Reproductive Sciences
The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the School of Medicine currently offers one degree program for graduate students who are interested in the field of reproductive sciences. The Master of Science in Reproductive Sciences (MSRS) program is positioned within the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences division of the department.
The Master of Science in Reproductive Sciences is a 21- or 24-month degree program. There are two concentrations — Research and Clinical Embryology — which are designed to prepare students for careers in their respective concentrations. The MSRS program includes a core curriculum shared between both concentrations that focuses on basic and advanced topics in human reproductive physiology and pathology; current tools in the reproductive sciences; and concentration-specific courses for students to learn the vast array of field-specific skills and related knowledge.
The Reproductive Sciences program offers world-class training for research or clinical embryology careers. MSRS students learn from both basic science and clinician experts working at the cutting edge of research and practice in key areas including reproductive aging, fertilization/contraception, gynecologic cancers, maternal-fetal immunobiology, pregnancy, and preterm birth. Research concentration students will perform mentored thesis research in a state-of-the-art lab, and Clinical Embryology concentration students will gain the hands-on skills and experience needed for the clinical embryologist profession.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree, and most applicants will have majored in life sciences or a related field.
Additional Information
Erin Reinl, PhD
Program Director
Email: erin.reinl@wustl.edu
Ali Ahmady, PhD
Associate Program Director
Email: ahmady@wustl.edu
Julie Emmerich, BA
Program Coordinator
Email: ejulie@wustl.edu
Contact Info
| Email: | msreprosci@wustl.edu |
| Website: | https://msrs.wustl.edu/ |
The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at WashU Medicine is a national leader in both clinical and translational research spanning the breadth and depth of obstetrics and gynecology. The well-funded investigators and diverse research projects within the department provide ample opportunity for research experience for students, residents, faculty, and visitors. Please visit the WashU Medicine's Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology research profiles page to dive into the department's active research topics and collaborations.
- The Reproductive Sciences master’s program is positioned within the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences division of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The Center comprises more than a dozen faculty members and their research programs dedicated to basic and translational research in women’s health and reproduction.
- The Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility division of Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology administers the Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Center. The Center has been a leader in assisted reproductive technologies from the start, and it housed the first IVF program in the state of Missouri. Students will have access to the latest medical advancements to learn best practices and cutting-edge techniques.
All students in the Reproductive Sciences program will develop essential research skills through coursework and laboratory experience, including the ability to:
- Procure, evaluate, and summarize reproductive science literature and use it to inform decision making.
- Perform laboratory techniques and methods common to reproductive science research and explain the reasons behind their use and procedures.
- Demonstrate an understanding of research integrity, including the ethics of human and animal research, data collection and presentation, and dissemination of knowledge.
- Effectively communicate research findings through accurate and appealing data visualization, written communication, and oral presentation.
Students in the Research concentration will complete a master’s thesis comprised of:
- Original research that makes a substantial contribution to the body of knowledge in their field of study
- Data that could encompass or contribute to a peer-reviewed research manuscript
Students in the Clinical Embryology concentration will complete a systematic literature review on topics including:
- The history or leading edge of a particular IVF lab procedure
- A basic science question that is foundational to the clinical embryology field
Additional research-related activities include the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences Seminar, which is required for all MSRS students.
REPRSCI 5000 Human Reproductive Physiology
This course is designed to give students a comprehensive foundation in human reproductive physiology through a variety of learning modalities. The course focuses primarily on normal physiology of human reproductive systems, although some lecturers will introduce pathologies and/or relevant animal models to strengthen subject matter understanding. This course aims to deepen student knowledge of the human reproductive systems down to the cellular and molecular levels to 1) connect them with their own physiology, and 2) broaden their understanding of the biological systems integral to the human experience. The course material will provide students with foundational knowledge in reproductive physiology that will help prepare them for medical school, biomedical research, and careers in the field of reproductive sciences.
Although primarily lecture-based, this course also includes discussion of peer-reviewed journal articles and dialog with lecturers. These additional modalities are intended to give students an opportunity to apply their new knowledge in the classroom.
Lecture topics will occur in three modules of varying lengths throughout the semester. To give students the most up-to-date knowledge, lectures will be presented by experts on the given topic of the day, and thus students should be prepared for differing lecture styles from each lecturer.
- Module I – “Development to Reproduction” – gonads and gametogenesis, puberty, hormonal cycles and neuroendocrinology, fertilization, infertility, assisted reproductive technology, and contraception
- Module II – “Embryogenesis and Gestation” – early embryo, implantation, placentation, embryogenesis, maternal adaptation to pregnancy, and fetal programming
- Module III – “Parturition and Beyond” – parturition, lactation, early parental behavior, menopause and reproductive aging, social determinants of reproductive health, and the role of reproductive sciences in society.
