Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship ProgramDetroit Medical Center
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Perinatology Research Branch of NICHD, NIH, DHHS
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
“The Perinatology
Research Branch was
created to bring all
talent, clinical and
basic, to solve the
problems that affect
pregnant women and
their unborn babies.”
Roberto Romero
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
• Director, DMC / WSU / PRB
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program
• Associate Director
Combined Maternal-Fetal Medicine /
Medical Genetics and Genomics Fellowship Program
• Director of Fetal Cardiology
Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD, NIH, DHHS
• Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Wayne State University School of Medicine
WELCOME
Lami Yeo, MD, FACOG, FAIUMWelcome to our Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Fellowship Training Program. Our goal is to
train individuals to provide specialized
patient care in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, as
well as to prepare candidates for a career
in academic medicine as physician-
scientists. This is a combined program
sponsored by the Detroit Medical Center,
Wayne State University, and Perinatology
Research Branch of NICHD, NIH, DHHS.
Since 1983, our Fellowship has emphasized a diverse and multi-
disciplinary approach to complications of pregnancy. Fellows have
access to state-of-the-art equipment, dedicated laboratory and
research space, and the opportunity to foster close relationships
with those in other disciplines. The Fellowship emphasizes clinical,
translational, and basic science research. The Perinatology Research
Branch publishes approximately 50 peer-reviewed papers per
year and has received numerous awards for both clinical and
translational research.
The Program is accredited by the ACGME and approved for seven
positions total. Ideal candidates for the Program are well-trained
individuals who thrive in a rigorous, intellectual, and challenging
environment and who are goal-oriented and self-motivated. Many
graduates of our Program are leading academicians, physician-
scientists, and researchers in our field. We invite you to become a
valued member of our incredible team.
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Roberto Romero, MD, D.Med.Sci.
• Chair and Frank P. Iacobell Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Wayne State University School of Medicine
• Specialist-in-Chief, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Detroit Medical Center, Hutzel Women’s Hospital
• Project Site Manager - contract between Wayne
State University and NICHD
• Director, Perinatal Research Initiative
Wayne State University
Chaur-Dong Hsu, MD, MPH, FACOG
• Chief, Perinatology Research Branch
Director, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Intramural Division, NICHD, NIH, DHHS
• Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Michigan
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Michigan State University
Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics
Wayne State University
• Editor-in-Chief for Obstetrics
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Our Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Fellowship Program
combines the resources of: 1) the Detroit Medical Center, the
largest medical facility in Michigan; 2) the dynamic research
and teaching expertise of faculty at the Wayne State
University School of Medicine; and 3) the Perinatology
Research Branch of NICHD, NIH, DHHS. Ours is the only MFM
Fellowship Program affiliated with the NICHD/NIH.
Fellowship Goals and Objectives:
• Train physicians to provide specialized patient care in
Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Prepare candidates for a career in academic medicine as
physician-scientists
The Fellowship Program is housed at the Detroit Medical Center
and Wayne State University campus in Detroit, Michigan,
where the Perinatology Research Branch is located. The
Program is approved by the ACGME for seven positions.
A combined Maternal-Fetal Medicine / Medical Genetics and
Genomics Fellowship is also available. Candidates may also
opt to complete a PhD degree, which is based in the
Department of Physiology at Wayne State University.
INTRODUCTION: Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Detroit Medical Center facilities include:
• Michigan’s only Maternal Special Care Unit
• Five-bed specialized Intensive Care Unit
• 20 Mother/Baby Units
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit reserved for
critically ill newborns
• Prematurity Prevention Unit
At the Detroit Medical Center, the obstetrical and high-risk
antepartum services, as well as incoming maternal transports lead
to diversity and a high volume of complicated pregnancies. Both
MFM Division faculty and other selected subspecialists supervise
the Fellows and offer mentorship and guidance throughout the
training period to prepare them for independent practice within
the subspecialty. There is a strong emphasis on the prenatal
diagnosis of congenital anomalies using ultrasound, and on the
performance of antepartum procedures, intrapartum procedures,
and invasive procedures, such as amniocentesis. Fellows are also
expected to gain competence in understanding the effects of
pregnancy on the fetus/neonate.
Clinical Rotations include:
• High-Risk Maternal-Fetal Medicine (outpatient, inpatient)
• Obstetrical Ultrasound and Fetal Echocardiography
• Labor and Delivery
• Intensive Care Unit
• Elective rotations (e.g. Obstetric Anesthesiology, Pediatric
Cardiology, Gynecologic Ultrasound)
Clinical Curriculum
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
The Fellowship includes a weekly comprehensive, broad, and
diverse educational program, which includes a daily Research
Rounds forum that is unique to our institution. Special lecturers
from around the world are regularly invited to discuss their
work and advances within the field. Education of Fellows is
an important priority of the Program.
