Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Faculty Profiles
Francesca Elizabeth Duncan, PhD

Francesca Elizabeth Duncan, PhD

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Reproductive Science in Medicine)

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Focus of Work

Bio

Research in the Duncan laboratory tests the overarching hypothesis that deterioration of gamete-intrinsic cellular pathways together with changes in the ovarian micoenvironment contribute to the reproductive age-associated decline in egg quantity and quality. Specifically her group uses mammalian model systems to investigate whether three mechanisms common to systemic aging underlie physiologic and iatrogenic reproductive aging: 1) genomic instability, 2) altered metabolism, and 3) fibrosis. Th...[Read full text]Research in the Duncan laboratory tests the overarching hypothesis that deterioration of gamete-intrinsic cellular pathways together with changes in the ovarian micoenvironment contribute to the reproductive age-associated decline in egg quantity and quality. Specifically her group uses mammalian model systems to investigate whether three mechanisms common to systemic aging underlie physiologic and iatrogenic reproductive aging: 1) genomic instability, 2) altered metabolism, and 3) fibrosis. These insights will help us design targeted interventions to ameliorate reproductive aging, laying the foundation to simultaneously improve women’s fertile-span and health-span across generations.[Shorten text]

Keywords

ReproductionWomen's Health / Women's Reproductive HealthAgingCell BiologyFibrosis

Education and Certification

  • PhD: University of Pennsylvania, Cell & Molecular Biology (2006)

Contact

Administrative office: 312-503-2172

Robert H Lurie Medical Research Center Room 7-117
303 E Superior
Chicago IL 60611