Jenifer Allsworth, PhD

Bio

I completed my undergraduate and graduate training at Brown. My bachelor’s degree was in Human Biology (1991) and my doctorate was in Epidemiology (2001). My research interests focus on intersections between social and reproductive epidemiology. Specifically, how do social factors including poverty and discrimination alter women’s reproductive health? My current research projects include the association between social factors and obstetric and gynecologic outcomes, such as preterm birth; the role of the interaction between race/ethnicity and inflammation in the onset and consequences of bacterial vaginosis, and stress and reproductive aging (menarche and menopause).

I have been an investigator on multiple longitudinal large-scale population based epidemiologic studies in women’s health, including Project PROTECT, an intervention study to improve dual method contraceptive use; the BACH Study, a community-based study of urologic and reproductive health in a multi-ethnic cohort of Boston residents; and multiple studies of the menopausal transition. My current position is an Epidemiologist and Assistant Professor in the Division of Clinical Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. It’s a fantastic position – I have the opportunity to conduct my own research in a busy clinical department with a diverse patient population and also collaborate with other ob/gyn faculty on methodologic and analytic issues in their own research. The pace is fast, but the work is stimulating!

What is the biggest medical break-through that you have experienced in your field in the past ten years? What break-throughs do you anticipate in over the next ten years?

As an epidemiologist, the pace of knowledge moves somewhat slower than in other areas of clinical research. One of the biggest changes I have experienced is the growing contribution of genetic information to our understanding of the etiology of complex diseases. Another change is the growing acceptance that human ovarian follicles are generated over the course of a woman’s life. Although studies have indicated evidence of follicle generation for decades, many texts still teach that their number is fixed at birth and decline throughout life. Ongoing study of follicle generation will hopefully have an important impact on the study of fertility decline and menopause.

As far as anticipated breakthrough are concerned – my hope is that the study of genetics and proteomics will begin to shed light on social disparities in health – how social conditions interact with genetic factors to result in altered protein expression and adverse health outcomes.

How did you choose your field and how did being a woman influence this choice?

My choice of field was quite serendipitous and very much influenced by my time at Brown. As a first-year in 1987, I was looking for an on-campus part-time job and happened to respond to an ad for a research assistant position in the Centers for Gerontology and Health Care Research. I was interested in a career in medicine at the time, but have never considered research as an option. But after that first experience, I never looked back! I had some sort of research position throughout my undergrad years and after a few months in the business world after graduation, realized clinical/epidemiologic research was the future for me. I believe being a woman has definitely influenced my choice to study women’s health. I’ve always been committed to women’s issues.

What advice would you give to current Brown students, women in particular, who are interested in going into your profession?

My advice to current Brown students interested in pursuing a career in epidemiology is to network, network, network. If you are interested in pursuing epidemiologic research, talk to people in the field, find opportunities to work on research projects, and invest the time to uncover your passion. The best advice I received in grad school was to ask myself the question, “if you’re working on this project at 2 am, will you still love it?” I’ve been fortunate enough to find the work I love at 2 am. An academic career can be an exercise in long-term delayed gratification, loving your work may carry you through the rough times.