Educational opportunities:
• MFM Fellowship Course Curriculum Lecture Series
• PRB Ultrasound Conference
o Journal Club
o Fetal Echocardiography
o Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging
o Ultrasound teaching lectures
o Abnormal fetal case reviews and lectures
• Perinatal/Neonatal Conference
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Grand Rounds
• Annual OB/GYN Ultrasound Symposium
• Research Rounds at the PRB
• Special lectures hosted by the PRB
• Annual Wayne Day Conference
• Other Conferences and Scientific Meetings at the PRB
Educational Curriculum
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Neutrophil extracellular traps in the human chorioamniotic membranes
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Research
Fellows complete 18 months of research in state-of-the-art
facilities and laboratories. The Perinatology Research Branch
has both clinical and laboratory divisions available, including
an animal facility. The Program has laboratories focusing on
placental pathology, molecular biology, immunology, and
cytogenetics. There is a focus on original clinical, translational,
and basic research in parturition, reproductive immunology,
microbiology and infectious disease, placental pathology and
biology, biomarker discovery, and systems biology in
reproduction. Novel and advanced research is also conducted
in fetal and maternal sonography, fetal cardiology, and fetal
MRI. Scientific publications are a strong emphasis. Our Program
provides Fellows with one of the most well-developed
academic environments available in Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Fellows are mentored by the Faculty in combination
with a multidisciplinary team of experts. It is
expected that a research thesis project will be
completed before graduating from the Program.
Databases in multiple disciplines (e.g. imaging,
placental pathology) are available, as well as a
Perinatal Epidemiology Unit providing epidemiology
and biostatistical expertise.
Placental vascular cast
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Created in collaboration with the NICHD, the Center for
Advanced Obstetrical Care and Research (CAOCR) is
situated within Hutzel Women’s Hospital of the Detroit
Medical Center. The CAOCR is a state-of-the-art facility
that utilizes the most advanced surveillance and
ultrasound techniques. The Center evaluates high-risk
pregnancy conditions by conducting ongoing research
and providing specialized patient evaluation. Research
protocols focus on women who have a history of, or who
are at risk for:
• Preterm birth
• Pregnancy loss
• Small- or large-for-gestational-age fetus
• Twin gestation
• Pre-eclampsia
Fellows participate in the implementation of all research
protocols and have the opportunity to learn about the
design, execution, and analysis of longitudinal studies.
Fellows also gain experience in the design and execution
of randomized clinical trials.
Center for Advanced Obstetrical Care and Research (CAOCR)
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
The C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and
Development, a basic research facility housing
more than 28,000 square feet of laboratory
space, is located on the campus of Wayne
State University School of Medicine. This facility
is specifically dedicated to laboratories where
research in Obstetrics and Gynecology is
conducted. The primary mission is to foster
basic and clinical biomedical research on
reproduction and development.
C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development
In addition to investigator labs, offices, and animal
facilities, the C.S. Mott Center houses:
• Research laboratories of the PRB
• Clinical Research area of the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Vivarium
• Implantation Laboratory of the Reproductive
Biology and Medicine Branch, NICHD Intramural
Research Division
• Wayne State University Genomics Facility
• Bioinformatics Center
• Systems Biology section Fetal mouse
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Research Divisions of the Perinatology Research Branch
• Study the mechanisms of disease of
the Great Obstetrical Syndromes
• Study the progress of normal and
abnormal labor
• Define the progesterone-regulated
mediators that allow for the
maintenance of uterine quiescence
across gestation
• Identify novel circulating factors
that may serve as early predictive
biomarkers for an increased risk of
premature labor
Labor and Delivery
• Develop novel and innovative
diagnostic techniques in fetal and
maternal imaging
• Conduct research of the fetus
and mother utilizing three- and
four-dimensional imaging, MRI,
and other sonographic modalities
• Study the role of fetal and
maternal imaging for the
prediction of perinatal outcome
Fetal and Maternal Imaging Placental Laboratory
• Study the relationship between
placental lesions and adverse
pregnancy outcomes
• Determine the mechanisms of
disease underlying placental
lesions
• Study the role of fetal
membranes in pregnancy
complications
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
• Perform anatomic and
functional evaluation of the
fetal heart in normal and
high-risk pregnancies using
ultrasound
• Improve prenatal diagnosis
of congenital heart defects
