35. Pawar S, Laws MJ, Das A, Li Q, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Orvis GD, Behringer RR, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK. The estrogen receptor alpha plays an essential role in decidualization. NICHD/NIH Specialized Cooperative Centers Program in Reproduction and Infertility Research, Chicago, May 2011
  36. Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC. Control of estrogen action in the uterus by novel mechanisms. Presented at Estrogen, SERMs, and TSECs Scientific Meeting, Clearwater, FL, 2011
  37. Bagchi MK, Li Q, Kannan A and Bagchi IC. Stromal-Epithelial Communication Regulates Steroid Receptor Function in the Uterus. 44th Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Portland, OR, 2011
  38. Li Q, Kannan A, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Cooke PS, Bagchi MK, and Bagchi IC Hand2 controls female fertility by critically regulating uterine epithelial proliferation and stromal differentiation during embryo implantation. 44th Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Portland, OR, 2011
  39. Kannan A, Shanmugasundaram N, Li Q, DeMayo FJ, Lydon JP, Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC. Runx1 functions downstream of BMP2 to regulate uterine stromal differentiation and angiogenesis at the maternal-fetal interface. 44th Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Portland, OR, 2011
  40. Davila J, Li Q, Bagchi MK, Bagchi IC, Sherwood OD, and Cooke PS. Neither the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Hand2 nor the MAP kinase pathway are involved in progesterone effects on cervical epithelium in the mouse. 44th Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Portland, OR, 2011
  41. Zhao Y, Park S, Bagchi MK, Taylor RN and Katzenellenbogen BS. The co-regulator, Repressor of Estrogen receptor Activity (REA), is crucial in the control of human and mouse endometrial stromal cell decidualization. 3rd Annual Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, October 2011
  42. Pawar S, Laws MJ, Starosvetsky E, Orvis GD, Behringer R, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK. Uterine epithelial estrogen receptor alpha controls stromal differentiation via a paracrine mechanism involving the leukemia inhibitory factor. 3rd Annual Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, October 2011
  43. Davila J, Li Q, Laws MJ, Bagchi MK and Bagchi IC. Rac1 is a critical regulator of uterine stromal differentiation and placentation during early pregnancy. 3rd Annual Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, October 2011
  44. Yu J, Boicea A, Barrett KL, James CO, Bagchi IC, Bagchi MK, Nezhat C, Sidell N and Taylor RN. Connexin 43 is reduced in eutopic endometrium of subjects with endometriosis. 59th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, San Diego, March 2012
  45. Zhao Y, Park S, Bagchi MK, Taylor RN and Katzenellenbogen BS. Uterine decidualization timing and magnitude depend critically on the coregulator, Repressor of Estrogen Receptor Activity (REA). 94th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, Houston, June 2012
  46. Pawar S, Laws MJ, Starosvetsky E, Orvis GD, Behringer R, Bagchi IC, and Bagchi MK. Uterine epithelial estrogen receptor alpha controls stromal differentiation via a paracrine mechanism involving leukemia inhibitory factor and Indian hedgehog. 45th Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Hershey, PA, 2012 Finalist for Trainee Research
  47. Schutte SC, Shaver D, Wilder C, Platt M, Sidell N and Taylor RN. Epithelial-stromal cell communication during endometrial regeneration in an engineered endometrium. Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting, Atlanta, October 2012

TRAINING ACTIVITIES IN THE CENTER

  1. Previous trainees, preceptors, present positions
  2. Current trainees, preceptors, research topics
 1. Previous trainees (Alphabetical order) supported by the U54 grant
  • Trainee: Lavanya Anandan
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2008-2011
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Present position: Research and Development, Sigma-Aldrich Company
  • Trainee: Amrita Das
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2008-2010
    Preceptor: Indrani Bagchi
    Present position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular Genetics, UT Southwestern, Dallas
  • Trainee: Christophe L. Depoix, MD, PhD
    Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
    Training Period: 2008-2009
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Assistant de Recherche, Université St. Luc, Louvain, Belgium
  • Trainee: Jaeyeon Kim, Ph.D.
    Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
    Training Period: 2007-2008
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Present position: Research Associate, Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine
  • Trainee: Mary Laws
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2008-2011
    Preceptor: Indrani Bagchi
    Present position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Trainee: S. Raju Mantena, Ph.D.
    Position: Postdoctoral Fellow/Pathology Resident in Vet. School
    Training Period: 2008-2010
    Preceptor: Indrani Bagchi
    Present position: Pathologist at Pfizer, Inc.
  • Trainee: Vasiliki Michopoulos
    Position: Graduate student
    Training Period: 2010-2012
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Postdoctoral fellow, Emory University
  • Trainee: Shanmugasundaram Nallasamy
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2008-2011
    Preceptor: Indrani Bagchi
    Present position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Trainee: John K. Park, MD, MSCR
    Position: Reproductive Endocrinology fellow
    Training Period: 2008
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Private practice, Raleigh
  • Trainee: Sunghee Park
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2009-2011
    Preceptor: Benita Katzenellenbogen
    Present position: Research Assistant professor, Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University
  • Trainee: Cyril Ramathal
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2008-2010
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Present position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine
  • Trainee: Elina Starosvetsky
    Position: Postdoctoral Associate
    Training Period: 2009-2011
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Present position: Research Scientist, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
  • Trainee: Fabio Stossi, Ph.D.
    Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
    Training Period: 2008-2011
    Preceptor: Benita Katzenellenbogen
    Present position: Research Assistant professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine
  • Trainee: Berendena I. Vander Tuig, MD
    Position: Fellow
    Training Period: 2010-2011
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Ob/Gyn resident, Johns Hopkins University
  • Trainee: Juanjuan Wu
    Position: MD/PhD Student
    Training Period: 2009-2011
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University
  • Trainee: Wei Wang
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2008-2010
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Present position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Junior Faculty:

