Department of
Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences

Research

Our goal is to improve the medical care we provide to women with the knowledge gained from our research efforts. The department is committed to developing and maintaining a strong foundation of basic science, clinical, and translational research. 

Faculty Researchers

Brian Casey. MD, Professor, Department Chair

Dr. Casey's career in Maternal-Fetal Medicine began at University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) in 1995 where he supervised the care of pregnant women with gestational diabetes and became interested in endocrine disease during pregnancy. During that time, he published several important studies on incremental changes made in the diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes there. His interest in endocrinological disorders during pregnancy also led to an observational study of subclinical thyroid disease during pregnancy at Parkland Hospital.  Results from this 30-month study generated numerous important publications on pregnancy outcomes associated with several different subclinical thyroid diseases.  These studies also led to the development and implementation of an unprecedented multicenter treatment trial of women identified with subclinical thyroid disease in early pregnancy by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network for which he was the PI.  This study, with greater than a 90 percent 5-year follow-up and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed that screening and treating pregnant women with subclinical thyroid disease did not result in improved infant IQ at age 5 years. Dr. Casey also served as PI for UTSW’s clinical site of the MFMU Network, he remains the chair of the TSH Study subcommittee, and most recently was the alternate PI for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) clinical site of the MFMU Network.  In addition, Dr. Casey was the director of the UAB Comprehensive Addition for Pregnancy Program whose infrastructure provided support for the Healthy Brain and Child Development Study for which he was a co-investigator.  Dr. Casey also has research interest in the areas of Obstetric Management, Labor and Delivery Complications, and Postpartum Depression.

Leo Brancazio, MD, FACOG, Professor, Medical Director - Outreach Division

Leo R. Brancazio, MD, FACOG, is a nationally recognized expert in high-risk obstetrics with extensive clinical experience in medical complications of pregnancy and pharmacology during pregnancy. Dr. Brancazio is board certified in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from West Virginia University and completed his residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology and a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Magee-Women’s Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Medical Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Clinical Focus: Medical complications during pregnancy and obstetrical complications.

I-Chung Chen, PhD, Assistant Professor

Dr. Chen received his PhD from the University of Texas at San Antonio and is an Embryologist with the WVU Center for Reproductive Medicine.

Research Interest: Utilizing pluripotent stem cells as a model to study infertility.

Clinical Focus: Infertility, embryology, and andrology.

Melanie Clemmer, PhD, HCLD, Associate Professor

Dr. Clemmer is the IVF Laboratory Director for the WVU Center for Reproductive Medicine. She received her PhD in Reproductive Physiology from West Virginia University and completed a NIH Fellowship at Magee-Women’s Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Medical Specialties: Reproductive Medicine

Clinical Focus: Obesity and pregnancy complications, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), reproductive physiology, cell function, oocyte quality and follicle health.

Sarah Dotson, MD, MPH, FACOG, Assistant Professor

Dr. Dotson, board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, received her Master in Public Health and Doctor of Medicine degrees from Dartmouth College. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University Medical School.

Medical Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Clinical Focus: General obstetrics and gynecology, quality improvement and patient safety, and contraception.

Omar Duenas Garcia, MD, DHA, MPH, MS, Associate Professor, Vice Chair of Research, Gynecology Quality & Performance Improvement

Dr. Duenas, board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology for OBGYN, Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive surgery with a focus in Minimally Invasive Surgery. He received his MD degree from Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla. He completed his residency training and Medical Degree in OBGYN at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine - Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, as well as a fellowship in Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at University of Massachusetts Medical School, a Masters Degree in Public Health at University of Massachusetts Amherst, a Master Degree at West Virginia University and Doctor of Medicine Degree in Health Administration at the University of Lynchburg.                                      

Clinical Focus: Pelvic reconstruction, urinary incontinence, minimally invasive surgery. NOTES surgery (transvaginal endoscopic surgery), fecal incontinence and neuro-urology.

Research Interests: Voiding dysfunction, recurrent uti, surgical outcomes in pelvic floor surgery, quality improvement and patient safety & NOTES surgery

Rawan El-Amin, DO, MPH, Assistant Professor and PI for the HAPI project

Dr. El-Amin is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and graduated from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. She completed her residency at West Virginia University.

Medical Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Mahreen Hashmi, MD, Professor

Dr. Hashmi is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology.                                                 

She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Ohio and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Riverside Methodist Hospitals.

Medical Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology and Surgery.