• Develop algorithms to allow
trained clinicians to generate
key views to examine the
fetal heart after acquiring
sonographic volume datasets
Fetal Cardiology
• Conduct basic research on the
immunological pathways that lead
to obstetrical disorders
• Improve understanding of the
immune mechanisms of disease
• Develop methods for the early
diagnosis, monitoring, treatment,
and prevention of pregnancy
complications, with an emphasis on
preterm birth
• Train post-graduate and
graduate-level professionals in
perinatal immunology
Perinatal Immunobiology
Research Divisions of the Perinatology Research Branch
• Study the mechanisms of disease
in pregnancy complications
• Develop novel diagnostic,
therapeutic, and preventative
strategies to reduce perinatal
morbidity and mortality
Biomarkers
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
• Apply advanced computational
biology and bioinformatics
methods to the study of clinical
conditions in Maternal-Fetal
Medicine
• Interpret biological data
obtained via high-throughput
technologies such as gene and
miRNA microarrays, methylation
and PCR arrays, exon arrays,
and sequencing technologies
• Perform gene ontology and
pathway analyses
Bioinformatics and
Computational Biology
• Characterize the perinatal microbiome
longitudinally across pregnancy
• Elucidate potential interactions between
vaginal, oral, and intestinal microbiomes
and microbial invasion of the amniotic
cavity
• Identify and evaluate specific microbial
biomarkers of obstetrical syndromes,
especially preterm labor and clinical
chorioamnionitis
• Manage the perinatal microbiome to
prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes
Perinatal Infectious Disease and
Human Microbiome
Research Divisions of the Perinatology Research Branch
• Study the expression and regulation of
different biomarkers involved in maternal
and fetal disease
• Conduct high-throughput technologies,
such as PCR and ELISA, multiplex,
Western blot, cell culture, protein
biochemistry, and molecular biology, as
well as animal work
Perinatal Translational
Science Laboratory
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
• Assess the relationship between
maternal, placental, neonatal,
and perinatal risk factors and
subsequent infant outcomes
• Monitor trends in survival and
the incidence of various
neonatal disease entities related
to perinatal risk factors,
interventions, biochemical and
biophysical markers of diseases,
and fetal growth
Neonatology
• Investigate the antecedents,
distributions, consequences, and
opportunities for the prevention of
pathological perinatal outcomes,
including childhood handicap with
roots in pregnancy
• Provide training on optimal study
designs, analytic methods, and
interpretations in the observational
investigations of epidemiology and
the prevention of pathological
perinatal outcomes
Perinatal Epidemiology
Research Divisions of the Perinatology Research Branch
• Conduct original research on the
evolution of human placentation
and its relationship to disease
• Use the tools of molecular
evolutionary biology to understand
the biology of normal pregnancy
and adverse pregnancy outcome
Molecular Evolution of Reproduction
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
• Study immune responses of the mother and fetus to
understand physiologic and pathologic pregnancy
conditions
• Conduct translational and basic science research
relevant to normal and abnormal pregnancy
conditions
• Perform immunophenotyping by polychromatic flow
cytometry
• Sort cells with a high-speed flow cytometer
Cytomics
Research Divisions of the Perinatology Research Branch
• Develop quantitative magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) techniques to assess fetal and
neonatal brain physiology and injury
• Apply resting-state functional connectivity
MRI to study the earliest forms of cerebral
connectivity in the human brain
• Apply multi-modal MRI to discover and
characterize fetal functional and structural
brain development in health and disease
Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Scholarly ActivityFellows are exposed to research design, grant
writing, research methodology, and scientific writing
through a breadth and depth of resources:
Educational Courses and Lectures:
• University of Michigan Summer Session in
Epidemiology
• Lectures on biostatistics, conceptual statistics,
perinatal epidemiology, perinatal research, and
bioinformatics/data analysis
• Lectures on basic science techniques (e.g.
immunohistochemistry, proteomics)
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Annual Young
Investigator’s Conference on Maternal-Fetal-
Neonatal-Reproductive Medicine
Other Scholarly Activity:
• Oral or poster presentations of scientific work at
local/national meetings and conferences
• Attendance at the Society for Maternal-Fetal
Medicine and other scientific meetings
• Authorship in scientific publications
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Hernandez-Andrade E, Maymon E, Luewan S, Bhatti G, Mehrmohammadi M, Erez O,
Pacora P, Done B, Hassan SS, Romero R. A soft cervix, characterized by shear-wave
elastography, in women with short or with normal cervical length at 18-24 weeks is
associated with a higher prevalence of spontaneous preterm delivery. J Perinat Med
2018;46:489-501.
