Skip to Main Content

What We Do

Located at the heart of UCLA’s campus, the Center for Reproductive Science, Health and Education (CRSHE) is committed to improving reproductive, maternal and sexual health through science, education, public engagement and workforce development. We work toward a world in which all people have equal access to better science in caring for reproductive health through the lifespan. To meet this goal, CRSHE hosts exciting topical events on campus and supports research through fellowships and grants, and it provides educational content to improve literacy and understanding of the reproductive system, pregnancy and birth.

Chart showing the cycle of making science equitable, accessible, and inclusive

Research

  1. Reproductive Health and Science Research Fellowship

    This annual competitive funding program empowers innovative research projects performed by graduate students, clinical and postdoctoral fellows. Projects funded by this program span a wide range of topics, from genetic variants underlying polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome to the epigenetic mechanisms of environmental reproductive toxicants and mental health outcomes among gynecologic cancer survivors.
  2. Women’s Reproductive Health and Science Research Pilot Program

    This annual competitive funding program was created in collaboration with the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Iris Cantor-UCLA Women’s Health Center.  Research pilot grants are open to ladder-rank faculty with the goal of funding pilot research projects in pre-clinical or basic sciences aimed at improving women’s reproductive health across the life course, pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes.
  3. Reproductive Health, Science and Society Project

    The Center is at the forefront of understanding how emerging reproductive science can be responsibly developed and shaped by the lived experiences and values of the people that these scientific innovations aim to serve. By studying both the biological foundations of reproductive disorders and the perspectives of those affected by them, alongside the broader implications of future fertility technologies, we are building a model for how science can advance in step with the needs of people, laying the groundwork for reproductive care that is innovative, ethical, and genuinely responsive to societal needs.

Education

  1. Reproductive Science, Health, and Policy Course

    This one quarter course is open to upper division undergraduate students in the Life Sciences at UCLA. Learners develop a detailed understanding of the reproductive system including the science of in vitro fertilization, hormone action and therapy, as well as current research and treatments for major reproductive diseases and disorders including polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis and infertility. The course also covers areas of reproductive policy and how policy impacts reproductive science and society.
  2. Reproductive Science Communication Course

    This one quarter course is open to all undergraduate students in the Life Sciences.  The goal of the course is to mentor students through the process of creating a scientifically accurate, publicly accessible fact sheet on a topic of their choosing in the science of reproductive, maternal or sexual health and care. Students generate a creative and informational piece that is accessible to the public through the Center’s website.
  3. Reproductive Science and Health Seminar Series

    This seminar series is offered once per month during the academic quarter and highlights the breadth of reproductive science research at UCLA while fostering knowledge sharing, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scientific exchange. The seminar series is designed to create opportunities for students and trainees to learn about research across campus, connect with potential mentors, explore internship opportunities, and develop new collaborations. By bringing together researchers at every career stage, the seminar series strengthens UCLA’s reproductive health research community and helps cultivate the next generation of leaders in the field.

Public Engagement

  1. Distinguished Speaker Series

    This biannual event showcases high-powered work advancing reproductive equity and celebrates influential leaders shaping the future of reproductive, maternal, and sexual health and care. Speakers include elected and appointed government officials include L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramo, award winning scientists and entrepreneurs including Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Teresa Woodruff and Daisy Robinton as well as New York Times journalist and bestselling author Elizabeth Dias.  This marquee in person event has been attended by over a thousand participants.
  2. Reproductive Science and Health Podcast

    Associate Director Stephanie Kiesow-Edoh hosts a podcast available on Spotify where students, scientists, educators, and reproductive care workers discuss fascinating research projects, best practices, as well as their careers, challenges and aspirations for reproductive, maternal and sexual health care.
  3. Reproductive Science and Art Project

    To facilitate conversation around the science of reproductive, maternal and sexual health, the center periodically commissions art projects to spotlight specific topics. Our first commissions were created by Saskia Baden M.F.A. who created provocative art pieces around the beauty of reproductive science and the wonder of the placenta.