Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine
Division Director, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility MU Health Care

NextGen Focus Area: Immunology and Reproductive Biology

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects approximately 1% of women and has major health implications, such as increased risk of osteoporosis, infertility, and major depressive disorder. There is increasing evidence that many cases of idiopathic POI are caused by autoimmunity that is not well-characterized. Ovarian autoantibodies have been described in autoimmune POI (A-POI) patients and these patients are also more likely to develop autoimmune thyroid or adrenal insufficiency. Despite the clear connection between POI and autoimmunity, there is no current treatment for the oophoritis of A-POI, while therapies for other autoimmune conditions continue to advance. For this reason, understanding the immune microenvironment of the ovary is critical to understanding the pathogenesis of A-POI.  We have developed mouse models to understand the function of estrogen signaling in natural killer cells and macrophages and the impact on normal ovarian function, fertility, and protection from viral oophoritis.

Precision Health Impact:

• Investigation of the effects of estrogen on leukocytes in ovarian function and autoimmunity
• Studying the unique properties of ovarian leukocytes

Publications:

Brodeur TY, Hanson B, Maredia NN, Tessier KM, Esfandiari N, Dahl S, et al. Increasing Endometrial Thickness Beyond 8 mm Does Not Alter Clinical Pregnancy Rate After Single Euploid Embryo Transfer. Reprod Sci. 2024 Apr;31(4):1045–52.

Brodeur TY, Grow D, Esfandiari N. Access to Fertility Care in Geographically Underserved Populations, a Second Look. Reprod Sci. 2022 Jul;29(7):1983–7.

Haddadi NS, Mande P, Brodeur TY, Hao K, Ryan GE, Moses S, et al. Th2 to Th1 Transition Is Required for Induction of Skin Lesions in an Inducible and Recurrent Murine Model of Cutaneous Lupus-Like Inflammation. Front Immunol. 2022 Jun 26;13:883375.

Mande P, Zirak B, Ko WC, Taravati K, Bride KL, Brodeur TY, et al. Fas ligand promotes an inducible TLR-dependent model of cutaneous lupus-like inflammation. J Clin Invest. 2018 Jul 2;128(7):2966–78.

Brodeur TY, Robidoux TE, Weinstein JS, Craft J, Swain SL, Marshak-Rothstein A. IL-21 Promotes Pulmonary Fibrosis through the Induction of Profibrotic CD8+ T Cells. J Immunol. 2015 Dec 1;195(11):5251–60.

PubMed

Lab Site

Email: tb9qp@health.missouri.edu
Department website: https://medicine.missouri.edu/departments/obstetrics-gynecology-and-womens-health/faculty