Clinical Focus: Endometriosis, laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery.

Kelly Lemon, MSN, CNM, WHNP-BC, FACNM, Assistant Professor

Kelly Lemon is a Certified Nurse Midwife and Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. She received her Bachelors in Nursing from West Virginia University and her Master of Science in Nursing, Midwifery and Women's Health from Georgetown University. She is dual-certified as a Certified Nurse Midwife and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner.                             

Medical Specialties: Midwifery and Sexual/Reproductive Health

Clinical Focus: Full Scope Midwifery Care, Peri and Postnatal Substance Use

Active Projects:

Maternal Opioid Misuse Model Project Site: https://innovation.cms.gov/innovation-models/maternal-opioid-misuse-model

ACE Program: https://medicine.hsc.wvu.edu/obgyn/ace-assist-connect-and-encourage/

Publications:

Sex Education in America: Abstaining from Comprehensive Facts available at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30329214/ or https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jmwh.12901

Krista Pfaendler, MD, MPH, FACOG, Associate Professor

Dr. Pfaendler received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and her Master of Public Health from the University of California, Irvine. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Cincinnati and her fellowship training in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of California, Irvine. She received her Bachelors in Biology from Carnegie Mellon University and was also a graduate of the Fifth Year Scholar Program at Carnegie Mellon University.  She is board certified in Gynecologic Oncology and in Obstetrics and Gynecology. On a national level, Dr. Pfaendler serves as a core member of the NRG Oncology Cervix/Vulva Subcommittee; on an institutional level, Dr. Pfaendler is the Director of Clinical Research for Gynecologic Oncology at WVU.

Medical Specialties: Gynecologic Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Clinical Focus: Gynecologic cancer and malignancies, robotic surgery, surgical debulking, chemotherapy, minimally invasive surgery, health disparities, cervical cancer prevention, and early detection and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Shon Rowan, MD, Associate Professor and Vice Chair

Dr. Rowan received his Doctor of Medicine and completed his residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at West Virginia University. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and practices at the WVU Center for Reproductive Medicine.             

Medical Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine, Surgery and Pediatric Gynecology.

Clinical Focus: Clinically active in reproductive medicine including infertility and in vitro fertilization. Research interests include polycystic ovarian syndrome and infertility-based studies.

Kristy Ward, MD, Associate Professor and Medical Director of Gyn Onc Division

Dr. Kristy Ward is board certified in gynecologic oncology and obesity medicine. She received her medical training at University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed her residency and a fellowship in Women’s Health Research at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.  She then went on the University of California San Diego where she completed her gynecologic oncology fellowship and received a Masters in Advanced Sciences in Clinical Research.  Aside from her busy gynecologic oncology practice, Dr. Ward uses her board certification in obesity medicine to improve the health of women with cancer and obesity in her onco-obesity clinic.

Medical Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology, obesity medicine

Clinical Focus: gynecologic oncology, robotic and minimally invasive surgery, complicated gynecology, onco-obesity

Ryan Heitmann, DO Vice Chair of Education, Medical Director of CRM, Program Director and Associate Professor

Dr. Heitmann earned his DO from Des Moines University, and completed his residency at Madigan Army Medical Center and his REI Fellowship from National Institutes of Health. He is board certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.  

Medical Specialties: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Clinical Focus: Infertility, fertility preservation, ART, IVF, fibroids, endometriosis, tubal reversal surgery

Research Interests: Improving ART and IVF outcomes, embryo transfer

Publications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=heitmann%20rj&sort=date

Resident Research Day / Annual Palladino Lecture

Every year we have Annual Resident Research Day, where our residents present the findings of their research projects. The presentations are evaluated by a panel of judges. We also invite an eminent physician scientist who acts as Guest Lecturer for the event and gives the Annual Palladino lecture. The names of the Guest Lecturer for the last five years include:

  • 2016. Loretta P. Finnegan, MD, LLD
  • 2017. Haywood Brown, MD
  • 2018. Daniel Clarke-Pearson, MD
  • 2019. Philip Samuels, MD
  • 2020. Rescheduled
  • 2021. Halina Zyczynski, MD
  • 2022. Jame Abraham, MD
  • 2023. Rick Burney, MD, MSc
  • 2024. Hala Sabry, DO and Sarah Taylor, MD

See Current Program Year Brochure

For more information regarding current research projects or assistance with a research project, please contact our Research and Grants Analyst: