New and Noteworthy
Newsletter Fall 2021
UCLA OBGYN faculty and trainees who have been recognized for excellence in clinical care, research and teaching.
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING WITH HUMANISM RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS AWARD
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Medical Student Council recently honored Dr. Catie Gliwa, Chief Resident, with a 2021 Excellence in Teaching with Humanism Residents and Fellows Award. This award recognizes residents and fellows who model exemplary behavior toward medical students and other members of the health care team, as well as having a demonstrable commitment to mentorship, respect, compassion, learning, and other inspiring leadership qualities. Press release
HONORS, AWARDS AND APPOINTMENTS: SUMMER 2021
Daniel Dumesic, MD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, served as a scientific advisor to the recently opened exhibition, Life! Beginnings, at the California Science Center as part of the reimagined World of Life Gallery. Read more
Beth Karlan, MD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vice Chair of Women's Health Research and Director of Cancer Population Genetics at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, is being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) for her contributions to gynecologic cancer research and clinical practice. She is being recognized for contributing significantly to improving women's quality of life by advancing the understanding of hereditary cancers and molecular drivers of ovarian cancer and her commitment in seeking better ways to prevent and eradicate deadly cancers. Read more
Sanaz Memarzadeh, MD, PhD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is now serving as a member of the UCLA Academic Senate Committee on Committees as well as the NIH Study Section on Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics Committee.
GRANTS: SPRING 2021
Christine Han, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, was awarded a UCSD/ UCLA Diabetes Research Center Pilot and Feasibility Grant for the project entitled “Comparison of NPH and Detemir Insulins in Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy: A Multi-centered Randomized-Controlled Trial.” Dr. Han is the principal investigator and Dr. Michael Richley, MFM fellow, is a co-investigator.
PRESENTATIONS: SPRING 2021
Christine Han, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, gave an oral presentation on Risk Factors for Measles Non-Immunity in Previously Immunized Pregnant Patients at IDSOG 2021. Authors: Kassir E, Holliman K, Negi M, Duong HL, Tandel MD, Kwan L, Lee G, Silverman NS, Rao RR, Han CS. She also presented “Intelligent use of Artificial intelligence in Ob/Gyn” at the ACOG District XII Annual Meeting and was the co-director for the post-graduate course on “Rare maternal and fetal syndromes” at the SMFM Annual Meeting.
Lindsey Kroener, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was an invited speaker for a Community Webinar on “Cancer and Fertility” at the Cancer Community Network in Los Angeles. She also has the following abstracts accepted for presentation:
- Dilday E, Ramos N, Kroener L, Xu N, Jackson N, Barritt J. Laser-assisted hatching on day 1 of embryo culture demonstrates significant implantation rate increase compared to embryos with standard day 3 assisted hatching. Pacific Coast Reproductive Society Virtual Meeting, 2021.
- Armstrong A, Miller J, Quinn M, Nguyen AV, Kwan L, Kroener L. Reporting embryo mosaicism using preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A): Impact on euploidy rate and likelihood of embryos available for transfer. American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2021. Accepted for poster presentation.
- Armstrong A, Kroener L, Cohen J, Han CS, Nitti V, Rible R, Brennan K. The influence of virtual interview on the fellowship match in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN). American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2021. Accepted for oral presentation.
- Dilday E, Kroener L, Akopians A, Ramos N, Xu N, Jackson N, Barritt J. Laser-assisted hatching on day 1 demonstrates equivalent yield, timing of blastocyst development and embryo euploidy rates compared with standard day 2 assisted hatching. American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2021. Accepted for poster presentation.
- Dilday E, Kroener L, Akopians A, Ramos N, Xu N, Jackson N, Barritt J. Laser-assisted hatching on day 1 of embryo culture demonstrates equivalent ongoing pregnancy rates compared to embryos with standard day 3 assisted hatching. American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2021. Accepted for poster presentation.
Sanaz Memarzadeh, MD, PhD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, served as Chair of OncLive's Institutional Perspective on Cancer Seminar Series, “Collaborative Efforts in Ovarian Cancer Research.”
Ritu Salani MD, MBA, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, presented “Gynecologic Malignancies” at the ASCO Direct HighlightsTM, San Diego, CA (Virtual). She was also an invited Grand Rounds speaker at Cooper Health, Camden, NJ on the topic of “Ovarian Cancer Practicums: Incorporating Recently Approved Targeted Agents, Emerging Combinations, and Genetic Testing for the Optimal Management of Patients with Ovarian Cancer.” (Virtual). Finally, she presented “Impact of Biomarker Testing on Precision Medicine for Cervical Cancer” at the 12th Annual International Symposium on Ovarian Cancer and Gynecologic Malignancies (Virtual).
Aparna Sridhar, MD, MPH, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was the invited Grand Rounds speaker at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, El Paso campus on the topics of “Picking the Right Pill: A Practical Guide to Prescription of Oral Contraceptive Pills” and “Normal and Abnormal Bleeding Patterns with Hormonal Contraception.”