Polotsky Lab

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Defining essential characteristics of FSH-ovarian interactions using a multidisciplinary approach.

In the United States, nearly one in three women of childbearing age is obese. As maternal obesity impacts the health of offspring, better understanding of the mechanisms is needed. It remains unclear whether the underlying pathophysiology is related to abnormal hypothalamic-pituitary dynamics, abnormal ovarian environment, or both. Obesity is associated with decreased pituitary output of luteinizing hormone (LH) and FSH, inadequate folliculogenesis and reduced ovarian steroid and protein production. Our overriding objective is to define essential characteristics of FSH-ovarian interactions using a multidisciplinary approach. We build upon existing statistical approaches to modeling pulsatile hormones, and transgenic FSH mouse models showing that pulsatile FSH secretion dramatically enhances ovarian function.

Chair for Nutrition Special Interest Group for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (2015)

Coming soon...

Pictured (left to right): Angela Fought, MS; Andy Bradford, PhD; Shannon Pretzel, BA; Nanette Santoro, MD; Alex Polotsky, MD, MS; Thanh-Ha Luu, MD; Katherine Kuhn, MS; Irene Schauer, MD, PhD

Our Faculty

Alex J. Polotsky, MD, MS

Professor, Principal Investigator

Nanette F. Santoro, MD

Professor, Principal Investigator

Andrew Bradford, PhD

Professor, Co-Investigator

Irene Schauer, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Co-Investigator

Professional Research Assistants

Angela Fought, MS, Research Instructor, School of Public Health
Katherine Kuhn, MS, Senior Professional Research Assistant and Clinical Coordinator
Shannon Pretzel, BA, Senior Professional Research Assistant and Research Coordinator

Clinical Fellows

Thanh-Ha Luu, MD, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Fellow

Former Fellows

The fellows who train in the division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility spend at least 18 months working on their research project which also serves as the fellowship thesis. During this time they acquire the research skills required for either laboratory bench research or clinical and translational research, as appropriate for the chose project. Each fellow interviews with various PIs in the Department and makes a decision as to which lab or research team they would like to choose for their research. The PIs and the fellow then work together to formulate a plan in which to establish a core project and focus for their research. After identifying a PI mentor the fellow then spends the dedicated 1.5 years in an intimate mentorship program in which the fellow executes their project and generally leads to a presentation at a national society and a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The Colorado REI fellowship enrolled the first fellow in 2009. We have graduated 7 Seven fellows in the last 9 years. All fellows who have taken the REI Board have successfully defended REI Fellowship thesis. Below is a table of research projects of REI fellows by year of graduation or expected graduation.

Year	Fellow	Project/Paper	Primary Mentor(s)	Notable Honors/Awards
2012	Isiah Harris, MD	The Impacts of Diet and Obesity on Reproductive Function and Physiology: The Role of perilipin/ADRP/TIP47 (PAT) Proteins in the Ovary	Jim McManaman, PhD	Completed MS in clinical research during fellowship.
2013	Lauren Roth, MD	Relative Hypogonadism in Obese Women is Explained by a Blunted Pituitary Response to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone	Nanette Santoro, MD	Prize paper candidate at the annual meeting of American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
2014	Sahar Stephens, MD	Association of Ovarian Lipid Droplet-Associated Proteins with Fertility	Jim McManaman, PhD
2015	Zain Al-Safi, MD	Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Reproductive Hormones in Obese Women	Alex Polotsky, MD	Prize paper candidate at the annual meeting of American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
2016	Gosia Skaznik-Wikiel, MD	Obesogenic lipid alterations as a mechanism of impaired fertility	Jim McManaman, PhD Thomas Jansson, MD PhD	Awarded T32 Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI) training grant.
2017	Natalia Grindler, MD	The Effect of the Endocrine Disrupting Chemical DEHP on Placental and Ovarian Imprinted Genes and Ovarian Function in Subsequent Generations	Thomas Jansson, MD PhD Theresa Powell, PhD	Awarded T32 Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI) training grant and Awarded American Association of Ob/Gyn Foundation (AAOGF) grant.
2018	Jessie Bauer, MD	Regulation of FSH Throughout the Menstrual Cycle after Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Women	Alex Polotsky, MD
2019	Sara Babcock-Gilbert, MD	Diet-Induced Obesity and Altered Follicle Stimulating Hormone Pulsatility	Raj Kumar, PhD	Awarded Loan Repayment Program Grant from NICHD in Infertility and Reproduction.
2020	Cassandra Roeca. MD	The Impact of IVF and Vitrification on Trophoblast Invasion and Placental Function	Thomas Jansson, MD, PhD Theresa Powell, PhD

R01HD081162 PI: Polotsky

08/28/2015-05/31/2021 NIH-NICHD

Dysregulation of FSH in Obesity: Functional and Statistical Analysis

The objective is to determine the causes for dysregulation of FSH and its feedback in obesity

U10HD038998 PI: Polotsky

Colorado Reproductive Medicine Unit

The aim is to provide ongoing monitoring for patients conceiving from RMN clinical trials

R25HD075737 PI:Santoro, Co-I: Polotsky

08/1/2018-04/30/2023 NIH-NICHD

The Clinical Research/Reproductive Scientist Training Program (CREST)

The aim is to provide a training program in reproductive medicine for practicing physicians.