Credit 3 units.
Typical periods offered: Fall
REPRSCI 5005 Current Tools in Reproductive Sciences I
This wet-lab course will introduce (or reinforce) basic concepts of working in a laboratory, common techniques and research methods employed by reproductive science laboratories, topics in the responsible conduct of research and research fundamentals, and data analysis, visualization, and reporting.
Reproductive physiology concepts taught in Human Reproductive Physiology will be reinforced, and new topics including mouse IVF, molecular biology, tissue culture, and microscopy will be introduced.
- Lab techniques and observations will include: Mouse anatomy and reproductive tissue dissection (ovary, testis, epididymis, endometrium, myometrium, oviduct, ovarian follicles, decidua, placenta); Embryology lab techniques taught through mouse IVF procedure (Assessing sperm morphology; Assessing oocyte quality; Embryo staging); Fluorescent Microscopy; Tissue culture; Molecular and cell biology techniques, PCR, qPCR, transfection, Western blot; NCBI database usage.
- Research fundamentals topics will include: Rigor and reproducibility; Responsible note keeping and data management; Formulating a scientific question, hypothesis, and predictions.
- Students will also be expected to visit translationally relevant sites (e.g., IVF lab [Research concentration only]; Labor & Delivery; Engineering labs [Center for Women’s Health Engineering]).
Credit 3 units.
Typical periods offered: Fall
REPRSCI 5010 Advanced Topics in Reproductive Sciences
This course provides a survey of special topics in human reproduction with an emphasis on disease states, their cellular and molecular underpinnings, current therapies (or lack thereof), and state-of-the-art research in respective fields. Faculty experts will provide lectures on their own research and related pressing research in their field of expertise, including high-tech advances. Students will be instructed on a range of topics, some of which will be new to the students and others will be expanded upon from what they learned in HRP. These topics may include: gamete development, stem cell biology, fertility preservation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, preeclampsia, placental pathology, non-invasive diagnostic tools including imaging and ultrasound, the aging reproductive tract, preterm birth, uterine contractility, immunology of pregnancy, epigenetics, reproductive cancers, engineering as an approach to improve reproductive health, and the role of reproductive sciences in society.
Credit 3 units.
Typical periods offered: Spring
REPRSCI 5015 Reproductive Sciences Communication I
This course will introduce students to science communication skills including the following topics: 1) Critical reading; 2) Writing an abstract; 3) Preparing effective graphs; 4) Preparing effective PowerPoint slides; 5) Practicing presentation skills with journal articles; 6) Discussing their research with a non-scientist; and 7) Writing a curriculum vitae and cover letter.
Credit 1 unit.
Typical periods offered: Spring
REPRSCI 5020 Reproductive Sciences Communication II
This course will introduce students to developing and writing an effective set of specific aims, and will add to and reinforce science communication skills from the previous semester by working on the following assignments: 1) Writing an abstract on their thesis work; 2) Writing a specific aims page on their thesis work; 3) Presenting their drafted specific aims; 4) Writing a manuscript style introduction, methods, and results section for their thesis research; 5) Writing an outline of a discussion section on their thesis research.
Credit 1 unit.
Typical periods offered: Summer
REPRSCI 5025 Current Tools in Reproductive Sciences II (CTRS II)
In this course, students will be exposed to and have the opportunity to practice a variety of advanced techniques used in reproductive science laboratories, reinforce their skills in experimental design, and learn and apply statistical analyses to their weekly lab findings. The aim of this course is to expose students to these techniques, add depth to their knowledge of the related subject areas, provide additional formal training in research methods, and introduce statistical methods. Class time will include a combination of lecture, laboratory demonstration and practice, and data analysis. Of note, mouse surgical procedures will be demonstrated by instructors and practice performed by students will be on euthanized mice. The course will be broken into four units covering four biological themes, and four analytical/statistical themes. Unit I: Gamete Analyses; Comparing Two Groups (Mouse handling and husbandry; Sperm motility and capacitation analysis; In vitro oocyte maturation; Introduction to descriptive statistics and tests of significance). Unit II: In vivo Models of Pregnancy, Parturition, and Parenting; Relating Numerical Quantities (Mouse surgeries [Osmotic pump insertion surgery and intrauterine pressure telemeter insertion]; Mouse behavior; Linear regression and analysis of numerical/categorical data). Unit III: Tissue Physiology and Modeling; Processing Complex Data (Myometrial tension recordings; Measures of cervical stiffness and fetal membrane strength; Organoid culture and analysis; Advanced analytical techniques, such as smoothing, imputation, visualization, etc.). Unit IV: Microscopy; Introduction to Machine Learning (Advanced microscopy and tissue clearing; Exploratory data analysis and machine learning; Establish the machine learning model to analyze microscopic data).
