Women’s Reproductive Health Research Career Development Center

The goal of the Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) program at Washington University School of Medicine is to promote the performance of research and transfer of findings that will benefit the health of women through the development of well-qualified physician- scientists. The program achieves this goal by providing each scholar with a core seminar series essential for development as an independent investigator in women’s health, a suitable mentor who can provide the guidance and expertise to ensure successful academic development and skills as an independent investigator, and the research infrastructure and adequate protected time to create an environment conducive to investigation into women’s health.

This program is unique in that separate tracks in both basic and clinical science are available to scholars; however, they train with mentors who cross disciplines and are exposed to both, interacting and translating their own training into cooperative research. Mentors represent a multidisciplinary team of scientists and physician-investigators from eight departments at the medical school.

The leadership, George Macones, MD, as the principal investigator, and Kelle Moley, MD, as the program director, reflects this interactive and cooperative approach to career development in reproductive sciences. Their distinct backgrounds and career pathways— Macones in clinical research and Moley in basic translational research—create a juxtaposition of complementary leadership styles. Their combined efforts and vision represent the melding of academic backgrounds necessary to perform outstanding investigative science in the area of reproductive health. In addition, the program’s multidisciplinary approach, emphasizing both clinical and basic research equally, sets it apart.