ONLINE: Reducing the Risks to Women’s Health

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFi6QNwlsa453cKBy5faAYw

press release: Women’s health is a complex and multifaceted area of medicine that requires exploration from many different angles. That’s because women’s health covers such a broad range of issues — from biological characteristics unique to women and factors that affect both genders to the study of diseases and a woman’s physical and mental well-being. Tremendous progress has been achieved in expanding the scope and depth of women’s health research. But there remains a vital need for continued innovation.

The next Wisconsin Medicine livestream will feature a panel of doctors and medical leaders who will offer insights on the latest efforts to combat women’s complex health concerns. The presentation will be moderated by Robert Golden, the dean of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

Our Guests:

Dr. Laurel W. Rice is chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. Rice attended college and medical school at the University of Colorado. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as a fellowship in gynecologic oncology, at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston. After four years on the faculty of Massachusetts General Hospital, the University of Virginia (UVA) recruited her to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. During her 14 years at UVA, Rice was appointed chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, established a fellowship in gynecologic oncology, and served as vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Nationally recognized as an expert in the care of women with gynecologic malignancies, Rice has published extensively in her field. Her research focuses on hormones and human malignancies, specifically endometrial carcinoma. 

Dr. Lee Gravatt Wilke is the chair of the Division of General Surgery, the director of the University of Wisconsin Health Breast Center in Madison, and a professor of surgery. She received her undergraduate and medical degrees from Duke University. From 1993 to 2000, Wilke attended the University of Michigan for her surgical residency. In 2000, Wilke returned to Duke and during her 10 years there, she assisted in the development of a novel breast cancer survivor and breast wellness clinic for high-risk patients. In 2010, Wilke moved to Madison as the director of the UW Health Breast Center and established a five-year strategic plan to rapidly expand the research and clinical programs. Wilke is currently the chair of the research committee for the American Society of Breast Surgeons as well as member of the board of directors for the Alliance for Clinical Trials. She is the principal investigator for the UW NCTN LAPs grant and works locally and nationally to provide innovative device and pharmaceutical clinical trials for cancer patients

Dr. Heidi Brown is the associate division director of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery and holds appointments in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urology at the UW. Her research, focused on improving access to effective treatments for pelvic floor disorders, has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Wisconsin Partnership Program, and the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at UW. She chairs research committees for both the American Urogynecologic Society and the International Urogynecological Association. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed articles and is a recipient of numerous academic awards for excellence in research, teaching, and patient care.

Dr. Lisa Barroilhet is the Dolores A. Buchler, MD, Faculty Fellow in Gynecologic Oncology and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She completed her four-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology at University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. After finishing her residency in 2009, she began her three-year clinical and research fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. She holds board certification in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Barroilhet joined the UW Carbone Cancer Center in 2012. Her interests include minimally invasive surgery, healthy lifestyle modification, and survivorship. Her primary research interest is drug development. She is the leader of the disease-oriented work group for gynecologic malignancies, which reviews and prioritizes clinical research activity and provides ongoing planning for new investigator-initiated studies.