Mary B. Zelinski, Ph.D.

  • Professor, Oregon National Primate Research Center
  • Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Zelinski received her B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her M.S. and Ph.D. from Oregon State University. She received post-doctoral training at the Oregon National Primate Research where she is currently a Professor in the Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, and Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University.

Her research centers on understanding the development and function of primate ovarian follicles. Her experience with nonhuman primates as pre-clinical models for infertility and contraception related to women’s reproductive health spans three decades. Her research has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1998.  She received a perfect score on her NIH grant for continued development of ovarian tissue vitrification and follicle culture as novel options for female fertility preservation.  She was recently named a Senior Scholar of the Global Consortium on Reproductive Longevity and Equality, Buck Institute, to study interventions for ovarian aging.

She is a four-time recipient of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Scientific Program Prize which highlights the importance of nonhuman primate studies for clinical application. She has been an invited speaker at many national and international meetings, has numerous manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals.  She served as Secretary, Program Chair and on the Board of Directors of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) from which she received the Distinguished Service Award in 2014 and was chosen as a Distinguished Fellow in 2024 . She is co-Editor-in-Chief for Biology of Reproduction.  She is also passionate about bringing science to the public wherein she directs and participants in many educational outreach activities for adults and students.

Education and training

  • Degrees

    • B.S., 1977, University of Wisconsin, Madison
    • M.S., 1979, Oregon State University
    • Ph.D., 1986, Oregon State University

  • Fellowship

    • Post-graduate researcher, University of California, Davis, 1984-1986
    • Lalor Foundation Post-doctoral fellow, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 1987-1988
    • Research Associate, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 1988-1990

Memberships and associations:

  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • Association of Women in Science
  • Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (AWSEM)
  • International Society for Fertility Preservation, Newsletter Co-editor, 2011-2012
  • Oncofertility Consortium: National Physicians Cooperative Leadership Committee, National Physicians Cooperative Basic Science Subcommittee, Oncofertility Consortium Ovarian Tissue Vitrification Subcommittee
  • Sigma Xi
  • Society for Cryobiology
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Local Arrangements Committee, 1997 (Corvallis, OR) and 1981 (Portland, OR)
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Chair, Awards Committee, 1997-1998 and 2019-2021
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Animal Care and Experimentation Committee, 1999-2001
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Nominee, Board of Directors, 2000
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Editorial Board, 1982-1986 and 2000-2004
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Secretary, 2001-2004
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Board liaison, Clinical Outreach Committee, 2001-2004 and 2005-2006
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Board liaison, Minority Affairs Committee, 2001-2004
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Program Committee, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Board of Directors, 2005-2007
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Board Liaison, Nominating Committee, 2007-2008
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: SSR representative to FASEB Excellence in Science Award Committee, 2005-2008; SSR Advisor, Trainee Affairs Committee, 2008-2010
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Strategic Planning Committee, 2008-2010 and 2012
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction :Public Affairs Committee, 2011-2016
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Program Chair, 45th Annual Meeting, State College PA, 2012
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Annual Meeting Advisory Committee, 2012-2013, Chair, 2014 and 2015-2017
  • Society for the Study of Reproduction: Future Meeting Sites Chair 2017-2019
  • Grant reviewer: NIH, NICHD, CMIR Study Section, October 2012-2016
  • Grant reviewer: NIH, NICHD Loan Repayment Project, 2015-2017
  • Grant reviewer: Israel Science Foundation, 2015
  • Grant reviewer: University of Washington NIH Diabetes Research Center, 2015
  • Grant reviewer: Fonds de la recherché scientifique (FNRS), Belgium, 2014 and 2015
  • Grant reviewer: NIH, NICHD, Reviewer for P01 grants, 2012-2013
  • Grant reviewer: Medical Research Council (MRC), United Kingdom, 2013
  • Grant reviewer: Lalor Foundation, 2013, 2016
  • Grant reviewer: NIH, NICHD, ICER Study Section, January and May 2011
  • Grant reviewer: Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO), Belgium, 2011
  • Grant reviewer: Smithsonian Institution, 2011
  • Grant reviewer: NIH, NICHD, Special Emphasis Panel, Fertility Preservation, 2009
  • Grant reviewer: Medical Research Foundation of Oregon, 2007-2009
  • Grant reviewer: NIH, NICHD, CMIR Study Section, June 2005
  • Grant reviewer: USDA, Grants in Reproductive Sciences, Study Section, 2003-2005 and 2014-2015
  • Grant reviewer: NIH, Small Business Innovation Research / Biochemical Endocrinology Study Section, July, 2001
  • Grant reviewer: NSF-EPSCoR in North Dakota, 2000
  • Grant reviewer: South Dakota Health Research Foundation, 1999 and 2000
  • Grant reviewer: USDA Panel Manager, Grants in Reproductive Sciences, 2016-2017
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: American Journal of Primatology
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Biological Research
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Biology of Reproduction
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Biomedical Research International
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Cell Tissue Research
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Endocrinology
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Fertility and Sterility
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Future Oncology
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Histology and Histopathology
  • Ad hoc Journal reviewer: Human Reproduction
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Human Reproduction Biomedicine Online
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Human Reproduction Update
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of Endocrinology
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of General and Comparative Endocrinology
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of Medical Primatology
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of Ovarian Research
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Journal of Reproduction and Fertility
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Microscopy
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Molecular Reproduction and Development
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Nature Medicine
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: PLoS One
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Prostaglandins
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Regenerative Medicine
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Reproduction
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Reproduction, Fertility and Development
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Reproductive Biomedicine Online
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Scientific Reports
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Theriogenology
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Toxicological Sciences
  • Ad hoc journal reviewer: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

