Division Chief, Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility

Department / Division:
Obstetrics and Gynecology / Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility

Address:
Duke Fertility Center
5704 Fayetteville Road
Durham, NC 27713

Appointment Telephone:
919-572-4673

Office Telephone:
919-572-4673

Fax Telephone:
919-484-0461

• MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, 1983

• OB/GYN, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, 1983-1987

• Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Duke University Medical Center, 1987-1989

• PhD, Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1979

Clinical Interests:
Asherman's syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hysteroscopic surgery, uterine fibroids in reproductive-age women, recurrent first-trimester pregnancy loss, premature ovarian failure, congenital anomalies of the vagina and uterus, pre-conception counseling, general infertility, assisted reproduction (IVF, donor oocytes, donor sperm, surrogate pregnancy), amenorrhea, hirsutism

Research Interests:
My areas of interest include both
1. global health &
2. reproductive endocrinology

GLOBAL HEALTH

Preventing cervical cancer in low resouce countries
Goal: Develop culturally acceptable and cost effective strategies to prevent cervical cancer
Description:
1) Evaluating strategies for identifying and treating cervical dysplasia in Haiti including HPV testing, visualization techniques &
2) Developing and testing a portable, battery powered colposcope (CerviScope)

Determining the utility of geospatial data analysis in low resource communities
Goal: Determine if geospatial mapping can be used to direct public health programs in Haiti

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRIOLOGY

Functional Female Hyperandrogenism (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)
Goal: Determine if there is a link between prenatal androgenization and the development of estrogenic ovulatory dysfunction
Description: Evaluating sexually dimorphic traits of women and offspring of women with normal ovulatory cycles and estrogenic ovulatory dysfunction

Representative Publications:
Lyerly AD, Steinhauser K, Namey E, Tulsky J, Cook-Deegan R, Sugarman J, Walmer D, Faden R, Wallach E. Factors that affect infertility patients decisions about the disposition of frozen embryos. Fertil Steril 85(6):1623-1630, 2006 (2006)

Behera MA, Price TM, Walmer DK.  Estrogenic ovulatory dysfunction or functional female hyperandrogenism: an argument to discard the term polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril 86(5):1292-1295, 2006. (2006)

Lee KL, Couchman FM, Walmer DK. Successful pregnancies in patients with estrogenic ovulatory dysfunction after low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin therapy alone following hMG for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.  Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics 22(1):37-40,2005 (2005)

Klotz DM, Proctor JA, Walmer DK, Richards RG, DiAugustine RP. Hormonal Activation of the Gab-1 Docking Protein in Uterine Cells. Hormonal Carcinogenesis IV, Proceedings of the Fourth International symposium. (Editors JJ Li, SA Li,A Lombart-Bosch) Springer, New York. pp. 443-449. (2005)

Walmer DK, Merisier D, Littman E, Rodriguez G, Venero N, Henderson H, Katz D, Edwards R.Portable colposcopy in low-resource settings. Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome 35(3)S167-S170:2004. (2004)

Rodriguez GC, Nagarsheth NP, Lee KL, Bentley RC, Walmer DK, Cline M, Whitaker RS, Isner P, Berchuck A, Dodge RK, Hughes CL. Progestin-induced apoptosis in the Macaque ovarian epithelium: differential regulation of transforming growth factor-beta. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2002 Jan 2;94(1):50-60. (2002) Abstract

Richards RG, Klotz DM, Bush MR, Walmer DK, DiAugustine RP. E2-induced degradation of uterine insulin receptor substrate-2: requirement for an IGF-I-stimulated, proteasome-dependent pathway. Endocrinology. 2001 Sep;142(9):3842-9. (2001) Abstract

Newbold RR, DiAugustine RP, Risinger JI, Everitt JI, Walmer DK, Parrott EC, Dixon D. Advances in uterine leiomyoma research: conference overview, summary, and future research recommendations. Environ Health Perspect. 2000 Oct;108 Suppl 5:769-73. (2000) Abstract

Tansey G, Hughes CL Jr, Cline JM, Krümmer A, Walmer DK, Schmoltzer S. Effects of dietary soybean estrogens on the reproductive tract in female rats. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1998 Mar;217(3):340-4. (1998) Abstract