Conde-Agudelo A, Romero R, Da Fonseca E, O’Brien JM, Cetingoz E, Creasy GW,
Hassan SS, Erez O, Pacora P, Nicolaides KH. Vaginal progesterone is as effective as
cervical cerclage to prevent preterm birth in women with a singleton gestation, previous
spontaneous preterm birth, and a short cervix: updated indirect comparison meta-
analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2018;219:10-25.
Tarca AL, Romero R, Gudicha DW, Erez O, Hernandez-Andrade E, Yeo L, Bhatti G,
Pacora P, Maymon E, Hassan SS. A new customized fetal growth standard for African
American women: the PRB/NICHD Detroit study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2018; 218:S679-
S691.e4.
Krishnamurthy U, Yadav BK, Jella PK, Haacke EM, Hernandez-Andrade E, Mody S, Yeo
L, Hassan SS, Romero R, Neelavalli J. Quantitative flow imaging in human umbilical
vessels in utero using nongated 2D phase contrast MRI. J Magn Reson Imaging
2018;48:283-289.
Romero R, Conde-Agudelo A, El-Refaie W, Rode L, Brizot ML, Cetingoz E, Serra V, Da
Fonseca E, Abdelhafez MS, Tabor A, Perales A, Hassan SS, Nicolaides KH. Vaginal
progesterone decreases preterm birth and neonatal morbidity and mortality in women
with a twin gestation and a short cervix: an updated meta-analysis of individual patient
data. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017;49:303-314
Gomez-Lopez N, Romero R, Xu Y, Garcia-Flores V, Leng Y, Panaitescu B, Miller D,
Abrahams VM, Hassan SS. Inflammasome assembly in the chorioamniotic membranes
during spontaneous labor at term. Am J Reprod Immunol 2017;77:10.1111
Erez O, Romero R, Maymon E, Chaemsaithong P, Done B, Pacora P, Panaitescu B,
Chaiworapongsa T, Hassan SS, Tarca AL. The prediction of late-onset preeclampsia:
results from a longitudinal proteomics study. PLoS One. 2017;12:e0181468.
Pique-Regi R, Romero R, Tarca AL, Luca F, Xu Y, Alazizi A, Leng Y, Hsu CD, Gomez-
Lopez N. Does the human placenta express the canonical cell entry mediators for
SARS-CoV-2? Elife 2020;9:e58716.
Tarca AL, Romero R, Pique-Regi R, Pacora P, Done B, Kacerovsky M, Bhatti G, Jaiman
S, Hassan SS, Hsu CD, Gomez-Lopez N. Amniotic fluid cell-free transcriptome: a
glimpse into fetal development and placental cellular dynamics during normal
pregnancy. BMC Med Genomics 2020; 13:25
Jaiman S, Romero R, Pacora P, Jung E, Bhatti G, Yeo L, Kim YM, Kim B, Kim CJ, Kim JS,
Qureshi F, Jacques SM, Erez O, Gomez-Lopez N, Hsu CD. Disorders of placental villous
maturation in fetal death. J Perinat Med 2020 Apr 1.
Yeo L, Romero R. New and advanced features of fetal intelligent navigation
echocardiography (FINE) or 5D heart. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020:1-19.
Bhatti G, Romero R, Cherukuri K, Gudicha DW, Yeo L, Kavdia M, Tarca AL. Fetal
growth percentile software: a tool to calculate estimated fetal weight percentiles for 6
standards. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020; 222:625-628.
Gomez-Lopez N, Romero R, Xu Y, Miller D, Arenas-Hernandez M, Garcia-Flores V,
Panaitescu B, Galaz J, Hsu CD, Para R, Berry SM. Fetal T cell activation in the amniotic
cavity during preterm labor: a potential mechanism for a subset of idiopathic preterm
birth. J Immunol 2019;203:1793-1807.
Theis KR, Romero R, Winters AD, Greenberg JM, Gomez-Lopez N, Alhousseini A, Bieda
J, Maymon E, Pacora P, Fettweis JM, Buck GA, Jefferson KK, Straus JF 3rd, Erez O,
Hassan SS. Does the human placenta delivered at term have a microbiota? Results of
cultivation, quantitative real-time PCR, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and metagenomics.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019;220:267.e1-e39.
Romero R, Gomez-Lopez N, Winters AD, Jung E, Shaman M, Bieda J, Panaitescu B,
Pacora P, Erez O, Greenberg JM, Ahmad MM, Hsu CD, Theis KR. Evidence that intra-
amniotic infections are often the result of an ascending invasion – a molecular
microbiological study. J Perinat Med 2019;47:915-931.
