Faculty
Institute for Biogenesis Research (IBR)
OB-GYN
The 71st Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) wrapped up last month; and all three of JABSOM’s Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellows returned with some major recognition.
Dr. Cathlyn Sullivan, PGY7, MFM-Fellow was one of only 25 recipients of the SRI President's Presenter Award for best oral presentation. Dr. Sullivan’s presentation, titled “The Role of Vaccination in Maternal Fetal Dyads in SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Transfer” impressed the judges for her research as a new investigator. This translational research project showcased the successful collaboration between JABSOM’s Department of Tropical Medicine in Dr. Vivek Nerurkar’s laboratory and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children.
Originally established in 1996, this award recognizes the most meritorious oral abstracts submitted by individuals still in training. Fellows and those in both pre and post-doctoral training are eligible to receive the award. The 25 awardees received a certificate and a $1,000 award. Dr. Sullivan and her training director, Dr. Men-Jean Lee, were honored during the ceremony. The hope is that the SRI President’s Presenter’s Award will encourage more abstract submissions and higher quality abstracts by the very people who need encouragement to consider a research career. Past award winners have been junior investigators from prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, and Oxford.
“Dr. Sullivan’s research successes are perfect examples of how JABSOM is creating an environment of inquiry for their clinical trainees. She is a compassionate physician in the hospital, and has been inspired to translate clinical questions to meaningful research that helps to improve vaccination rates during pregnancy,” says Dr. Lee.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jacob Garcia, PGY6 and Dr. Elizabeth Mercer, PGY5 both won coveted Poster Awards. Selected from over 1000 submissions from around the world, Dr. Garcia’s poster explored microplastic accumulation in placentas from adverse pregnancy outcomes while Dr. Mercer covered dietary macronutrients and their correlation with gastrointestinal microbiome diversity across pregnancy trimesters.
“We were so surprised and thrilled that all three of our current MFM Fellows won awards for their research. This is virtually unheard of for an institution as small as ours to win three awards at a single major research conference such as the SRI. It is certainly a testament to how it takes a village to raise JABSOM trainees,” remarked Dr. Lee as she expressed appreciation to her MFM Division Members who help to train the Fellows. Mercer’s research was mentored by Dr. Corrie Miller who was a recent graduate of the JABSOM MFM Fellowship, herself. Dr. Garcia’s innovative project is a credit to the collaboration between UH Mānoa’s Institute for Biogenesis Research and JABSOM’s Department of OBGYN. Dr. Lee also commented, “We are so proud of all of our current MFM Fellows for their dedication to providing excellent clinical care to our high risk pregnant patients across the State of Hawaiʻi, as well as their passion for taking on cutting edge research to change the world!”
The fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine combines exceptional training for future Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists in clinical practice and academic medicine. The fellows will acquire knowledge of the basic and clinical facets of perinatal medicine and develop skills for the conduct of clinical and/or basic research related to our sub-specialty. Fellows will gain an extensive knowledge base and develop wide experiences in the management of common and unusual obstetrical and medical complications, including those conditions unique to Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Rim.
The 71st annual SRI Scientific Meeting was held in Vancouver this year. The mission of the Society for Reproductive Investigation is to advance reproductive health for all, through outstanding basic, translational, and clinical science, training and mentoring future generations of investigators, embracing diversity, advocacy engaging funding agencies, policy makers, donors and communities and, promoting excellence in reproductive science globally.