# Investigating the genetic and clinical determinants of polycystic ovary syndrome

> **NIH NIH F31** · MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE · 2021 · $36,276

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 20% of women and is a leading cause of infertility, yet its
etiology remains poorly understood. This is in part due to its complex architecture, which is driven by genetic
and environmental risk factors that lead to symptom heterogeneity among PCOS patients. Currently, PCOS is
only diagnosed by the presence of polycystic ovary morphology, hyperandrogenism, and oligo- or anovulation,
despite the common presence of numerous metabolic comorbidities, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular
diseases. Undiagnosed and untreated PCOS can have detrimental long-term health consequences, especially
among high risk groups. This includes minority populations who experience a greater PCOS burden due to their
increased risk of developing metabolic disorders that can be exacerbated by age, body mass index, and
socioeconomic status. My project aims to characterize PCOS etiology and comorbidity patterns in
underrepresented populations. We hypothesize that
both population specific genetic factors and socioeconomic
factors contribute to increased PCOS risk and severity in African American and Hispanic women. Our preliminary
data show that the clinical spectrum of PCOS symptoms among diverse patients can be captured through
electronic health record (EHR) phenotyping algorithms. Furthermore, the hormone profile of PCOS cases
worsened as the stringency of the PCOS definitions increased, especially among African American and Hispanic
women. We propose to test our hypothesis through two specific aims using EHR-based methods. Aim 1 will
systematically identify PCOS comorbidity patterns associated with EHR-reported race and ethnicity among
women with mild to severe PCOS symptoms. Aim 2 will evaluate the independent and combined effects of
genetic, clinical, and socioeconomic risk factors on PCOS diagnosis and symptoms. This work will improve
knowledge of PCOS etiology and comorbidity, thus creating a framework for precision reproductive medicine
among minority women.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10233879
- **Project number:** 1F31HD103397-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Ky'Era Actkins
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $36,276
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2021-11-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10233879

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10233879, Investigating the genetic and clinical determinants of polycystic ovary syndrome (1F31HD103397-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10233879. Licensed CC0.

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