Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility
Division Head:
Dr. Kimberly Liu
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Toronto
Welcome to the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at the University of Toronto!
Our division includes subspecialized faculty physicians and research scientists with expertise in the treatment and study of female reproductive disorders, endocrinology and physiology. Our goal is to maintain excellence in patient care into the future through world-class innovative research and education. Within Toronto, division members operate four full-service infertility centres and conduct specialty clinics devoted to female gynaecological conditions, such as menopause and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Supported by a strong departmental commitment to basic and translational research, the clinical and research faculty of the REI Division continually attract high caliber trainees and external, peer-reviewed research funding. Our academic platform is further strengthened by collaborations with other divisions within the department and with the Reproductive Group of the Department of Physiology.
Members of the REI Division include a diverse array of board-certified and non-board certified subspecialty-trained academic clinicians, clinician-scientists, and translational/basic scientists whose activities are focused on clinical care and/or research associated with female reproductive endocrinology or fertility. The Division currently consists of 25 members, making it one of the largest REI Divisions in North America. Members of the Division operate five independent fertility clinics offering a full range of diagnostic services, with four of these having on-site state-of-the-art embryology and andrology laboratories. A Mature Women's Health & Menopause Clinic, run at Mount Sinai Hospital by Dr. Wendy Wolfman, is the first such clinic in Canada. In addition to providing focused care, these clinics provide the Department training in REI for Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows. Division members offer fellowship training through a RCPSC-accredited GREI Fellowship Program at the Centre for Fertility and Reproductive Health (at MSH) and independent non-accredited REI Fellowship Programs at CReATe and TCART. We also offer a two-year non-accredited fellowship in mature women’s health.
The faculty recognizes that further advances in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility will only be possible with research, and directs a diverse array of basic and translational research projects on the diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders, the study of hormones (and paracrine factors) of the reproductive axis and their effects on reproductive and non-reproductive tissues, menopause, endometriosis, and stem cells.
Through the Department Strategic Planning process, the Division has identified key areas to solidify our international leadership in fertility research, clinical care, and education. Under the leadership of Dr. Yaakov Bentov, and with input from Drs. Heather Shapiro and Theodore Brown, a business plan for a Professional Master's in Health Science Program in Advanced Reproductive Technology has been generated. This plan, which is undergoing refinement with help from the Institute of Medical Science, will provide an academic platform to galvanize a large key segment of the Division toward a single goal. The Division will continue to work to enhance communication and collaboration amongst the three fellowship programs and to generate a city-wide REI group to address critical areas for collaborative research and advocacy.