Reproductive Biology

A purposeful walk against a life-changing disease

2025-04-09

Professor holds megaphone outside health center

Professor Benita Katzenellenbogen has taught and mentored students, and researched women’s health throughout her career at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, focusing on issues such as breast cancer and endometriosis. While...

Researchers illuminate the important roles played by extracellular vesicles in early pregnancy

2022-09-27

Authors of the PNAS paper in the Bagchi lab

Deciphering the molecular basis of cell-cell communications during early pregnancy has long been a challenge of reproductive scientists. New research from the University of Illinois further illuminates the fascinating dialogue between the developing embryo and endometrium by shedding new light on...

Study investigates the effects of DiNP on the colon

2022-04-11

Phthalates are commonly used to make products—including artificial leather, footwear, plastic food packaging, and personal care products—more flexible or stable. In particular, di-isononyl phthalate is incorporated in vinyl clothing and construction materials. However, scientists do not completely...

Prenatal exposure to phthalate DEHP affects pituitary gland function in mice, researchers find

2022-02-15

Tight shot of three pregnant women sit side by side, zoomed in on abdominal sections, faces cropped out.

People are exposed to a wide range of phthalates, a group of industrial chemicals, every day, via plastics, personal care products, and building materials. For pregnant women, the negative reproductive health consequences of such exposure pose a serious concern. Recent studies from the University...

Professor Catherine Christian-Hinman: Connecting estrogen to epilepsy

2022-01-10

Meet MCB: Dr. Christian-Hinman’s lab focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms linking epilepsy and comorbid reproductive endocrine disorder.

Chemical pollutants disrupt reproduction in anemonefish, study finds

2021-12-07

Picture of an anemone fish swimming through a coral reef.

Ocean pollution is unfortunately becoming more commonplace, raising concerns over the effect of chemicals that are leaching into the water. In a new study, researchers have discovered how these chemicals can affect the reproduction in common anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris.

Water disinfection byproduct disrupts reproductive hormones, damages pituitary in female mice

2021-11-24

Chemical disinfection makes water from both natural sources and wastewater streams drinkable; however, the process also creates byproducts, not all of which are understood or regulated. A new study from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers has found that one byproduct disrupts...

Researchers uncover a key mechanism for embryonic implantation during early pregnancy

2020-07-14

Nearly two percent of pregnant women will face recurrent miscarriages, defined as the spontaneous loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies. Of that two percent, half of those miscarriages cannot be explained. Scientists assume genetic factors may play a role, but to date they have not been...

3rd Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Sciences

2011-09-20

The 3rd Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Sciences (ISRS) will be held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Monday, October 10, 2011. The venue of the meeting is the I-Hotel Conference Center.

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