Diane M. Duffy

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research overview

  • Dr. Duffy's training and expertise are in the broad area of reproductive endocrinology, with focus on ovarian function in non-human primates and women. Her postdoctoral research included examination of the primate corpus luteum, steroidogenesis, and the ability of recombinant human gonadotropins to regulate ovarian function in macaques. This body of work included support for the concept that luteal progesterone serves as a local survival factor and autoregulates the function of the corpus luteum (Duffy, Hess, and Stouffer, 1994. PMID: 7989460).



    Dr. Duffy's independent research has focused on paracrine control of ovulation and demonstrated critical roles for the prostaglandin PGE2 as an essential intrafollicular regulator of follicle rupture and oocyte release (Duffy and Stouffer, 2001. PMID: 11470860; Duffy and Stouffer, 2002. PMID: 12407033). Her studies include isolation and characterization of novel populations of microvascular endothelial cells from ovulatory follicles of both monkeys and women (Trau, Davis, and Duffy, 2015. PMID:25376231; Trau, Brannstrom, Curry, and Duffy, 2016. PMID: 26740577). These cells, paired with in vivo neutralization or inhibition of paracrine regulators in macaques, facilitate analysis of the role of vascular growth regulators in ovulatory angiogenesis (Kim, Harris, and Duffy, 2014. PMID: 24506073; Bender, Trau, and Duffy, 2018. PMID: 29095972; Bender, Campbell, Aytoda, Mathieson, and Duffy, 2019. PMID: 31787928). Identification of key receptors for PGE2, VEGFA, and other growth regulators provides targets for development of selective contraceptives or approaches to promote fertility in anovulatory women.



    Keywords: reproduction, endocrinology, non-human primate models, ovary, ovulation, contraception, infertility

overview

  • Education

    1992-1997; Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Reproductive Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) with Dr. Richard L. Stouffer

    1992; Ph.D. (Endocrinology) University of California, San Francisco. Dissertation with Dr. James M. Roberts, "Cyclic AMP regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors in the human fetal lung".

    1984; B.A. (Biology) Reed College, Portland, OR. Undergraduate thesis with Dr. Laurens N. Ruben, "The effects of metamorphic range levels of hydrocortisone and thyroxine on T cell mitogenesis in Xenopus laevis, the South African clawed toad".



    Career History

    2019-present; Director, EVMS Summer Scholars Research Program

    2014-present; Vice Chair for Research, Department of Physiological Sciences, EVMS

    2012-present; Professor, Department of Physiological Sciences, EVMS

    2011; Tenure granted, EVMS

    2007-2012; Associate Professor, Department of Physiological Sciences, EVMS

    2001-2007; Assistant Professor, Department of Physiological Sciences, EVMS

    1997-2001; Staff Scientist/Affiliate Assistant Scientist, Division of Reproductive Sciences, ONPRC

selected publications

preferred title

  • Professor

full name

  • Diane M. Duffy, PhD

recognition and awards

  • 2017- EVMS Faculty Award for Mentoring
    1999-2002- Junior Investigator, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
    1992-1994- NIH Reproductive Biology-Multidisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowship
    1990-1992- ARCS Fellowship, Northern California Chapter
    1988- Graduate Student Research Award, University of California, San Francisco
    1986-1992- NIH Predoctoral Fellowship
    1985- Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship

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Publications in VIVO

research areas