Rodriguez GC, Walmer DK, Cline M, Krigman H, Lessey BA, Whitaker RS, Dodge R, Hughes CL. Effect of progestin on the ovarian epithelium of macaques: cancer prevention through apoptosis? J Soc Gynecol Investig. 1998 Sep-Oct;5(5):271-6. (1998) Abstract

Bush MR, Mele JM, Couchman GM, Walmer DK. Evidence of juxtacrine signaling for transforming growth factor alpha in human endometrium. Biol Reprod. 1998 Dec;59(6):1522-9. (1998) Abstract

Wolff KM, McMahon MJ, Kuller JA, Walmer DK, Meyer WR. Advanced maternal age and perinatal outcome: oocyte recipiency versus natural conception. Obstet Gynecol. 1997 Apr;89(4):519-23. (1997) Abstract

Hansard LJ, Healy-Gardner BE, Drapkin AT, Bentley RC, McLachlan JA, Walmer DK. Human endometrial transforming growth factor-alpha: a transmembrane, surface epithelial protein that transiently disappears during the midsecretory phase of the menstrual cycle. J Soc Gynecol Investig. 1997 May-Jun;4(3):160-6. (1997) Abstract

Couchman GM, Bentley R, Tsao MS, Raszmann K, McLachlan JA, Walmer DK. p53lyn and p56lyn: a new signaling pathway in human endometrium and endometrial adenocarcinomas. J Soc Gynecol Investig. 1997 Mar-Apr;4(2):103-9. (1997) Abstract

Bush MR, Walmer DK, Couchman GM, Haney AF. Evaluation of the postcoital test in cycles involving exogenous gonadotropins. Obstet Gynecol. 1997 May;89(5 Pt 1):780-4. (1997) Abstract

Almekinder JL, Lennard DE, Walmer DK, Davis BJ. Toxicity of methoxyacetic acid in cultured human luteal cells. Fundam Appl Toxicol. 1997 Aug;38(2):191-4. (1997) Abstract

Walmer DK, Padin CJ, Wrona MA, Healy BE, Bentley RC, Tsao MS, Kohler MF, McLachlan JA, Gray KD. Malignant transformation of the human endometrium is associated with overexpression of lactoferrin messenger RNA and protein. Cancer Res. 1995 Mar 1;55(5):1168-75. (1995) Abstract

Bidwell MC, Eitzman BA, Walmer DK, McLachlan JA, Gray KD. Analysis of messenger ribonucleic acid and protein for the ligands and receptors of the platelet-derived growth factor signaling pathway in the placenta, extraembryonic membranes, and uterus during the latter half of murine gestation. Endocrinology. 1995 Nov;136(11):5189-201. (1995) Abstract

Walmer DK, Wrona MA, Hughes CL, Nelson KG. Lactoferrin expression in the mouse reproductive tract during the natural estrous cycle: correlation with circulating estradiol and progesterone. Endocrinology. 1992 Sep;131(3):1458-66. (1992) Abstract

Mulheron GW, Bossert NL, Lapp JA, Walmer DK, Schomberg DW. Human granulosa-luteal and cumulus cells express transforming growth factors-beta type 1 and type 2 mRNA. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992 Feb;74(2):458-60. (1992) Abstract

Nelson KG, Takahashi T, Bossert NL, Walmer DK, McLachlan JA. Epidermal growth factor replaces estrogen in the stimulation of female genital-tract growth and differentiation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jan 1;88(1):21-5. (1991) Abstract

Dodson WC, Walmer DK, Hughes CL Jr, Yancy SE, Haney AF. Adjunctive leuprolide therapy does not improve cycle fecundity in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination of subfertile women. Obstet Gynecol. 1991 Aug;78(2):187-90. (1991) Abstract

Hughes CL Jr, Dodson WC, Walmer DK, Dixon SB. Utility of fluoroimmunoassay in detecting luteinizing hormone surges in spontaneous and human menopausal gonadotropin-stimulated menstrual cycles. J Reprod Med. 1990 Mar;35(3):211-3. (1990) Abstract

Walmer DK, Haney AF, Dodson WC. Ovarian hyperstimulation in polycystic ovary syndrome during therapy with leuprolide acetate. Fertil Steril. 1989 Nov;52(5):858-9. (1989) Abstract