Professor Asgerally T. Fazleabas, University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University Foundation Professor, Associate Chair for Research, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Director, Center for Women’s Health Research, and Co-Director, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Training Program, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Professor Fazleabas received diplomas from St. Thomas College and Aquinas University College in Sri Lanka, the B.S. in Dairy Science from California State University at Fresno, and both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Dairy Science and Reproductive Physiology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After his postdoctoral research in Biochemistry and Reproductive Physiology at the University of Florida, he joined the faculty in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he rose through the ranks to Professor of Physiology. He was recruited to Michigan State University as Co-Director, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and is now Director of the Center for Women’s Health Research and Co-Director, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Training Program.
Professor Fazleabas’ research focuses on cellular events that define synchrony between the developing blastocyst and the maternal uterus required for success of assisted reproductive therapies. His laboratory first identified signals from the primate conceptus that induce cell specific changes in uterine gene expression critical to synchrony between blastocyst and uterine environment required for a successful pregnancy. These include mechanisms to inhibit cellular apoptosis to protect the conceptus, hormonal and cellular requirements for decidualization and functions of uterine proteins in the establishment of pregnancy. Dr. Fazleabas’ current research is on mechanisms whereby Notch signaling mediates uterine function during the establishment of pregnancy. His laboratory established a baboon model for endometriosis to understand the etiology and pathophysiology of this enigmatic disease that is the leading cause of infertility in women. Most recently his laboratory has focused on the role of miRNA’s in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis and the molecular mechanisms that contribute to progesterone resistance through epigenetic modifications in both endometrial and endometriotic tissues including novel nanoparticle driven therapies to control the disease.
Professor Fazleabas has received many awards for excellence in scholarship that include election to Fellow in the American Society for the Advancement of Science, awards from the Society of the Study of Reproduction for research, and for service, as well as the Carl Hartman Award and election to Distinguished Fellow. He also received the Career Achievement Award from the University of Illinois, Lifetime Achievement Award from Sri Lanka Foundation International, and College of Human Medicine Junior Faculty Mentoring Award, Michigan State University. He has also served as Associate Editor of Frontiers in Reproductive Health and on editorial boards for Reproductive Medicine and Biology, Scientific Reports-Nature, Endocrinology, Fertility and Sterility and Biology of Reproduction among others. Professor Fazleabas is currently PI on 3 NIH grants, 1 Burroughs Welcome Award, Co-PI on 2 NIH grants and Co-I on 3 NIH grants that have a central focus on understanding endometriosis regarding causes, regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. He has published 247 papers in high impact referred scientific journals, 49 book chapters, 260 presentations at scientific meetings and 287 invited lectures. Professor Fazleabas has an exceptionally strong record of graduate education involving graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical students and undergraduate students.