    Aimée C. Schickedanz Browne, MD
    Position: Clinical Investigator
    Training Period: 2008-2009
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Private practice, San Antonio

    Caleb B. Kallen, MD, PhD
    Position: Assistant Professor
    Training Period: 2008-2012
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Associate Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University

    Quanxi Li, PhD
    Position: Research Scientist
    Training Period: 2008-2012
    Preceptor: Indrani Bagchi/Milan Bagchi
    Present position: Assistant Professor of Comparative Biosciences University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

    Carmen J. Williams, MD, PhD
    Position: Clinical Investigator
    Training Period: 2010-2011
    Preceptor: Robert Taylor
    Present position: Group Leader, Reproductive Medicine Group, Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology and Clinical Research Program, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC

  • Clinical Fellows:

    Albert Asante, MD, MPH
    Support Period: 2009-2011
    Ob/Gyn Resident, Emory University
    Research Topic: Endometriosis: Role of neuroangiogenesis
    Current position: Reproductive Endocrinology fellow, Mayo Clinic

    Pavna Brahma, MD
    Support Period: 2008-2011
    Reproductive Endocrinology fellow, Emory University
    Research Topic: Obesity, inflammation and infertility in women
    Current position: Private practice, Atlanta

    Erica C. Dun, MD, MPH
    Support Period: 2009-2012
    Gynecologic Surgery fellow, Emory University
    Research Topic: Tumor-associated macrophages, endometrial carcinoma type and prognosis
    Current position: Minimally invasive surgery/endometriosis fellow with Dr. Nezhat, Atlanta

    Vitaly Kushnir, MD
    Support Period: 2009-2012
    Reproductive Endocrinology fellow, Emory University
    Research Topic: Mitochondrial DNA repair in models of infertility
    Current position: Senior REI Fellow, Emory University

    Samuel A. Pauli, MD
    Support Period: 2008-2011
    Reproductive Endocrinology fellow, Emory University
    Research Topic: Concentrations and effects of retinoic acid in human ovarian follicles from women with endometriosis
    Current position: Private practice, Boston

    Stacey C. Schutte, MD, PhD
    Support Period: 2010-2012
    Postdoctoral fellow, Emory University
    Research Topic: Building an endocrine-responsive, bioengineered human endometrium
    Current position: Senior postdoctoral fellow, Emory University

 2. Current trainees
  • Trainee: Ann Bergamaschi, Ph.D.
    Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
    Training Period: 2011-current
    Preceptor: Benita Katzenellenbogen
    Research Topic: Role of FOXOM1 and 14-3-3 zeta in breast and endometrial cells
  • Trainee: Juanmahel Davila
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2011-current
    Preceptor: Indrani Bagchi
    Research Topic: Aspects of maternal-fetal interaction regulated by Rac1 during early pregnancy
  • Trainee: Alison Hantak
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2011-current
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Research Topic: Role of homeobox genes in the regulation of uterine function
  • Trainee: Hatice Seda Kaya
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2009-current
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Research Topic: Steroid receptor and cAMP-dependent pathways in the regulation of human endometrial stromal cell differentiation
  • Trainee: Zeynep Madak Erdogan, Ph.D.
    Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
    Training Period: 2010-current
    Preceptor: Benita Katzenellenbogen
    Research Topic: Crosstalk between estrogen receptors and extranuclear initiated pathways in breast and endometrial cells
  • Trainee: Janelle Mapes
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2010-current
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Research Topic: Estrogen and growth factor signaling in mammary and endometrial cells
  • Trainee: Sandeep Pawar
    Position: Graduate Student
    Training Period: 2010-current
    Preceptor: Milan Bagchi
    Research Topic: Cell-type specific role of estrogen receptor signaling in the control of uterine receptivity and implantation
  • Trainee: Yuechao Zhao, Ph.D.
    Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
    Training Period: 2009-current
    Preceptor: Benita Katzenellenbogen & Milan Bagchi
    Research Topic: Development of an immunocompetent syngenic mouse model of endometriosis
  • Visiting investigators:

    Antônio M.C. Francisco, MD (2012)
    Visiting scientist (Sabbatical) Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde “Dr. José Antônio Garcia Coutinho” Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí–UNIVÁS, Pouso Alegre, Minas Gerais, Brasil
    He is supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior from Brazil.

    Erwin Schrödinger (2010-2011)
    Fellowship recipient, Austrian Science Foundation (FWF) (MSc in Clinical Research).
    Current position: Assistant Professor, Emory University

    Friedrich Wieser, MD, PhD (2008-12)
    Visiting scientist, (University of Vienna)