Select Publications
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Select Publications
Korzeniewski SJ, Romero R, Chaiworapongsa T, Chaemsaithong P, Kim CJ, Kim YM, Kim
JS, Yoon BH, Hassan SS, Yeo L. Maternal plasma angiogenic index-1 (placental growth
factor/soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1) is a biomarker for the
burden of placental lesions consistent with uteroplacental underperfusion: a longitudinal
case-cohort study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016;214:629.e1-629.e17
Tarca AL, Hernandez-Andrade E, Ahn H, Garcia M, Xu Z, Korzeniewski SJ, Saker H,
Chaiworapongsa T, Hassan SS, Yeo L, Romero R. Single and Serial Fetal Biometry to
Detect Preterm and Term Small- and Large-for-Gestational-Age Neonates: A
Longitudinal Cohort Study. PLoS One 2016;11:e0164161
Hsu C-D, Cohn, I, Caban, R. Reduction and sustainability of Cesarean section surgical
site infection: an evidence-based, innovative, and multidisciplinary quality improvement
intervention bundle program. Am J Infect Control 2016; 44:1315-1320
Krishnamurthy U, Neelavalli J, Mody S, Yeo L, Jella PK, Saleem S, Korzeniewski SJ,
Cabrera MD, Ehterami S, Bahado-Singh RO, Katkuri Y, Haacke EM, Hernandez-
Andrade E, Hassan SS, Romero R. MR imaging of the fetal brain at 1.5T and 3.0T field
strengths: comparing specific absorption rate (SAR) and image quality. J Perinat Med
2015;43:209-220
Mazaki-Tovi S, Vaisbuch E, Tarca AL, Kusanovic JP, Than NG, Chaiworapongsa T, Dong
Z, Hassan SS, Romero R. Characterization of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue
transcriptome and biological pathways in pregnant and non-pregnant women: evidence
for pregnancy-related regional-specific differences in adipose tissue. PLoS One
2015;10:e0143779.
Kim CJ, Romero R, Chaemsaithong P, Chaiyasit N, Yoon BH, Kim YM. Acute
chorioamnionitis and funisitis: definition, pathologic features, and clinical significance.
Am Obstet Gynecol 2015;213:S29-52.
Romero R, Miranda J, Chaiworapongsa T, Korzeniewski SJ, Chaemsaithong P, Gotsch F,
Dong Z, Ahmed AI, Yoon BH, Hassan SS, Kim CJ, Yeo L. Prevalence and clinical
significance of sterile intra-amniotic inflammation in patients with preterm labor and
intact membranes. Am J Reprod Immunol 2014; 72:458-474
Neelavalli J, Mody S, Yeo L, Jella PK, Korzeniewski SJ, Saleem S, Katkuri Y, Bahado-
Singh RO, Hassan SS, Haacke EM, Romero R, Thomason ME. MR venography of the fetal
brain using susceptibility weighted imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging 2014;40:949-957
Romero R, Dey SK, Fisher SJ. Preterm labor: one syndrome, many causes. Science
2014;345:760-765
Yeo L, Romero R. Fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography (FINE): a novel method
for rapid, simple, and automatic examination of the fetal heart. Ultrasound Obstet
Gynecol 2013; 42:268-284
Chaiworapongsa T, Romero R, Korzeniewski SJ, Kusanovic JP, Soto E, Lam J, Dong Z,
Than NG, Yeo L, Hernandez-Andrade E, Conde-Agudelo A, Hassan SS. Maternal plasma
concentrations of angiogenic/antiangiogenic factors in the third trimester of pregnancy to
identify the patient at risk for stillbirth at or near term and severe late preeclampsia. Am
J Obstet Gynecol 2013;208:287.e1-287.e15
Hernandez-Andrade E, Hassan SS, Ahn H, Korzeniewski SJ, Yeo L, Chaiworapongsa T,
Romero R. Evaluation of cervical stiffness during pregnancy using semiquantitative
ultrasound elastography. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2013; 4Z:152-161
Thomason, M.E., Dassanayake, M.T., Shen, S., Katkuri, Y., Alexis, M., Anderson, A.L., Yeo,
L., Mody, S., Hernandez-Andrade, E., Hassan, S.S., Studholme, C., Jeong, J.W., &
Romero, R. Cross-hemispheric functional connectivity in the human fetal brain. Science
Translational Medicine 2013;5:17324
Romero R, Nicolaides K, Conde-Agudelo A, Tabor A, O'Brien JM, Cetingoz E, Da Fonseca
E, Creasy GW, Klein K, Rode L, Soma-Pillay P, Fusey S, Cam C, Alfirevic Z, Hassan SS.