Credit 3 units.
Typical periods offered: Spring
REPRSCI 5030 Reproductive Sciences Journal Club
Summer journal club takes the place of the CRepHS seminar during the summer months. Students will attend, provide written feedback to their peers on their presentations, and present their own journal club articles.
Credit 1 unit.
Typical periods offered: Summer
REPRSCI 5035 Reproductive Sciences Research I
Students will begin by rotating through three reproductive science research laboratories for two weeks each. Students will write a summary of the research performed in each laboratory and submit to the program their ranked preference for their thesis research. By week 8, they will be matched with a laboratory, where they will begin doing research. There will be one mandatory meeting with the assistant program director mid-semester to review research expectations and discuss appropriate and effective mentor-mentee relationships. Students are expected to spend their non-class time in the laboratory, amounting to approximately 15-20 hours per week. They should work with their lab-assigned mentor to schedule time appropriately.
Credit 2 units.
Typical periods offered: Fall
REPRSCI 5040 Reproductive Sciences Research II
Students will perform mentored research for their thesis project. They will work with their mentor and program advisor to develop their research proposal. They will begin to write the methods and introduction chapters of their theses, and drafts of these will be due by the end of the semester. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 15-20 hours per week in the laboratory.
Credit 2 units.
Typical periods offered: Spring
REPRSCI 5045 Reproductive Sciences Research III
Students will perform mentored research for their thesis project. They will write a thesis project proposal to be reviewed at least once by their faculty mentor before they present it to their thesis committee by the end of the term. Students are expected to spend 30-40 hours per week doing thesis research.
Credit 3 units.
Typical periods offered: Summer
REPRSCI 5050 Reproductive Sciences Research IV
Students will continue performing mentored research for their thesis project. They will begin drafting their thesis introduction, methods, and an outline of their results and discussion sections. They will receive feedback from their mentor and/or program advisor. Students are expected to spend at least 30 hours per week doing thesis research in the laboratory.
Credit 3 units.
Typical periods offered: Fall
REPRSCI 5055 Reproductive Sciences Research Thesis
Students will finish their thesis project research. They will finalize all sections of their thesis document and submit it for committee review. They will present their thesis project at the CRepHS Seminar. They will defend their thesis before their thesis committee.
Credit 5 units.
Typical periods offered: Spring
REPRSCI 5060 IVF Clinic Fundamentals
This course introduces students to the in vitro fertilization (IVF) Clinic through a combination of assigned readings, lectures, laboratory observation, and basic procedure practice (practice is limited to discarded or rodent tissue only). Students will gain a basic understanding of IVF lab design and layout, including policies, procedures, regulations, equipment, and personnel. Under the direction of a Senior Embryologist, students will observe and perform: quality control, Epic data entry, chart review, dish preparation, semen processing, vitrification and warming of embryos, oocyte preparation after retrieval, and cumulus removal. Assessments of procedures will be completed via direct observation of practical skills (DOPS) by the IVF lab director, and knowledge checks will take place regularly via quarterly quizzes and a final exam.
Students will be expected to be present in the IVF lab from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with the exception of the time they will be in their other classes. Weekly lectures, presented by either the IVF lab director or Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinical faculty will be at least 30 minutes in duration, followed by time for questions and discussion of the assigned readings. There will also be biweekly check-ins with the lab director to discuss laboratory troubleshooting.
Credit 3 units.
Typical periods offered: Fall
REPRSCI 5065 IVF Clinic Intermediate Studies
This course provides students a combination of assigned readings, lectures, and intermediary hands-on IVF clinic skills practice that is directly supervised by lab personnel (practice of new procedures is limited to discarded or rodent tissue only). Students will be taught additional concepts behind IVF lab design and layout, including policies, procedures, regulations, equipment, and personnel, as well as theory behind culture techniques, anti-sperm antibody testing, embryo selection, and embryo transfer. Throughout this course, students will continue independently performing the procedures learned in semester 1, and also, under the direction of a Senior Embryologist, observe and perform embryo selection and embryo transfer. Assessments of procedures are completed via direct observation of practical skills (DOPS) by the lab director, and knowledge checks will take place regularly via quarterly quizzes and a final exam.
