Texas Institute for Reproductive Medicine & Endocrinology, P.A.
RESEARCH DIVISION

Computer and gamma counterKeith D. Smith, M.D., F.A.C.E.
Luis J. Rodriguez-Rigau, M.D., F.A.C.E.
E.R. Weidman, M.D., F.A.C.E.
S.M. Petak, M.D., F.A.C.E., J.D.
Cynthia Ashdown, RN, ANP-BC, CCD, MSN

The Research Division of the Texas Institute for Reproductive Medicine & Endocrinology (TIRME), affiliated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston - Medical School and School of Public Health, was established to promote and conduct basic and clinical research in reproductive medicine and biology. The field of reproductive medicine encompasses non-surgical management of male and female reproductive system disorders. Going beyond the traditional OB/Gyn and urological approaches, reproductive medicine concerns itself with endocrine, behavioral, psychological, and infectious disorders of the reproductive system in adolescents and adults of both sexes. Reproductive medicine deals with medical problems related to dysfunction of the reproductive-endocrine system, including infertility and contraception. Some specific examples are: excessive male-pattern hair growth in women (hirsutism), acne, menstrual irregularities (severe cramping, excessive, infrequent or absence of bleeding), PMS, menopause, osteoporosis, male and female sexual dysfunction, abnormal pubertal development, etc.

Through basic and clinical research of the male and female reproductive systems and their disorders, physicians/researchers concerned with reproductive medicine strive to acquire new knowledge about diagnosis, prevention and treatment; to improve patient education; and to promote cooperation with other specialties in the management of disorders related to a reproductive system disorder (such as, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity).

Activities of the Research Division
The Research Division has fostered the collaboration between the physician/researchers and physicians in private practice, university school staffs and pharmaceutical houses in generating and implementing basic and clinical research. Our unique position to interact closely with the Clinic at TIRME and the Texas Hormone Assay Laboratory allows the research staff direct access to a large patient population and a large volume of clinical materials. Thus when a new research question is posed, this large volume of clinical materials (which covers a broad temporal and population spectrum) can be used to accelerate the attempt to answer the question.

Some areas of reproductive medicine in which the Research Division of TIRME has conducted research include:

  • the role of Prolactin in ovulatory dysfunction
  • the role of hyperandrogenism (excess of male hormones) in ovarian disease
  • the contribution of male reproductive dysfunction to the fertility potential of the couple
  • the development and improvement of GIFT/IVF techniques
  • the management of menopause
  • hormonal predictors of pregnancy outcome
  • understanding of the hormonal causes of PMS
  • development of the clinical application of video-computerized semen analysis techniques
  • investigating the relationship between elevated androgen levels in women and blood pressure
  • investigating the relationship between androgen levels in women and adiposity indices related to cardiovascular disease, and various forms of meta-analysis of scientific literature.

    • In addition, a number of studies on the effects of various medications have been conducted in collaboration with several major pharmaceutical companies. Currently, the Research Division is conducting primarily clinical investigations and cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort studies.

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