Vaginal progesterone in women with an asymptomatic sonographic short cervix in the
midtrimester decreases preterm delivery and neonatal morbidity: a systematic review
and meta-analysis of individual patient data. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2012;124.e1-19
Kannan S, Dai H, Navath RS, Balakrishnan B, Jyoti A, Janisse J, Romero R, Kannan RM.
Dendrimer-based postnatal therapy for neuroinflammation and cerebral palsy in a
rabbit model. Sci Transl Med 2012;4:130ra46
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Select Publications
Yeo L, Romero R, Jodicke C, Ogge G, Lee W, Kusanovic JP, Vaisbuch E, Hassan S.
Four-chamber view and "swing technique" (FAST) echo: a novel and simple algorithm to
visualize standard fetal echocardiographic planes. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2011;
37:423-431.
Lee J, Romero R, Xu Y, Kim JS, Topping V, Yoo W, Kusanovic JP, Chaiworapongsa T,
Hassan SS, Yoon BH, Kim CJ. A signature of maternal anti-fetal rejection in spontaneous
preterm birth: chronic chorioamnionitis, anti-human leukocyte antigenantibodies, and
C4d. PLoS One 2011;6:e16806
Mittal P, Romero R, Tarca AL, Draghici S, Nhan-Chang CL, Chaiworapongsa T, Hotra J,
Gomez R, Kusanovic JP, Lee DC, Kim CJ, Hassan SS. A molecular signature of an arrest
of descent in human parturition. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2011;204:177.e15-33
Hassan SS, Romero R, Vidyadhari D, Fusey S, Baxter J, Khandelwal M, Vijayaraghavan
J, Trivedi Y, Soma-Pillay P, Sambarey P, Dayal A, Potapov V, O'Brien J, Astakhov V,
Yuzko O, Kinzler W, Dattel B, Sehdev H, Mazheika L, Manchulenko D, Gervasi MT,
Sullivan L, Conde-Agudelo A, Phillips JA, Creasy GW; for the PREGNANT Trial.
Vaginal progesterone reduces the rate of preterm birth in women with a sonographic
short cervix: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2011; 38:18-31
Espinoza J, Lee W, Comstock C, Romero R, Yeo L, Rizzo G, Paladini D, Viñals F, Achiron
R, Gindes L, Abuhamad A, Sinkovskaya E, Russell E, Yagel S. Collaborative study on 4-
dimensional echocardiography for the diagnosis of fetal heart defects: the COFEHD
study. J Ultrasound Med 2010; 29:1573-1580
Conde-Agudelo A, Romero R. Antenatal magnesium sulfate for the prevention of
cerebral palsy in preterm infants less than 34 weeks' gestation: a systematic review
and metaanalysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009;200:595-609
Kim MJ, Romero R, Kim CJ, Tarca AL, Chhauy S, LaJeunesse C, Lee DC, Draghici S,
Gotsch F, Kusanovic JP, Hassan SS, Kim JS. Villitis of unknown etiology is associated
with a distinct pattern of chemokine up-regulation in the feto-maternal and placental
compartments: Implications for conjoint maternal allograft rejection and maternal anti-
fetal Graft versus Host Disease. J Immunol 2009;182:3919-3927.
Lee W, Balasubramaniam M, Deter RL, Hassan SS, Gotsch F, Kusanovic JP, Gonçalves LF,
Romero R. Fractional limb volume--a soft tissue parameter of fetal body composition:
validation, technical considerations and normal ranges during pregnancy. Ultrasound
Obstet Gynecol 2009;33:427-440.
Espinoza J, Gonçalves LF, Romero R, Nien YK, Stites S, Kim YM, Hassan S, Gomez R, Yoon
BH, Chaiworapongsa T, Lee W, Mazor M. The prevalence and clinical significance of
amniotic fluid “sludge” in patients with preterm labor and intact membranes. Ultrasound
Obstet Gynecol 2005; 25:346-352.
Condon JC, Jeyasuria P, Faust JM, Wilson JW, Mendelson CR. A decline in the levels of
progesterone receptor coactivators in the pregnant uterus at term may antagonize
progesterone receptor function and contribute to the initiation of parturition. Proc Natl
Acad Sci USA 2003;100:9518-9523.