Areas of interest

  • Fertility Preservation for Female Cancer Survivors
  • Ovarian Tissue Transplantation
  • Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation
  • Ovarian Follicle Biology
  • Ovarian Aging
  • Ferto-protection from Anti-Cancer Therapies
  • Contraception, Female and Male

Additional information

Honors and awards

  • 1983 Elected full member of Sigma Xi honor society
  • 1983 John T. Babcock Award, Ph.D. Student of Excellence in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University
  • 1992 General Program Prize Paper, 48th Annual Meeting, American Fertility Society
  • 1993 Finalist, Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Prize Paper, Conjoint Meeting of the American Fertility Society/The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society
  • 1997 Outstanding Contribution, Human Reproduction 12:1877-1885
  • 1998 Outstanding Contributions, Human Reproduction 13:259-267
  • 1999 Finalist, Faculty Senate Research Award, Oregon Health Sciences University
  • 2000 Outstanding Volunteer Award, Girl Scouts – Columbia River Council
  • 2000 Leadership Award, Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (AWSEM)
  • 2002 Distinguished Science Educator Award, Oregon Health & Science
  • 2003 Community Service Award, Girl Scouts – Columbia River Council
  • 2005 Excellence in Action Award, Girl Scouts – Columbia River Council
  • 2005 Co-author on General Program Prize Paper, 61st Annual Meeting, American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • 2006 Co-author on General Program Prize Paper, 62nd Annual Meeting, American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • 2008 General Program Prize Paper, 64th Annual Meeting, American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • 2009 Best Poster Award, World Congress on Fertility Preservation, Brussels, Belgium
  • 2012 Co-author, Best Abstract, German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Annual Meeting, Munich, Germany
  • 2012 Co-author on two Scientific Program Prize Paper finalists, 68th Annual Meeting, American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • 2013 Co-author, First Prize, oral presentation, 27th Annual Congress of the Sociedade Brasileiro de Reprodução Assistida (Brazilian Society of Assisted Reproduction)
  • 2014 Distinguished Service Award, Society for the Study of Reproduction
  • 2018 Distinguished Professor of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, P.R., China
  • 2018 Prize Paper, Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group, 74th Annual Meeting, American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • 2024, Distinguished Fellow, Society for the Study of Reproduction

