Medical research is the foundation of modern medicine. It's critical physicians have a solid grasp on the methodologies of research so they may appropriately apply new scientific evidence to daily clinical practice. At Loma Linda University, it is our goal to contribute to the main body of scientific knowledge as well as advance the fields of obstetrics and gynecology.

A wide range of research opportunities exist within the department, including:

  • Basic and translational science
  • Epidemiology and population based research
  • Clinical trials

Research Curriculum Highlights

  • Residents take a dedicated six-week research elective in the PGY-3 year.
  • Our structured research curriculum focuses on hands-on learning of basic research principles.
  • Our program offers dedicated faculty mentors and a proven track record of research publication.
  • Opportunities to present research at local, regional and national meetings
  • You have access to large population databases, basic science labs and a dedicated epidemiologist/statistician.
  • Research spans a wide variety of obstetric and gynecologic specialty areas with collaboration across multiple facilities.

Department Publications

March 2021 – April 2022

  • Chesnokov M, Khan I, Park Y, Ezell J, Mehta G, Yousif A, Hong L, Buckanovich R, Takahashi A, Chefetz I. The MEK1/2 Pathway as a Therapeutic Target in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Mar 18;13(6):1369. PMID: 33803586
  • Wang H, Chirshev E, Hojo N, Suzuki T, Bertucci A, Pierce M, Perry C, Wang R, Zink J, Glackin C, Ioffe Y, Unternaehrer JJ. The epithelial-mesenchymal transcription factor SNAI1 represses transcription of the tumor suppressor miRNA let-7 in cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Mar 23;13(6):1469. doi: 10.3390/cancers13061469. PMID: 33806868
  • Peverini, R, Fayard, E, Martin C, Merritt TA.  The Role of Obstetricians and Neonatologists in Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination: Healthier Mothers and Infants.  Neonatology Today.  April 2021. Volume 16, issue 4, pgs 60-63
  • Yao R, Martin CB, Haase VS, Tse BC, Nishino MM, Gheorghe C, Balli K. Initial clinical characteristics of gravid SARS-CoV-2 positive patients and the risk of progression to severe COVID-19 disease. AJOG MFM. April 2021. PMID 33819676
  • Molina E, Hong L, Chefetz I. AMPKα-like proteins as LKB1 downstream targets in cell physiology and cancer. J Mol Med (Ber). 2021 May;99(5):651-662. PMID 33661342 
  • Takahashi A, Yousif A, Hong L, Chefetz I. Premature ovarian insufficiency: pathogenesis and therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cell. J Mol Med (Ber). 2021 May;99(5):637-650. PMID: 33641066
  • Ioffe Y, Burruss S, Yao R, Tse B, Cryer A, Mukheree K, Hong LJ. When the Balloon Goes Up, Blood Transfusion Goes Down: A Pilot Study of REBOA in Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorders. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2021 Aug 13;6(1):e000750. PMID: 34466661
  • Johnson JL, Mirasol S, Kapila C, Ok T and Siddighi S. Congenital Urogenital Tract Anomalies are Associated with a Higher Rate of Radiologic Interpretation Error. Austin J Obstet Gynecol. 2021; 8(7): 1191.
  • Liu, T., Chen, Z., Chen, W., Chen, X., Hosseini, M., Yang, Z., Gheorghe C.P., Wang, C. (August 2021). A benchmarking study of SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequencing protocols using COVID-19 patient samples. iScience, 102892. 
  • Ioffe Y, Yao R, Hou E, Wheeler M, Nour M, Wang WY, Hong L. One Shot to Control Pain: Decreasing Postoperative Opioid Use in Gynecologic Oncology Patients with Intrathecal Opioid Injection. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2021 Sept 6;38:100858. PMID 34621944
  • Chirshev E, Suzuki T, Wang H, Nguyen A, Hojo N, Sanderman L, Mirshahidi S, Ioffe YJ, Unternaehrer JJ. Let-7i Reduces Aggressive Phenotype and Induces BRCAness in Ovarian Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021 Sep 15;13(18):4617. PMID: 34572843
  • Danko C, Hong L, Slater J. Multiple severe late adverse effects after definitive chemoradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer. Prec Rad Onc. 17 September 2021.
  • Hong L, Denham L, Ioffe Y. Vaginal presentation of a fetiform teratoma. Human Pathology:  Case Reports. September 2021.
  • Youssefzadeh, A. C., Glassen, G. L., Chon, A. H., Korst, L. M., Esakoff, T. F., Afshar, Y., Gheorghe C.P., Chmait, R. H. (October 2021). Dual demise following laser surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome: Analysis of 52 cases at a single fetal surgery center. Prenat Diagn, 41(12), 1548-1559. 
  • Hong L, Huynh S, Kim J, Denham L, Momeni M, Ioffe Y. Margin status post cervical conization predicts residual adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and occult adenocarcinoma in a predominantly Hispanic and White, non-Hispanic patient population. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Oct 13;11(10):1889 PMID: 34679587
  • Molina E, Hong L, Chefetz I. AMPK – related kinases: brain-ovary axis. Cells. 2021 Oct 15;10(10):2760. PMID: 34685740
  • Park BY, Boles I, Monavvari S, Patel S, Alvarez A, Phan M, Perez M, Yao R. The association between wildfire exposure in pregnancy and foetal gastroschisis: a population-based cohort study. Paediatric Perinatal Epidemiology. Nov 2021. PMID 34797578
  • Burn SC, Yao R, Diaz M, Rossi J, Contag S. Inpact of labor induction at 39 weeks gestation compared with expectant management on maternal and perinatal morbidity among a cohort of low-risk women. J Maternal Fetal Neonatal Medicine. Dec 2021. PMID 34965815
  • Shen WB, Ni J, Yao R, Goetzinger KR, Harman C, Reece EA, Wang B, Yang P. Maternal obesity increases DNA methylation and decreases RNA methylation in the human placenta. Reprod Toxicol. Dec 2021. PMID 34890771
  • Yin O, Richley M, Hadaya J, Mei J, Mok T, Fahim M, Pluym ID, Rao R, Martin C, Han CS, Benharash P, Afshar Y. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pregnancy: a bridge to delivery and pulmonary recovery for COVID-19-related severe respiratory failure. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Dec 16:S0002-9378(21)02688-0. PMID: 34922925. 
  • Lovgren T, Connealy B, Yao R, Dahlke JD. Postpartum management of hypertension and effect on readmission rates. AJOG MFM. 2022 Jan;4(1):100517. PMID 34757235
  • Misal M, Girardo M, Behbehani S, Bindra V, Hoffman MR, Lim WH, Martin C, Mehta SK, Nensi A, Soares T, Taylor D, Wagner S, Wright KN, Wasson MN. Evaluating surgical complexity of endoscopic hysterectomy: an interrater and intrarater agreement study of novel scoring tool. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2022 Jan 24:S1553-4650(22)00036-X. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35085838
  • Berry A, Salcedo A, Riba C. Atypical amniotic fluid embolism successfully treated with a novel protocol: A case report. J Case Rep Images Obstet Gynecol 2022;8:100109Z08AB2022.
  • Hong L, Rubinsak L, Benoit MF, Teoh D, Chandavarkar U, Brockmeyer A, Stevens EE, Ioffe Y, Temkin SM. Gynecologic Oncology and Inclusion of Women into the Surgical Workforce: The Canary in this Coalmine. Front Oncol. April 2022