Gonçalves LF, Lee W, Chaiworapongsa T, Espinoza J, Schoen ML, Falkensammer P,
Treadwell M, Romero R. Four dimensional ultrasonography of the fetal heart with
spatiotemporal image correlation. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;189:1792-802.
Kim YM, Bujold E, Chaiworapongsa T, Gomez R, Yoon BH, Thaler HT, Rotmensch S,
Romero R. Failure of the physiologic transformation of the spiral arteries in patients with
preterm labor and intact membranes. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;189:1063-1069.
Jacques SM, Qureshi F. Chronic chorioamnionitis: A clinicopathologic and
immunohistochemical study. Hum Pathol 1998; 29:1457-1461.
Romero R, Yoon BH, Mazor M, Gomez R, Gonzalez R, Diamond MP, Baumann P,
Araneda H, Kenney JS, Cotton DB, et al. A comparative study of the diagnostic
performance of amniotic fluid glucose, white blood cell count, interleukin-6, and gram
stain in the detection of microbial invasion in patients with preterm premature rupture of
membranes. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1993;169:839-851
Romero R, Brody DT, Oyarzun E, Mazor M, Wu YK, Hobbins JC, Durum SK. Infection and
labor. III. Interleukin-1: a signal for the onset of parturition. Am J Obstet Gynecol
1989;160(5 Pt 1):1117-1123
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
The Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine is comprised of
faculty members who are recognized internationally for
making seminal contributions to our discipline, and
provide expert evaluation and highly specialized care to
women with high-risk and complicated pregnancies.
Clinical care includes providing pre-conceptional and
prenatal consultation as well as performing advanced
techniques, such as:
• Obstetrical ultrasonography
• Antepartum fetal health assessment
• Amniocentesis
• Umbilical fetal blood sampling
• Fetal echocardiography
• Doppler assessment of the mother and fetus
MFM physicians are available for consultation 24 hours a
day, and provide Labor and Delivery services at Hutzel
Women’s Hospital. The education and training of
Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellows is an integral part of the
Division’s mission.
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Wayne State University School of Medicine
The Wayne State University Department of Obstetrics
and Gynecology has been an internationally
recognized academic center in women’s health and
child development for more than 50 years. The
Department is committed to improving the health and
well-being of women, infants, and families of
Southeast Michigan and the surrounding areas.
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Perinatology Research Branch Faculty
• In addition to our distinguished faculty, the Fellows
have the opportunity to collaborate with
international scholars, research associates, and
physician-scientists on sabbatical at the Perinatology
Research Branch
• The PRB has hosted Nobel Laureates, Royal Society
Fellows, members of the National Academy of
Medicine, and other esteemed visiting Professors
• While building strong connections with specialists
and scientists in the United States, the Fellows have
opportunities to collaborate on research projects
with global researchers and physicians. The PRB
works with a national and international network of
external collaborators (see below):Dr. Emanuel Friedman and PRB members
External Collaborators
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellows Fellow graduates from our Program have become Deans,
Chairs of Departments, Division Chiefs, and Academic leaders
within our discipline.
Select Publications During Fellowship:
Alhousseini A, Romero R, Benshalom-Tirosh N, Gudicha D, Pacora P, Tirosh D,
Kabiri D, Yeo L, Thachil J, Hsu CD, Hassan SS, Erez O. Nonovert disseminated
intravascular coagulation (DIC) in pregnancy: a new scoring system for the
identification of patients at risk for obstetrical hemorrhage requiring blood
transfusion. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020:1-16.
Varrey A, Romero R, Panaitescu B, Miller D, Chaiworapongsa T, Patwardhan M,
Faro J, Pacora P, Hassan SS, Hsu CD, Gomez-Lopez N. Human ß-defensin-1: A
natural antimicrobial peptide present in amniotic fluid that is increased in
spontaneous preterm labor with intra-amniotic infection. Am J Reprod Immunol
2018;80:e13031.
Lannaman K, Romero R, Chaiworapongsa T, Kim YM, Korzeniewski SJ, Maymon E,
Gomez-Lopez N, Panaitescu B, Hassan SS, Yeo L, Yoon BH, Jai Kim C, Erez O.
Fetal death: an extreme manifestation of maternal anti-fetal rejection. J Perinat
Med 2017;45: 851-868.
Tang X, Hernandez-Andrade E, Ahn H, Garcia M, Saker M, Korzeniewski SJ, Tarca
AL, Yeo L, Hassan SS, Romero R. Intermediate diastolic velocity as a parameter of
cardiac dysfunction in growth-restricted fetuses. Fetal Diagn Ther 2016;39:28-39.
