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Interview with ISRS Speaker, Kara Goldman, MD

Farners Amargant, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow, CRS Trainee Advisory Board and ISRS Planning Committee Member

As we get closer to the 2019 Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Science, now less than one month away, we look forward to a diverse array of presentations from our distinguished speakers! Featured in this week’s CRS news story, is an interview with Northwestern's own Kara Goldman, MD.

Kara Goldman

 

  1. As a medical doctor and basic researcher, you have made substantial contributions on female fertility preservation and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy. When did you become interested in these topics?

I appreciate the sentiment and feel fortunate to be part of such a dynamic and exciting field. 

My strong interest in female fertility preservation is what drew me into the field of reproductive endocrinology. I had always been drawn to medical oncology and endocrinology but loved the acuity, procedural aspects, and relationships that I found in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The unique niche of female fertility preservation within reproductive endocrinology so perfectly combines all of these interests. It's a tremendous responsibility and privilege to care for patients who are faced with the loss of their fertility at such a critical juncture in their lives, and having the opportunity to offer options and hope at such a devastating time is incredibly meaningful. The field provides so many opportunities for research, with an endless supply of unanswered clinical and basic questions that need to be answered. My clinical work really drives my interest in research, and individual patients inspire me to wonder about how we can make their care better. This is what has driven my interest in fertility preservation as well as preimplantation genetic testing, as I see both ovarian aging and reproductive genetics to be two of the most rapidly advancing and critical pieces of reproductive medicine today. 

 

  1. What do you think will be the next big contribution in the reproductive biology field? 

I'm hopeful that our field will see expanded options for fertoprotection to mitigate iatrogenic ovarian injury. On a larger scale I think reproductive medicine is on the precipice of uncovering important insights into mechanisms behind physiologic ovarian aging, with the goal to identify potential therapeutic targets to maintain reproductive health for a longer duration. 

 

  1. How do you combine your job as a physician and your job as a group leader?

Clinical reproductive medicine is a 7-day-a-week job, making it at times challenging to balance clinical work with research. Time spent thinking about research is often intertwined with time spent thinking about patients. While this makes it more challenging to focus entirely on one aspect of my job at any given time, it also adds incredible depth and meaning to my work. It is a privilege to be able to combine my passion for clinical reproductive medicine with my love of teaching and mentorship, and it's this combination of research and clinical care that motivates me to move forward in academic medicine. I'm as much a mentor as a mentee with a lifetime of learning ahead of me, and I will continue to look for ways to combine teaching and research to improve the way we care for patients. 

 

  1. What would you recommend to junior scientists (PhD/junior postdocs) in order to succeed in their scientific careers?

Choose an area that really inspires you. It's much easier to spend evenings, weekends, and valuable time on something that holds significant meaning to you and really drives your intellectual curiosity. 

 

  1. How do you achieve a good work-life balance?

I have to admit I have not yet achieved the ideal balance, particularly as I'm new to the institution and getting settled, but I can thank my children for any semblance of balance. I have three young children (5, 4, and 1), and they demand so much of my time when I'm with them that I have no choice but to focus on them. I find that my busy home life makes me more focused and productive while I'm at work because I have to be so protective and careful with my time. 

 

  1. What hobbies do you have outside of the lab?

Any time outside of work is focused on my family. We love to travel to together and love adventures, exploring new cultures, places, and foods together as a family whenever possible.