Bradford AP, Jones K, Kechris K, Chosich J, Montague M, Warren WC, May MC, Al-Safi Z, Kuokkanen S, Appt SE, Polotsky AJ. Joint MiRNA/mRNA Expression Profiling Reveals Changes Consistent with Development of Dysfunctional Corpus Luteum after Weight Gain. PLoS One. 2015 Aug 10;10(8):e0135163
Polotsky AJ, Allshouse AA, Casson PR, Coutifaris C, Diamond MP, Christman GM, Schlaff WD, Alvero R, Trussell JC, Krawetz SA, Santoro N, Eisenberg E, Zhang H, Legro RS; Reproductive Medicine Network. Impact of Male and Female Weight, Smoking, and Intercourse Frequency on Live Birth in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Jun;100(6):2405-12
Ryan AR, Wang S, Alvero R, Polotsky AJ. Prolonged gonadotropin stimulation for assisted reproductive technology cycles is associated with decreased pregnancy rates for all women except for women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Assist Reprod Genet. 2014 Jul;31(7):837-42
Polotsky AJ, Allshouse A, Crawford SL, Harlow SD, Khalil N, Kazlauskaite R, Santoro N, Legro RS. Relative Contributions of Oligomenorrhea and Hyperandrogenemia to the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Midlife Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:2120
Merhi Z, Keltz J, Zapantis A, Younger J, Berger D, Lieman HJ, Jindal SK, Polotsky AJ. Male Adiposity Impairs Clinical Pregnancy Rate by In Vitro Fertilization without Affecting Day 3 Embryo Quality. Obesity 2013:21:1608-12
Sermondade N, Faure C, Fezeu L, Shayeb G, Bonde JP, Jensen TK, Van Wely M, Cao J, Martini AC, Eskandar M, Chavarro JE, Koloszar S, Twigt J, Ramlau-Hansen CH, Borges Jr. E, Lotti F, Steegers-Theunissen RPM, Zorn B, Polotsky AJ, La Vignera S, Eskenazi B, Tremellen K, Magnusdottir EV, Fejes I, Hercberg S, Lévy R, Czernichow S. Body mass index in relation to sperm count: an updated systematic review and collaborative meta-analysis. Human Reproduction Update 2013; 19:221-31
Kundu MC, May MC, Chosich J, Bradford AP, Lasley B, Gee N, Santoro N, Appt SE, Polotsky AJ. Assessment of Luteal Function in the Vervet Monkey as a Means to Develop a Model for Obesity-Related Reproductive Phenotype. Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2013;59:74-81
Polotsky AJ, Allshouse A, Crawford SL, Harlow SD, Khalil N, Santoro N, Legro RS. Relative Contributions of Oligomenorrhea and Hyperandrogenemia to the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Midlife Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E868-77
Keltz J, Zapantis A, Jindal SK, Lieman HJ, Santoro N, Polotsky AJ. Overweight Men: Clinical Pregnancy after ART is decreased in IVF but not in ICSI Cycles. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2010; 27:539-44
Polotsky AJ, Hailpern S, Skurnick J, Lo J, Sternfeld B, Santoro N. Association of adolescent obesity and lifetime nulliparity-SWAN, the study of women’s health across the nation. Fertil Steril. 2010; 93:2004-11

Contact Info

Olivia Castillo
Division Administrator
12700 East 19th Avenue
Room 3000D, MS 8613
Aurora, CO 80045

Phone: (303) 724-4144

Contact Info

Olivia Castillo
Division Administrator
12700 East 19th Avenue
Room 3000D, MS 8613
Aurora, CO 80045

Phone: (303) 724-4144

Obstetrics and Gynecology (SOM)

CU Anschutz

Academic Office One

12631 East 17th Avenue

4th Floor

Aurora, CO 80045

303-724-2041

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CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

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Polotsky Lab

Our Faculty

Alex J. Polotsky, MD, MS

Nanette F. Santoro, MD

Andrew Bradford, PhD

Irene Schauer, MD, PhD

Professional Research Assistants

Clinical Fellows

Former Fellows

Fresh Donor Egg Better Than Frozen for IVF: Study

How Omega 3 Fats May Improve Fertility

Fresh Eggs for IVF Offer Slightly Better Birth Outcomes

Pretherapy fitness effort may up pregnancies in women with PCOS

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Improves Luteal Function in Obese Women

Omega-3s Improve Reproductive Hormone Profile In Normal-Weight Women

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Obstetrics and Gynecology (SOM)

Polotsky Lab

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Obstetrics and Gynecology (SOM)