Reproductive Sciences Research
The Reproductive Sciences Center (RSC) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is a group of collaborative investigators who strive to enhance our understanding of human reproduction through the integration of basic sciences and clinical research.
Reproductive biology spans many aspects of biology, including gamete formation, fertilization, early pregnancy events, and the development of sex-specific reproductive organs and sexually dimorphic organs. Reproductive biology research was critical for the growth of the stem cell and developmental biology fields, and it has contributed to the establishment of transgenic animal technologies for scientific research and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) benefitting millions around the world.
The RSC is comprised of basic science and clinical science researchers at Cincinnati Children's and University of Cincinnati (UC) Health System from a range of divisions and centers, including the Divisions of Developmental Biology, Urology, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, and the Perinatal Institute.
Our research foci span multiple areas of reproductive biology, including the following:
- Preterm birth
- Implantation and decidualization
- Placentation
- Gonad differentiation
- Roles of vascular and immune cells in reproduction
- Effects of cannabinoids on pregnancy
- Oncofertility
- Reproductive endocrinology
- In vitro fertilization
Through research, clinical activities, education, and outreach, we aim to increase the visibility and impact of reproductive biology not only within Cincinnati Children's and UC, but also in the national and international research communities and the lay public. The importance of our mission is underscored by research from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which demonstrates that there is an association between reproductive health and overall health for men and women.
