Women Scientists in Action
Clarisa Gracia, M.D., M.S.C.E.
Dr. Clarisa Gracia enjoys many aspects of her job: the teaching, the mentoring, the research, and especially the clinical work.
Dr. Gracia grew up outside of Buffalo, New York, and attended Amherst College, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish. Immediately after graduation, she enrolled at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, where she received her medical degree. According to Dr. Gracia, she found herself drawn to obstetrics and gynecology for a variety of reasons: The ability to combine surgery and medicine, the opportunity to assist with pregnancy and delivery, and to take care of the many health needs of women. She matched for residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania, and has been there ever since. