We are interested in studying reproductive tract and gonadal developmental with major research interests focused on four complementary studies directly related to women's health and reproduction. These include (1) dissecting the signaling mechanisms common to Wnt/ß-catenin and PI3K in the gonads and uterus and the pathophysiological consequences when they are dysregulated, which we believe might be an underlying cause of uterine fibroid development and gonadal and endometrial cancers; (2) identification and molecular characterization of the uterine stem/progenitor cells and the functional effects of endocrine disruption on their behavior during uterine development and during normal uterine functions; (3) cryopreservation and maturation of primary follicles in vitro for somatic cell nuclear transfer applications and as a mechanism to rescue the fertility of patients who are having their ovaries removed or destroyed by gonadotoxic therapies; (4) The fourth research interest is to investigate the therapeutic use of MIS in ovarian cancer and as an inhibitor of ovarian follicle development.