Publications

Selected publications

  •      Day JR, Flanagan CL, David A, Hartigan-O’Connor DJ, de Mattos Barbosa MG, Martinez ML, Lee C, Barnes J, Farkash E, Zelinski M, Tarantal A, Cascalho M, Shikanov A.  Encapsulated allografts preclude host sensitization and promote ovarian endocrine function in ovariectomized young rhesus monkeys and sensitized mice. MDPI Bioengineering, 10:550, 2023
  •      O’Neill KE, Maher JY, Laronda MM, Duncan FE, Leduc RE, Lujan ME, Oktay KH, Pouch AM, Segars JH, Tsui E, Zelinski MB, Halvorson LM, Gomez-Lobo V.  Anatomic nomenclature and 3D regional model of the human ovary: call for a new paradigm.  Am J Obstet Gynecol, 228:270-274, 2022. PMID: 36191605 
  •      Xu J, Zelinski M.  Oocyte quality following in vitro follicle maturation.  Biol Reprod. 2022; 106:291-315. PMID: 34962509  PMCID: PMC9004734  DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab242
  •      Wang Y, Drake RS, Russo DD, Pattarawat P, Zhang Q, Zelinski MB, Shalek AK, Goods BA, Xiao S.  Vitrification preserves murine ovarian follicular cell transcriptome in a 3D encapsulated in vitro follicle growth system.  Biol Reprod. 2021; 105:1378-1380. PMID: 34591115  PMCID: PMC8689290  DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab185
  •      O’Rand MG, Hamil KG, Adevai T, Zelinski MB.  Inhibition of sperm motility in male macaques with EP055, a potential non-hormonal male contraceptive.  PLoS ONE, 2018; 13(4): e0195953. PMID: 29672554  PMCID: PMC5908160  DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195953
  •      Jones L, Gordon D, Zelinski M.  New Approaches in Cancer Biology can inform the Biology Curriculum.  American Biology Teacher, March 2018; 80:168-174. PMID: 29610538  PMCID: PMC5878053  DOI: 10.1525/abt.2018.80.3.168
  •      Lee DM, Thomas CM, Xu F, Yeoman RR, Xu J, Stouffer RL, Zelinski MB. Subcutaneous ovarian tissue transplantation in nonhuman primates: duration of endocrine function, and normalcy of subsequent offspring as demonstrated by reproductive competence, oocyte production and telomere length.  J Assisted Reprod Genetics, 2017; 34:1427-1434.  PMID: 28942525   PMCID: PMC5699995   DOI: 10.1007/s10815-017-1019-y
  •      Ting AY, Mullen SF, Zelinski MB. Vitrification of ovarian tissue for fertility preservation. In: Gosiengfiao YC, Woodruff TK. Pediatric and Adolescent Oncofertility: Best Practices and Emerging Technologies. Springer, SPi Global, Chennai, India, 2016, pp. 79-97
  •      Peluffo MC, Stanley J, Braeuer N, Rotgeri A, Fritzemeier KH, Fuhrmann U, Buchmann B, Adevai T, Murphy MJ, Zelinski MB, Lindenthal B, Hennebold JD, Stouffer RL.  A prostaglandin E2 receptor antagonist prevents pregnancies during a preclinical contraceptive trial with female macaques.  Hum Reprod. 2014; 29:1400-1412.  PMID: 24781425  PMCID: PMC4059334  DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deu083
  •      Zelinski MB, Murphy M, Lawson M, Pau, F, Toscano N, Jacob D, Fanton J, Tilly JL. Intraovarian delivery of a spingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) agonist, FTY720, prior to ovarian X-irradiation yields fertilization, embryonic development and pregnancy in rhesus monkeys.  Fertil Steril, 2011; 15:1440-1445.e1-7.  PMID: 21316047  PMCID: PMC3063448  DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.01.012