Students will be expected to be present in the IVF lab from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with the exception of the time they will be in their other classes. Weekly lectures, presented by either the IVF lab director or Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinical faculty will be at least 30 minutes in duration, followed by time for questions and discussion of the assigned readings. There will also be biweekly check-ins with the lab director to discuss laboratory troubleshooting.
Credit 5 units.
Typical periods offered: Spring
REPRSCI 5070 Advanced Topics in ART
This course will consist of a Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility summer seminar series focusing on topics related to ART techniques, outcomes, and performance measures (e.g., HPG axis, clinical endocrinology, frozen embryo transfer, preimplantation genetic testing, epigenetics, male factor infertility, key performance indicators) and a journal club. There will also be an introduction to methods for literature review. These will be necessary to complete their capstone project.
Credit 2 units.
Typical periods offered: Summer
REPRSCI 5075 Junior Embryology I
This course will be a continuation of the first two semesters, with students practicing already learned techniques, and being taught (under the direction of a Senior Embryologist) to observe and perform micromanipulation techniques in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Conceptual focus for the summer term will be on male factor infertility, reasons for using ICSI, and concepts behind ICSI methodology. Assessments of procedures are completed via direct observation of practical skills (DOPS) by the IVF lab director, and knowledge checks will take place regularly via quarterly quizzes and a final exam.
Students will be expected to be present in the IVF lab from the hours of 7:00 a.m.to 3:30 p.m. each day, with the exception of the time they will be in their other classes. There will also be biweekly check-ins with the lab director to discuss laboratory troubleshooting.
Credit 4 units.
Typical periods offered: Summer
REPRSCI 5080 Junior Embryology II
In this course, students will independently perform procedures learned in semesters 1-3 and select a topic to initiate their capstone literature review. Students will observe and perform embryo biopsy under the direction of a Senior Embryologist. Students will begin accrual of the 30 cases required for ELS3 (AAB2) certification eligibility. Knowledge of embryology procedures and protocols will be added to and reinforced through lectures, class discussions, and assigned reading. New concepts, including quality control vs. quality assurance, and the concepts behind embryo biopsy and preimplantation genetic testing will be introduced. Additionally, students will be introduced to and engage in discussions regarding societal ethics and laws around ART. Lastly, a detailed outline of their literature review will be due mid semester, and their methods and introduction chapters will be due at the end of the semester.
Students will be expected to be present in the IVF lab from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with the exception of the time they will be in their other classes. Weekly lectures, presented by either the IVF lab director or Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinical faculty will be at least 30 minutes in duration, followed by time for questions and discussion of the assigned readings. There will also be biweekly check-ins with the lab director to discuss laboratory troubleshooting.
Credit 4 units.
Typical periods offered: Fall
REPRSCI 5085 Embryology Capstone I
In this course, students will continue supervised performance of learned procedures and independently perform intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and embryo biopsy. They will continue accruing their 30 cases required for ELS certification eligibility. Students will continue developing their capstone literature review, meet periodically with a program advisor to guide their progress, and submit revisions of their introduction and methods chapters and formal drafts of the results, conclusions, and discussion chapters. Students will register for the AAB andrology and embryology online modules as preparation for the AAB ELS certification exam.
Students will be expected to be present in the IVF lab from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with the exception of the time they will be in their other classes. Weekly lectures, presented by either the IVF lab director or Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinical faculty will be at least 30 minutes in duration, followed by time for questions and discussion of the assigned readings. There will also be biweekly check-ins with the lab director to discuss laboratory troubleshooting.
Credit 5 units.
Typical periods offered: Spring
REPRSCI 5090 Embryology Capstone II
Students will complete and submit their literature review capstone and present it at the CRepHS Seminar and to first year embryology students during the Advanced Topics in ART course. Students will apply for the MT1(AAB) Basic Knowledge and Embryology examinations and finish documenting their performance of 30 assisted reproductive technology (ART) laboratory procedures in humans to be eligible for ELS(AAB) certification. Students will make final preparations to sit for the MT(AAB) and ELS(AAB) exams by taking the AAB online embryology and andrology module. They will meet with their program advisor to discuss their career next steps.
Students will be expected to be present in the IVF lab from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with the exception of the time they will be in their other classes. Weekly lectures, presented by either the IVF lab director or Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinical faculty will be at least 30 minutes in duration, followed by time for questions and discussion of the assigned readings. There will also be biweekly check-ins with the lab director to discuss laboratory troubleshooting.
Credit 5 units.
Typical periods offered: Summer