2020 and Older

  • Chirshev E, Oberg KC, Ioffe YJ, Unternaehrer JJ. Let-7 as biomarker, prognostic indicator, and therapy for precision medicine in cancer. Clin Transl Med. 2019 Aug 28;8(1):24.
  • Chirshev E, Hojo N, Bertucci A, Sanderman L, Nguyen A, Wang H, Suzuki T, Brito E, Martinez SR, Castañón C, Mirshahidi S, Vazquez ME, Wat P, Oberg KC, Ioffe YJ, Unternaehrer JJ. Epithelial/mesenchymal heterogeneity of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma samples correlates with miRNA let-7 levels and predicts tumor growth and metastasis. Mol Oncol. 2020 Jul 11. 
  • Davidson P, Chakrabarti P, Marquesen M. Impacts of mandated data collection on syringe distribution programs in the United States. Int J Drug Policy. 2020 Apr 4;79:102725.
  • Girsen AI, Davis AS, Hintz SR, Fluharty E, Sherwin K, Trepman P, Desai A, Mansour T, Sylvester KG, Oshiro B, Blumenfeld YJ. Effects of gestational age at delivery and type of labor on neonatal outcomes among infants with gastroschisis†. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2019 Sep 1:1-6.
  • Gheorghe CP, Boring N, Mann L, Donepudi R, Lopez SM, Chauhan SP, Bhandari V, Moise KJ Jr, Johnson A, Papanna R. Neonatal Outcomes and Maternal Characteristics in Monochorionic Diamniotic Twin Pregnancies: Uncomplicated versus Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Survivors after Fetoscopic Laser Surgery. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2020;47(2):165-170.
  • Hong L, Gonzalez R, Unternaehrer J, Ioffe Y. Germline BRCA Mutation Rates in Latina Women Presenting for Gynecologic Oncology Care. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2020;85(3):214-221.
  • Larson S, Yang S, Chacko-Stacey A, Mason D, Hart E. Self-Resolving Vulvar Breast Tissue Arising in the Post-Partum Setting: A Case Report and Review of Literature. J Hum Lact. 2020 May;36(2):348-351.
  • Park BY, Cryer A, Betoni J, McLean L, Figueroa H, Contag SA, Yao R. Outcomes of labor induction at 39 weeks in pregnancies with a prior cesarean delivery. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020 Aug 26:1-6.
  • Temkin SM, Rubinsak L, Benoit MF, Hong L, Chandavarkar U, Heisler CA, Berry LK, Rimel BJ, McGuire WP. Take me to your leader: Reporting structures and equity in academic gynecologic oncology. Gynecol Oncol. 2020 Jun;157(3):759-764.

Other Accomplishments:

Courtney Martin - Editor/lead author on the selected sections for the CMQCCC Hemorrhage Toolkit v3.0. OB Hemorrhage Toolkit V3.0 | California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (cmqcc.org)