# BLRD Research Career Scientist Award Application

> **NIH VA IK6** · OMAHA VA  MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · —

## Abstract

The increased rate of participation of women in the military is reshaping the Veteran population, with women
constituting one of the fastest growing groups of users of the VA healthcare system. There are over 2.2 million
women Veterans and 32% are enrolled to receive VA health care. Women’s military experiences, and responses
to those experiences, are often distinct from men’s, with implications for their healthcare needs, services, quality,
and outcomes throughout the life course. Thus, understanding the unique facets of women Veterans’ health and
health care is critical to ensure that this important population receives the highest quality patient-centered care.
Female Veterans of childbearing age are seeking care at VA facilities. Premature ovarian failure, polycystic
ovary syndrome and primary amenorrhea, three major causes of female infertility, are associated with
abnormal functioning of the ovary. Considering the widespread importance of steroid hormones in health,
aging and disease, it is important to have a clear understanding of the mechanisms controlling ovarian
function in order to address disease processes afflicting Veterans. Some metabolic disorders associated with
disorders of ovarian steroidogenesis are hypertension, diabetes, hyperinsulinemia, obesity, infertility,
amenorrhea, polycystic ovary syndrome, age-related neural function and osteoporosis, and neoplasms of the
breast, ovary and uterus. The applicant’s research program will lead to new understanding of ovarian
function that informs approaches to control ovarian function that translate into approaches that improve not
only reproductive health, but overall health and longevity. Additionally, basic research such conducted in the
applicant’s laboratory improves efforts to develop safe, effective, inexpensive, reversible, and acceptable
contraceptive methods for males and females. One facet of the applicant’s research explores the role of the
recently discovered Hippo signaling pathway that controls tissue homeostasis in ovarian development,
endocrine function and pathology. This research demonstrates that this pathway is essential for normal
ovarian follicle development and reprogramming of granulosa cells by a key transcriptional regulator in this
pathway (YAP1) leads to development of cancer. YAP promotes adult granulosa cell tumors; it also regulates
high-grade serous carcinoma initiation and progression. Further VA research will provide evidence to reveal the
role of the Hippo pathway in follicle formation, proliferation and differentiation of granulosa and theca cells,
and function of luteal cells. Another thrust of the research program is to understand aspects of the aging
pituitary gonadal axis as it relates to improving health and quality-of-life. Aging is associated with a loss in
reproductive potential, which not only reflects a loss of gonadal function, but also a loss of bone density,
cardiovascular health and mental function. Basic research in reproductive health...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10360744
- **Project number:** 1IK6BX005797-01
- **Recipient organization:** OMAHA VA  MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN S DAVIS
- **Activity code:** IK6 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-10-01 → 2028-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10360744

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10360744, BLRD Research Career Scientist Award Application (1IK6BX005797-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10360744. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*