Divisions and Specialties

• Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology

  The Ohio State University Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology, established in 1989, offers a comprehensive program focusing on women’s reproductive health. Our faculty are involved in all aspects of our academic mission including research, education and patient care.
  
  Our obstetricians and gynecologists consistently rank among the “Best Doctors in America,” and our gynecology program was named one of the best in the nation in 2011 by U.S. News & World Report.
  
  Our 16 full-time faculty members have expertise in a variety of areas, including:

  • Colposcopy and vulvar disease
  • Contraception and family planning
  • Menopause
  • Adolescent and pediatric gynecology
  • Gynecologic ultrasound
  • Infectious diseases
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Chronic pelvic pain
  • General obstetrics
  • Medical education
  • Teenage pregnancy
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Robotic surgery

  We continue to play an ever-important role in the education of our medical students and residents. Our dedication is reflected in the numerous recognitions and teaching awards we’ve received over the years.
  
  Many of our faculty members are involved in clinically based research, quickly bringing innovative advances in women’s health to the patients' bedside. Others are actively involved in local and national organizations, making us leaders in the field of women’s health.
  
  We also provide 24-hour consulting support to internal medicine, family practice, general obstetrician-gynecologists and other women’s health providers throughout the region.

   

  View obstetrical conditions and treatments

  View gynecological conditions and treatments

• Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine

  For more than a quarter of a century, The Ohio State University Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine has delivered advanced prenatal care to patients experiencing a high-risk pregnancy that could threaten the well-being of the mother, fetus or both.

  Our division has a rich tradition of excellence and leadership in research, education and patient care.

  Our faculty consistently ranks among the “Top Doctors” as recognized by U.S. News & World Report. In fact, four of the five top perinatologists in Ohio practice maternal-fetal medicine at Ohio State.

  Our specialists are advancing obstetrical care through innovations such as control of gestational diabetes to improve maternal and fetal outcomes, the identification of the only two clinically useful risk markers for premature birth (cervical length and fetal fibronectin), the management and long-term needs of hypertension in pregnancy and refinements in the approach to in utero fetal surgery.

  Our faculty includes senior investigators in the NIH Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units, numerous board examiners and editors of several leading national and international journals and textbooks.

  One member of the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine faculty has been elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, making significant contributions to the advancement of medical science, health care and public health. Election is considered one of the highest honors in the health sciences industry.

  Based on the strength of our faculty and our track record of developing and introducing novel therapeutic approaches, Ohio State’s Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine is squarely among the country’s top 10 programs.

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• Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery

  The Ohio State University Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, established in 2005, offers a comprehensive blend of patient care, education and research on a wide range of female pelvic health conditions.

  The division is comprised of four faculty members:

  • Division director, Andrew Hundley, MD, received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, completed his residency at Brigham and Women’s and Massachusetts General Hospitals and fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Catherine Hudson, MD, received her medical degree from Emory University and completed her residency and fellowship there as well
  • Silpa Nekkanti, MD, completed her residency and fellowship at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
  • Clinical nurse practitioner, Meagan Matteson, MS, received her master’s degree in the specialty area of women’s health from The Ohio State University College of Nursing
  
  

  Our specialists work primarily at the Outpatient Care Center in Upper Arlington, 1800 Zollinger Road, Columbus, delivering innovative treatment options and therapies related to female pelvic health. The faculty value patient education, and teach residents and medical students to do the same. Many of our patients have lived with their clinical problems for years, believing there was nothing that could be done. Our residents and students not only learn about surgical and nonsurgical options, but also how to personalize care for each patient based which approach is best suited for her.

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• Division of Gynecologic Oncology

• Other Divisions

  
  

  Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

  At The Ohio State University Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, our goal is to help guide infertile patients through the reproduction process. Our objectives are to provide state-of-the-art clinical services, innovative basic research and an informative and challenging teaching environment for residents and medical students.
   
  The division has three full-time faculty members with decades of experience:
  

  • Douglas Danforth, PhD, senior scientist – Dr. Danforth’s primary educational research interests focus on simulation in medical education. He uses virtual worlds, such as Second Life, to provide unique simulations of real life scenarios to model doctor-patient interaction and clinical diagnosis skills. Dr. Danforth is director of the Independent Study Program in the College of Medicine. He helps students use highly structured objectives, resource guides, web and computer-based materials to learn on their own.
  • Elizabeth A. Kennard, MD, associate professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility – Dr. Kennard is a nationally respected resource in reproductive endocrinology and infertility who consults with other physicians on the latest treatment options for families facing infertility issues.

  A principal goal of our research is the development of virtual patient simulations for medical education. These “virtual patients” are controlled by artificial intelligence, allowing our students to engage in a natural language conversation with the patient to detect symptoms and develop relevant diagnoses and treatments. Virtual world medical simulations enable our students to rehearse professional behaviors in a risk-free environment.
   
  Our staff are also pioneering technological advances in patient care. Care facilities are housed at Ohio Reproductive Medicine, central Ohio’s first and only in vitro fertilization program of assisted reproductive technologies. We treat a wide array of broad-based, reproductive endocrine patients.
   
  Drs. Friedman and Kennard participate in weekly gynecological conferences with residents, and all division faculty provide resident didactic lectures. We also serve as research mentors for resident clinical research projects.

  Division of Reproductive Biology and Vaccine Research

  The Ohio State University Division of Reproductive Biology and Vaccine Research is primarily involved in peptide therapeutics and cancer vaccine research. We investigate the development of procedures for active immunization against self and non-self molecules as a means to treat cancer and infectious diseases.
  
  Research is our division’s principal activity, and our mission is wide ranging. It includes:

  • Conducting basic and clinical cancer research that leads to the development of effective, immune-based cancer therapies and diagnostic tests
  • Teaching the next generation of translational researchers
  • Enlisting the talents and resources of others who share our vision of improving cancer care
  • Continuing a strong interdisciplinary research program in vaccine development and protein engineering
  • Developing therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases and viral infections

  Research funding has come in the form of continuous support for vaccine development by the National Cancer Institute, The National Institutes of Health and Omnimmune Corp, and we have secured permanent funding from the Ohio Board of Regents for vaccine development and protein engineering. Projects active within our division include:
  

  • Development of Vaccines (HER-2/neu) for the Prevention or Therapy of Cancer
  • Development of Angiogenic (VEGF) Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy
  • Phase 1 Clinical Trial: Active Immunotherapy with HER-2 Multiepitope Vaccine

  Our division also offers a superior educational program for graduate students and undergraduate students seeking elective experience in research, overseen by Director Pravin T.P. Kaumaya, PhD. For instance, several graduate students from the Department of Microbiology and the Ohio State Biochemistry Program work on vaccine development, and both anti-cancer and anti-viral vaccines are under development by students and staff.
  
  Graduate students working toward a Master of Science degree or PhD in basic science departments use our research laboratories, and physicians working toward a Master of Medical Science degree also are accepted.
  
  The division also works to establish links with the pharmaceutical industry through license agreements from the patents held by division faculty to provide research funds for new development and a royalty stream to the university, college and department for both research and education.