News and Events

Programs and providers of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine are often the focus of news stories and features appearing in major national media. We invite you to review some stories that typify the breakthrough accomplishments of our remarkable team and highlight the impact our care has had on patient’s lives.

Two WCM Scientists Receive Inaugural Pershing Square Foundation Ovarian Cancer Challenge Grant

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Dr. Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz, the William J. Ledger, M.D. Distinguished Associate Professor of Infection and Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Dr. David Lyden, the Stavros S. Niarchos Professor in Pediatric Cardiology, both from Weill Cornell Medicine, have been named inaugural recipients of the Pershing Square Foundation’s 2025 Ovarian Cancer Challenge Grant.

The challenge grant provides $750,000 in funding over three years to support innovative research into ovarian cancer that may advance the biological understanding of the disease, as well as its detection, prevention and treatment. The American Cancer Society estimates that ovarian cancer claims nearly 13,000 lives annually, making it one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women.

Podcast: vNOTES (Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery)

In the latest episode of Back to HealthDr. Rochelle Joly delves into the revolutionary technique known as vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES). She explains the advantages that this minimally invasive method offers patients; including less pain, faster recovery, and fewer visible scars. Listen to the episode here.

Learn more about the Back to Health podcast here.

Findings May Lead to Blood Test to Predict Risk of Postpartum Depression

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Women who go on to develop postpartum depression (PPD) may have characteristic levels of neuroactive steroids, molecules derived from the hormone progesterone, in their blood during the third trimester of pregnancy, according to a new study by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. These molecules influence the brain’s stress response and emotional regulation.

The findings, published Jan. 30 in Neuropsychopharmacology, suggest that this may provide a way to identify women at risk of PPD before symptoms start, allowing doctors to intervene earlier. Postpartum depression, severe depression that happens after giving birth, affects 10-15% of new mothers, causing emotional struggles that can impact both the parent and child for years. Symptoms include difficulty bonding with the baby, feelings of hopelessness and sadness, fatigue, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, to name a few.