Obstetrics & Gynecology

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.

Dr. Samara Reck-Peterson Named Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine

Portrait of a woman in a laboratory

New York (January 31, 2025)—Reflecting the ongoing evolution of science toward interdisciplinary collaboration, Weill Cornell Medicine has created a new Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, combining expertise from its Departments of Biochemistry and of Physiology and Biophysics. Dr. Samara Reck-Peterson, a nationally renowned mechanistic cell biologist, has been recruited to lead the department, which marshals biochemists, biophysicists and experts in protein engineering and imaging to drive discoveries in the basic mechanisms of cell function, effective Aug. 1.

Dr. Reck-Peterson is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and is currently a professor in the Departments of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of California San Diego. She is a leader in using cutting-edge technologies such as advanced light microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy to visualize protein dynamics and transport in cells, down to the atomic level.

Awards & Honors: January

Three trophies

Dr. Lawrence Casalino, professor of population health sciences, was an honoree at the 2024 Medicare Rights Center Annual Awards. He was recognized for his extensive research in health care policy and population health with a focus on socioeconomic and racial disparities.

Dr. Rebecca Craig-Schapiro, associate professor of surgery, was awarded a fellowship research award from the American Surgical Association Foundation, with funding to start July 1. This fellowship helps support and encourage gifted young surgeons with careers in investigation and academic surgery.

Dr. Kira Minkis, associate professor of clinical dermatology, was awarded the 2024 President’s Service Award from the Association of Academic Cosmetic Dermatology. This award recognizes outstanding volunteer service to the association and its members.

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

postpartum depression

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.

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