EFA Medical Conference 2017: EFA Research Grants Presentation by Dr. Serin Seckin

Dr. Serin Seckin briefly discussed some of the projects that received part of the $400,000 in research grants that the EFA awarded this past year.

Key Points

Highlights:

• Dr. Serin Seckin, a Resident Physician at Mount Sinai Health System, gave a presentation about the Endometriosis Foundation of America Research Grants at the 2017 Medical Conference.

Importance:

• The Endometriosis Foundation of America awards numerous research grants to help further projects that seek to better understand and treat this unforgiving disease.

Key Points:

• In the past year, the EFA awarded $400,000 in research funding to various labs that seek to better the lives of women with endometriosis.
• Dr. Seckin then briefly went over all the projects and studies that have been funded by the EFA.
  • Dr. Ie-Ming Shih, a Richard W. TeLinde Distinguished Professor, from Johns Hopkins University: Dr. Shih also presented at this conference. His study looks at the cancer-associated mutations in cases of endometriosis without cancer.
  • Dr. Jhumka Gupta from George Mason University: This study focuses on understanding and treating physiological health impacts in younger women with endometriosis.
  • Dr. Jennifer Knudtson’s from University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: This study looked at estrogen receptors, alpha and beta, and its role in the attachment of endometrial cells to peritoneal mesothelial cells.
  • Dr. Noemie Elhadad’s from Columbia University Medical Center: This lab developed an app called Phendo that allows individuals to better understand and track endometriosis progression.
  • Dr. Raúl Gómez from INCLIVA: This lab seeks to detect early non-invasive endometriosis through research and analysis of various biomarkers.
  • Dr. Katherine Burns from the University of Cincinnati: This lab looks at the relationship between endometriosis disease progression and the environmental contaminant DEHP.
  • Dr. Andrea Braundmeier-Fleming from Southern Illinois University: This lab hopes to diagnose endometriosis using the microbiome.
  • Dr. Niraj Joshi from Michigan State University: This lab analyzes altered Hippo signaling pathways and their role in endometriosis disease progression.
  • Dr. Nameer Kirma from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio: This lab analyzed endometrial-mesothelial gap junction communication in women suffering from endometriosis.
  • Dr. Eric Gross from Stanford University: This lab looks to develop biomarkers that will aid in and predict endometriosis treatment.
• Dr. Seckin also spoke briefly about the ROSE study and Citizen Endo.
  • The ROSE study successfully mouse models. They now seek to conduct a genomic analysis of certain endometriotic lesions.
• Dr. Seckin ended the presentation by giving listeners some information about the application process.
  • The awards can reach up to $25,000 per study.
  • EFA hopes to have the application by January 30th and decisions will be released in March.

Lay Summary

The first grant was awarded to Dr. Ie-Ming Shih, a Richard W. TeLinde Distinguished Professor from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Shih was also one of the earlier presenters at this Medical Conference. He gave a presentation titled “Cancer Implications for Patients with Endometriosis.” Dr. Shih used the grant to fund a research project that looked at cancer-associated mutations in cases of endometriosis without cancer. The next recipient was Dr. Jhumka Gupta from George Mason University whose research focuses on understanding and responding to the physiological health impacts associated with endometriosis, specifically in younger women. Next, there was Dr. Jennifer Knudtson’s lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. This lab focuses on the role of estrogen receptors, alpha, and beta, in the attachment of endometrial cells to peritoneal mesothelial cells. The next study was from Dr. Noemie Elhadad’s lab at the Columbia University Medical Center. This lab developed an app called Phendo that allows users to track and better understand endometriosis. Dr. Raúl Gómez from INCLIVA is also making strides in endometriosis. His lab seeks to detect early non-invasive endometriosis through extensive research and global multi-variant analysis of putative biomarkers. The next study was from Dr. Katherine Burns at the University of Cincinnati where Dr. Burns looks at the role of the environmental contaminant DEHP in promoting endometriosis development. The next study from the Southern Illinois University lab of Dr. Andrea Braundmeier-Fleming seeks to diagnose endometriosis using the microbiome. Dr. Niraj Joshi, from Michigan State University, studies the role of an altered Hippo signaling pathway in endometriosis disease progression. The next study was also from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, but it was from the lab of Dr. Nameer Kirma and this study looked at the levels of endometrial-mesothelial gap junction communication in women with endometriosis. The next study is from the Stanford University lab of Dr. Eric Gross. The study in particular looks to develop a biomarker that will predict endometriosis treatment.

Dr. Seckin ended her presentation by briefly talking about the ROSE study and Citizen Endo. She also used the end of her presentation to give viewers more information about the EFA grants. This information included the amount awarded and dates for the application process.

Dr. Seckin’s entire presentation can be found at the following link: https://www.endofound.org/video/efa-research-grants-serin-seckin-md/1559.