Department of Obstetrics + Gynecology

Named for Patrick Catalano, MD, Vice Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Tufts University School of Medicine, the Catalano Laboratory focuses on maternal metabolism in parents whose pregnancies are impacted by diabetes and obesity, as well as the short- and long-term effects of those conditions on parents and their children. 
 

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The House Laboratory is named for Michael House, MD, an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Tufts University School of Medicine and a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine at Tufts Medical Center. The lab studies the causes of cervical shortening and insufficiency in pregnancy. 
 

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The O'Tierney-Ginn Laboratory, named for Principal Investigator in the MIRI Perrie O’Tierney-Ginn, PhD, seeks to understand how the maternal nutritional environment (metabolism, diet and body composition) affects placental function as well as fetal nutrient delivery and growth.  

Dr. O’Tierney-Ginn’s work is funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
 

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The Yen Laboratory, named for Principal Investigator, Elizabeth Yen, MD, MA, investigates how prenatal opioids exert a sex-dependent impact on the developing brain. Dr. Yen is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine and a Neonatologist at Tufts Medical Center.

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At the OBGYN + Pediatrics Research Laboratory, six clinical research coordinators and a research director support the full range of clinical trials, including: 

• Investigational drugs 
• Devices
• Biomarkers 
• Surveys
• Quality improvement projects

These trials may be federally funded, industry-supported or investigator-initiated and supported by institutional funds.

At the Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), we’re dedicated to better understanding the intimate biological connection between child and parent during and after pregnancy.  

The in-utero environment has a major influence on the developing fetus, altering their gene expression and health outcomes by extension. Pregnancy is also a “stress test” for later health problems in the biological parent, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 
 

We have an active clinical trials program whereby we can offer the latest potential therapeutics. We are an affiliate member of the NRG, a national cooperative clinical trials organization that is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. Membership in NRG assures that our patients have access to the latest and most effective treatments for their disease.

Sebastian Ramos, MD 
Dr. Sebastian Ramos is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist and clinical researcher who focuses on the role of systemic racism in obstetric and neonatal outcomes. His current funding includes a K12 Building Interdisciplinary Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) Award.

Alexandra Spadola, MD
Dr. Spadola is one of the PI's for the NIDDK funded, GO MOMs study, a large prospective cohort investigation attempting to identify a better way to diagnose gestational diabetes.

Erika Werner, MD, MS
Dr. Werner's research focuses on using pregnancy as a stress test to identify life-long disease risk. She is a national expert on diabetes in pregnancy, preeclampsia and cost-effective practices in obstetrics and is particularly interested in improving postpartum care. She has had funding from the NICHD, the NIDDK, and the American Diabetes Association.
 

We have clinical research coordinators that support the full range of clinical trials, including:

• Investigational drugs 
• Devices
• Biomarkers 
• Surveys
• Quality improvement projects

These trials may be federally funded, industry-supported or investigator-initiated and supported by institutional funds.
 

Danielle Roncari, MD
Dr. Roncari performs mixed-methods analyses examining contraceptive decision-making.  

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Megan L. Evans, MD, MPH 
The research of Megan L. Evans, MD, MPH, focuses on long active reversible contraception (LARC) access, community health considerations, health care policy, physician advocacy and resident education.

She’s currently the principal investigator for a nationwide project working to better understand sterilization procedures and trends in the Medicaid population.