Dr Paul Yong is the Nominated Principal Applicant of a 4-year, $976,904, CIHR project grant which aims to validate the newly discovered genetic and molecular pathways that may contribute to pain with sexual intercourse. The project will use an existing prospective data registry and linked tissue bank in the BC Women’s Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis.
This project builds on a multidisciplinary team from across our Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and beyond. Co-principal applicants include genomics expert and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Michael Anglesio; pathologist and co-founding member of OVCARE Blake Gilks; reproductive endocrinologist and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mohamed Bedaiwy; and qualitative researcher and Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing, Fuchsia Howard.
Co-investigators include Arianne Albert, Biostatistician at the Women’s Health Research Institute; David Huntsman, Associate Member of the Department of OBGYN and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Anna Lee, Assistant Professor UBC Department of Pathology and Sarka Lisonkova, epidemiologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The team also includes a dedicated Patient Research Advisory Board of women with endometriosis.
Specifically the team aims to:
- test whether the KRAS (or other gene) mutations are associated with deep infiltrating endometriosis and thus sexual pain.
- test whether nerve growth factor and IL-1b are associated with nerve growth around endometriosis and thus sexual pain.
- develop a new mouse model of endometriosis that can be used to test new drugs for endometriosis with ultimate aim of providing a new treatment.
- translate 6 years of research on endometriosis and sexual pain into valuable resources for patients and practitioners
To learn more about this and other ongoing projects visit the Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Laboratory.
Congratulations to all of the investigative team! We look forward to hearing more about your discoveries over the next four years.
Co-Principal Investigators