Postdoctoral Training in Reproductive Sciences
A training program for postdoctoral fellows in Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Reproductive Sciences, this program has been continuously funded by NICHD/NIH since 1982 via the T32 training mechanism to support postdoctoral fellows at the UCSD School of Medicine with a commitment to research in reproduction.
AWARDS
This program received the highest honor conferred by NIH for a T32 program, A MENTOR AWARD, in 2003. This award cited our program for excellence and extended the funding for a full ten years.
GOALS
The goals of this postdoctoral training program are two-fold. The training program for Ph.D. postdoctoral fellows aims to qualify these individuals for future academic faculty or biotechnology positions with a concentration on research in reproductive biology. The training program for the M.D. clinical fellows is designed to qualify individuals for the subspecialty board in reproductive endocrinology and to produce highly qualified physician\scientists with a commitment to clinical and basic research. This training program is designed to provide clinical fellows with a balance of training between clinical and research activities and to support well-rounded training in reproductive biology for basic science postdoctoral fellows. The goal in both cases is to prepare these individuals for successful careers with a complete foundation for leadership in reproductive sciences.
HISTORY
The fellowship-training program in Reproductive Endocrinology was initiated at the inception of the Department of Reproductive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego in 1970. Beginning in 1982, this T32 Institutional Training Grant was funded by the NIH/NICHD. This grant has been consistently renewed and has been funded now for 27 years, first under the leadership of Dr. Samuel S.C. Yen, M.D. (with Dr. Pamela L. Mellon as Co-Director 1993-1998), and renewed in 1998 under the present leadership of Dr. Mellon, Ph.D., Director, and Dr. R. Jeffrey Chang, M.D., Co-Director, who have directed this training program for through two competing renewals, the second of which resulted in this MENTOR award as an outstanding program in 2003 allowing for automatic renewal for 2008-2013.
FACULTY
This cohesive group of faculty members provides a conducive academic environment to pursue high quality and contemporary training. The faculty mentors and their expertise are listed below:
DIRECTOR of the Training Program:
PAMELA MELLON, Ph.D. – Vice-Chair for Research, Professor of Reproductive Medicine and Neurosciences, Director of the NICHD Center for Reproductive Science and Medicine and the NIH Training Program for junior faculty, the Women’s Reproductive Health Research Program.
Molecular and genetic mechanisms in the neuroendocrine regulation of mammalian reproduction. Mellon Laboratory Website
CO-DIRECTOR of the Training Program:
R. JEFFREY CHANG, M.D. - Professor and Director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.
Reproductive and metabolic processes in ovarian disorders.
Faculty Mentors:
JACK DIXON, Ph.D.- Professor of Pharmacology, Cellular & Molecular Medicine, and Chem/Biochem, Member of the National Academy of Sciences, Howard Hughes Institute
Phosphatases, their roles in cell signaling and impact on reproductive function.
ALEXANDER SASHA KAUFFMAN, Ph.D.- Assistant Professor of Reproductive Medicine.
Neuroendocrinology of reproductive physiology and fertility.
Laboratory Website
MARK A. LAWSON, Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Reproductive Medicine
Mechanisms of reproductive hormones and regulation of gene expression.
Laboratory Website
JERROLD OLEFSKY, M.D.- Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs and Professor of Medicine.
l
Metabolic effects in reproduction and diabetes.
SHUNICHI SHIMASAKI, Ph.D. - Professor of Reproductive Medicine.
Molecular mechanism of growth factor control in folliculogenesis.
NICHOLAS J.G. WEBSTER, Ph.D.- Professor of Medicine.
Metabolic effects in reproduction and signaling in the pituitary.
MILES WILKINSON, Ph.D. – Professor of Reproductive Medicine (appointment pending)
Transcriptional regulatory pathways that control embryonic stem cell and germ cell development in vivo.
TRAINEES
| Current and Recent Trainees | Dates of Appt. | Mentor | Current Position |
| Armando Arroyo MD | 06/30/98-06/29/99 | Mellon | Assistant Professor, Univ. Buffalo |
| Bridgette Kirkpatrick PhD | 08/15/98-08/14/99 | Mellon | Prof. of Biotechnology, College TX |
| Patrick Chappell PhD | 10/01/99-09/30/00 | Mellon | Assist Prof. Oregon State Univ. |
| R. Kelly Moore PhD | 09/01/00-08/31/01 | Shimasaki | Foley & Lardner LLP, Law Clerk, Patent Law |
| Ketan Patel MD | 09/01/00-08/31/01 | Chang | Medical Director, Arizona REI, Scottsdale |
| Michael Dahan MD | 07/01/01-06/30/02 | Chang | Assistant Professor, McGill University |
| Richard Y. Yoo MD | 04/01/02-3/31/03 | Chang | Physician, REI, Kaiser, San Diego |
| Varykina Thackray PhD | 09/01/02-08/31/03 | Mellon | Assistant Professor, UCSD |
| Fred Robinson PhD | 04/01/03-03/31/04 | Dixon | Assistant Professor, OHSU |
| Robert Dearth PhD | 10/01/03-05/31/04 | Mellon | Postdoctoral Fellow, Baylor |
| Johanna Archer MD | 07/01/03-06/30/04 | Chang | Asst. Professor, University of Louisville |
| Lisa A. Lesneiwski PhD | 04/01/04-03/31/05 | Olefsky | Postdoctoral Fellow, U. Colorado |
| Rinku Mehta PhD | 07/01/04-06/29/05 | Chang | Physician, REI, Bedford, TX |
| Hao Zhang PhD | 04/01/05-03/31/06 | Webster | Research Scientist, Syntron Bioresearch Inc. |
| Mickey S. Coffler MD | 02/01/05-01/31/06 | Chang | Physician, REI, Orange County, CA |
| Carl DeLuca PhD | 09/01/05-08/31/06 | Olefsky | Drug Rep, Eli Lilly & Company |
| Deborah S. Wachs MD | 03/01/06-02/28/07 | Chang | Physician, REI, Center of the Bay Area |
| Matthew Gentry PhD | 03/01/06-02/28/07 | Dixon | Assistant Professor, Univ Kentucky |
| Melissa Brayman PhD | 11/01/06-10/31/07 | Mellon | Postdoctoral Fellow, UCSD |
| Brian D. Cherrington PhD | 06/01/06-05/31/07 | Mellon | Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell Univ. |
| Amy M. Navratil PhD | 06/01/06-05/31/07 | Lawson | Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell Univ. |
| Debin Lan PhD | 07/01/07-06/30/08 | Webster | Postdoctoral Fellow, UCSD |
| Marcus Rosencranz MD | 02/01/08-01/31/09 | Chang | Clinical REI Fellow, UCSD |
| Alice Park MD | 04/01/08-03/31/09 | Chang | Clinical REI Fellow, UCSD |
| Emily Rickert PhD | 07/01/08-06/30/09 | Lawson | Postdoctoral Fellow, UCSD |
| Christine Glidewell-Kenney PhD | 09/01/08-08/30/09 | Mellon | Postdoctoral Fellow, UCSD |
| Yvonne Hoang PhD | 01/01/09-12/31/09 | Shimasaki | Postdoctoral Fellow, UCSD |
TRAINING RESOURCES
Training in Clinical Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Courses
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Laboratory Website
Examples of Seminars (pdf download)
Examples of Journal Club Meetings (pdf download)