Teresa Woodruff

Teresa Woodruff is Thomas J. Watkins Memorial Professor Emerita of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where she held multiple professorships including in Obstetrics and Gynecology from 2006 to 2020, Medical Social Sciences from 2012 to 2020, and Biomedical Engineering from 2013 to 2020. She earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology from Northwestern University in 1989 and a B.S. in Zoology and Chemistry from Olivet Nazarene University in 1985. Beginning her academic career at Northwestern as Research Associate Professor in Medicine and Neurobiology and Physiology in 1995, she advanced to tenured Associate Professor in 1997 and full Professor in 2004. Woodruff served as Dean of The Graduate School and Associate Provost for Graduate Education, Director of the Women's Health Research Institute, founder and Director of the Oncofertility Consortium, and Chief of the Division of Reproductive Science in Medicine. Her research in Biology focuses on ovarian biology, reproductive endocrinology, fertility preservation through oncofertility—which she coined—ovarian follicle maturation in vitro, activin and inhibin signaling, and the zinc spark mechanism regulating oocyte meiotic exit. Key publications include 'Live births from in vitro grown mouse ovarian follicles' (Nature Medicine, 2009), 'Zinc availability regulates exit from meiosis in maturing mammalian oocytes' (Nature Chemical Biology, 2010), and 'Dynamic changes in inhibin messenger RNAs in rat ovarian follicles during the reproductive cycle' (Science, 1988).

Woodruff's contributions have profoundly impacted reproductive science and women's health, pioneering fertility options for cancer patients and advocating for sex as a biological variable in NIH-funded research. Major awards include election to the National Academy of Medicine (2018), Guggenheim Fellowship (2017), Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring presented by President Barack Obama (2011), Distinguished Research Award from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (2018), and Outstanding Leadership in Endocrinology Laureate Award from the Endocrine Society (2017). She held leadership roles such as President of the Endocrine Society (2013–2014) and Editor-in-Chief of Endocrinology (2017–2020), and contributed to numerous committees including the University Animal Care and Use Committee and Provost’s Advisory Council on Women Faculty at Northwestern.

Professional Email: tkw@northwestern.edu