Linda Giudice MD PhD MSc has been appointed a Fellow (ad eundem) of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in recognition of her outstanding track record in the field of reproductive medicine, a specialty of which she is unanimously considered to be one of the most prominent leaders.
RCOG President Professor David Richmond with WES President Professor Linda Giudice
Dr Linda Giudice is the Distinguished Professor and Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). During her time as chair she has taken her department to new heights in both medical education, training, and research.
To have reached the top of the league tables for NIH research funding in the US and maintained that position for nearly a decade, whilst continuing to maintain a clinical practice, is a truly extraordinary achievement.
Professor Giudice is the current president of the World Endometriosis Society (2014-2017), a former president of the ASRM, and sits on the board of trustees of the World Endometriosis Research Foundation.
She is the recipient of the American Infertility Association “Illumination Award” for her work on the environment and reproductive health, the 2008 recipient of the ASRM Distinguished Researcher Award, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In 2013 she was honoured with the Stanford University Medical Center Lifetime Alumni Achievement Award.
An international reputation for excellence
RCOG President-Elect, Professor Lesley Regan
RCOG President-Elect, Professor Lesley Regan, spoke at the RCOG investiture earlier this week:
Dr Giudice has an international reputation for excellence, which is entirely deserved – clinically she has specialised in endometriosis, implantation, ovulatory disorders, and infertility.
Her research contribution has been massive and focused on endometrial function and regeneration, endometriosis, inflammation and reproductive outcomes and the enigma of the utero-placental relationship during pregnancy.
At the same time she has been a successful innovator and, more recently, her unique programme for Reproductive Health and the Environment, that she has established at UCSF, is just one example of another set of Linda’s skills.
Throughout her illustrious career, she has been a strong advocate and supporter for the advancement of women in medicine and especially in obstetrics and gynaecology, in short: the very best type of role model and mentor.
I enjoyed some first hand knowledge of these qualities having first got to know her when I undertook a 4 month sabbatical in her lab in 1997. What I remember about that time was her extraordinary enthusiasm for the topic we were pursuing together, her patience and forgiveness when it became evident that molecular biology was never going to be my strongest card, the strength of the friendship that we forged and continues to this day, her enormous zest for life, her wicked sense of humour, her prowess on the dance floor, and the infectious nature of her laugh. Indeed, I was reminded of these lovely personal attributes when I had the pleasure of being a visiting Professor to her department in May this year and discovered that all her colleagues share my view of her.
She has made an enormous contribution on so many different fronts and I have no doubt that she will continue to do so!
Honours!
Professor Emeritus Hans Evers
Former president of the World Endometriosis Society (2008-2011) and current Editor-in-Chief of Human Reproduction, Professor Johannes (Hans) Evers, pays tribute to Professor Giudice:
I have such fond memories of the many corridor discussions I used to have with Linda when I was on the board of WES! They covered all aspects of life, but they might sometimes get a little delicate when it came to men and women achieving in science. She is just too bright ….
In her role of WES president she always reminds me of a PG Wodehouse quote: “At the age of eleven or thereabouts women acquire a poise and an ability to handle difficult situations which a man – if he is lucky – manages to achieve somewhere in his late seventies.”
Linda is a born leader, effortlessly chairing difficult meetings, carefully weighing everyone’s opinion, and finding an honourable and constructive way out of every tricky dispute.
Congratulations to you, Linda, with this highly deserved distinction. And congratulations to you, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, you couldn’t have elected a more brilliant person to bestow your “scientific knighthood” upon.
And, finally, thank you again, Linda, for your visionary leadership of the Society, for your advancing the science part of endometriosis, for your care for women with the disease, and for your generous friendship over the years.