Research Interest
Dr. Thakur is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist who specializes in reproductive endocrinology, infertility and medical genetics and genomics. Her research focuses on ovarian and oocyte biology. Current projects include:
Deterioration of oocyte quality and ovarian function due to chemotherapeutic agents.
Perturbations in the ovarian microenvironment leading to primary ovarian insufficiency in classic galactosemia.
The long-term goal of this research is to develop fertility preservation and treatment strategies to extend fertility in women facing ovarian dysfunction due to cancer treatments; inherited genetic disorders such as classic galactosemia or environmental exposures.
She is an attending physician at The Fertility Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan and a clinical adjunct assistant professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.
Dr. Thakur received her medical degree from Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India. She completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, where she studied endometrial receptivity in women with unexplained infertility using the uterine biophysical profile. She went on to complete a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine/ Detroit Medical Center, where she received the Arthur G. Seski, M.D. Chairman’s award for overall excellence. She completed a 4 year combined fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and Medical Genetics at Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics and Detroit Medical Center/ Wayne State University School of Medicine. During her fellowship, she studied primary ovarian insufficiency in girls and women with classic galactosemia diagnosed by the Michigan newborn screening program. She also studied how D-galactose and its metabolites, galactitol and galactose 1-phosphate adversely affect oocyte quality and embryo development in classic galactosemia. She received the prestigious Society of Reproductive Investigation’s president’s award in 2016 for this work.
v- 4/2017 Award for best fellow oral presentation, Resident and Fellow Research Day, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- 1/2017 Pacific Coast Reproductive Society Scholarship Award
- 3/2016 Pacific Coast Reproductive Society Outstanding paper award
- 3/2016 Pacific Coast Reproductive Society Scholarship Award
- 2/2016 Pfizer-SRI President’s award by the Society of Reproductive Investigation
- 5/2015 Second prize, Fellow research – oral presentation, Annual Junior Fellow Research Day, Michigan Section ACOG meeting in Lansing, MI
- 5/2015 Third prize, Fellow research – oral presentation, Annual Junior Fellow Research Day, Michigan Section ACOG meeting in Lansing, MI
- 4/2015 John M. Malone, Jr. Best Clinical Science Poster award at the 2015 Wayne State University and University of Toronto Joint Scientific Conference in Detroit, MI
- 5/2014 First prize, Fellow research – oral presentation, Annual Junior Fellow Research Day, Michigan Section ACOG meeting in Lansing, MI
- 10/2013 ASRM Resident Reporter Award
- 6/2013 Arthur G. Seski, M.D./Chairman’s award for overall excellence in Obstetrics and Gynecology
- 6/2013 Wayne State University Excellence in Academic Achievement Award
- 6/2012 Sydney F. Bottoms M.D. Award – Excellence in Research Presentation
- 11/2011 Wayne State University Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine Best Overall Resident Award
- 8/2011 Wayne State University Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine Best Overall Resident Award
- 6/2011 Wayne State University Excellence in Academic Achievement Award
- 1/2011 Wayne State University Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine Best Overall Resident Award
- 6/2010 Wayne State University Excellence in Academic Achievement Award
- 5/2010 First Place, Resident Research – poster presentation, ACOG Michigan Section Annual Junior Fellow Research Day
- 5/2010 Second Place, Resident Research – oral presentation, ACOG Michigan Section Annual Junior Fellow Research Day
- 4/2007 First Prize, Oral Presentation, Annual Meeting of Obstetrics and Gynecology society of Northern India
- 2003 Best Graduate, Medical School (MMBS) Class of 1998
- 2002 Kamal Puruskar (for academic excellence), Panjab University, India
- 2002 Swami Gold Medal (for academic excellence), Panjab University, India
- 2000-2003 National Science Fellowship to pursue research in medicine, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and Indian Council of Medical Research
- 1998-2003 scholarship for being amongst the top 10% students of MBBS 199 class, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India