From China to Hawaiʻi, Hongwen (Winnie) Wu has turned a career as a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) into groundbreaking reproductive biology research. This fall, she earned her PhD in the Developmental and Reproductive Biology graduate program at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, becoming the first Kosasa Graduate Student Assistantship recipient.
The prestigious assistantship, funded by Thomas Kosasa of Pacific IVF and a professor emeritus at JABSOM, was created to strengthen connections between the Yanagimachi Institute for Biogenesis Research (YIBR), the OB-GYN Department, and Pacific IVF.
“Through a dynamic approach, I aspire to significantly contribute to improving individual patient health and advancing the broader landscape of women’s health research,” said Wu, who joined JABSOM’s Developmental and Reproductive Biology program from China in fall 2019.
Advancing fertility research and education
As a PhD student, Wu carried out her research in Steve Ward’s lab at YIBR, focusing on female fertility. She studied the protein EXOC5 in ovarian aging and discovered it is essential for normal egg development, with its absence leading to ovarian failure.
During her time at JABSOM, Wu co-authored five manuscripts and presented her work at seven local and four national conferences, including the Society for the Study of Reproduction and the Society for Reproductive Investigations. She received the 2024 ARCS Award in Medicine, served as a teaching assistant, volunteered at research events, and was a visiting scholar at Northwestern University.
Her long-term goal is to remain in Hawaiʻi as a research physician/scientist, blending cutting-edge research with clinical expertise to advance women’s healthcare.
“Winnie’s performance as the first Kosasa Assistantship-supported DRB student has been exemplary,” said Monika Ward, interim director of YIBR. “She contributed research of relevance to all four parties: DRB, YIBR, OB-GYN and Pacific IVF.”
