Dr. Sarah England delivers the 2024 Neena B. Schwartz Lecture

Each year, Northwestern University’s Center for Reproductive Science hosts the Neena B. Schwartz Memorial Lectureship in remembrance of Dr. Schwartz’s pioneering work in the reproductive sciences, and commitment to the furthering of women in the STEM fields. While at Northwestern, Dr. Schwartz founded the Center for Reproductive Science, served as the William Deering Professor of Endocrinology, and founded the Association for Women in Science, as well as the Women in Endocrinology association, within the Endocrine Society. 

On October 11th, 2024, the Northwestern Center for Reproductive Science hosted the annual Neena B Schwartz Memorial Lectureship, given by visiting scholar Sarah K. England, PhD. Prior to becoming the director for the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences at Washington University, Dr. England received her PhD from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1993, and started her own lab, where she aims to investigate the roles of ion channels in the uterine smooth muscle. Dr. England also serves as the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis and was recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine. 

Dr. England’s talk, entitled “Maternal chronodisruption and adverse reproductive outcomes," discussed how aberrant sleep schedules can contribute to increased incidence of preterm labor and adverse fetal outcomes. To set up the discussion of her talk, Dr. England reviewed research in humans as well as mice indicating that variables such as sleep duration, variability in sleep initiation, and chronotype can impact gestational length. She explained how findings in her lab indicate that mice with aberrant sleep cycles also experience increased rates of preterm delivery and offspring death. Her lab continues to conduct analyses to understand the role of specific ion channels in uterine smooth muscle that may regulate timing of parturition.

Dr. England’s pioneering work, her ease at fostering collaboration and discussion, and her devotion to trainee support showcases the continued spirit of Dr. Neena Schwartz that lives in the halls of Northwestern and CRS.