Patwardhan M, Hernandez-Andrade E, Ahn H, Korzeniewski SJ, Schwartz A,
Hassan SS, Romero R. Dynamic changes in the myometrium during the third stage
of labor, evaluated using two-dimensional ultrasound, in women with normal and
abnormal third stage of labor and in women with obstetric complications.
Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation 2015;80:26-37
Adekola H, Romero R, Chaemsaithong P, Korzeniewski SJ, Dong Z, Yeo L, Hassan
SS, Chaiworapongsa T. Endocan, a putative endothelial cell marker, is elevated in
preeclampsia, decreased in acute pyelonephritis, and unchanged in other
obstetrical syndromes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2015;28:1621-1632.
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Gerald Feldman, MD, PhD, FACMG
Combined Maternal-Fetal Medicine / Medical Genetics and Genomics Fellowship
• Director, Combined MFM / Medical Genetics and Genomics Fellowship Program
• Director, Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency and Fellowship Programs
Detroit Medical Center / Wayne State University School of Medicine
• Professor, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics
Department of Pediatrics and Department of Pathology
Wayne State University School of Medicine
About the Program:
• Four-year combined program
• Clinical training in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Medical Genetics and Genomics
• Board eligibility through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the American Board of Medical
Genetics and Genomics upon completion of the program
• Broad exposure to clinical genetics and genomics, including prenatal, pediatric
and adult patients, diagnostic laboratory services (molecular genetics,
cytogenetics, and biochemical genetics) and maternal-fetal medicine
Educational Program:
• 6 monthly clinical rotations in Reproductive Genetics count for both MFM and
Medical Genetics + clinical genetics and MFM rotations
• 18 months of research rotations, with at least 6 months related to genetics
Medical Genetics and Genomics Objectives:
• Clinical skills in prenatal and postnatal genetic conditions
• Develop competency in the diagnosis and management
of conditions affecting women with complicated
pregnancies and patients with genetic diseases
• Develop competencies in the clinical genetic and genomic
basis of disease (both pediatric and adult), diagnostic
testing (molecular genetics, cytogenetics and biochemical
genetics) and dysmorphology
• Fellows are required to accumulate a logbook of 150
cases with genetic or possible genetic conditions involving
evaluation, counseling, and management of pediatric,
adult, prenatal, and cancer genetic patients
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Resources and Location
Detroit, known as the “Motor City”, is the
great American comeback city and is
experiencing a new era of growth and
renovation. An influx of commercial and
residential expansion has created an
ideal environment for young professionals
seeking opportunity. A number of
technology-based businesses and artisan
manufacturers alike have put down roots
only blocks away from the Detroit
Medical Center, adding to the pride and
community spirit of the city.
The flood of new residents are getting to
enjoy Detroit’s incredible cultural
offerings including the Fox Theater,
Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright
Museum of African American History,
Henry Ford Museum of American
Innovation, and Greenfield Village.
Known for its musical legacy, Detroit is
often referred to as “Motown”, and is the
birthplace of Diana Ross, the Supremes,
the Temptations, and Smokey Robinson.
The Detroit Metro area features some
of the most vibrant, yet relaxing
neighborhoods to be found anywhere.
These communities include Bloomfield
Hills, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and
Grosse Pointe. Whether you enjoy
hiking, live music, boating, skiing, or
delicious cuisine, Michigan offers
something for everyone. The beautiful
shoreline of the Great Lakes, state
parks, and a healthy tourism industry
provide fun for all ages.
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
• Successful completion of an ACGME-approved residency program
• Curriculum Vitae
• USMLE: Parts 1, 2, and 3 (results)
• CREOG scores
• Three letters of recommendation
• One page summary of your goals:
o Rationale for pursuing Fellowship training and other aspects that you
consider helpful in assessing your application
o Future plans after completion of Fellowship training
• Describe any previous experience in research and whether this has led to a
degree (e.g. MPH, PhD)
• Registration for the specialty matching service of the National Resident
Matching Program (NRMP) must be completed
• Graduates from an approved or recognized medical school outside of the
United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico must present a valid ECFMG
Certificate from the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
Application Requirements for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program
• Formal Application:
o http://prb.med.wayne.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/GME-Application_FINAL.pdf
o Applications are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
o Applications must be submitted by MAY 31st
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program
Detroit Medical Center
Hutzel Women’s Hospital
3990 John R. Street, 4 Brush
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: (313) 577-9320 Fax: (313) 577-8986 Email: [email protected] Website: prb.med.wayne.edu/
Copyright © 2020 Perinatology Research Branch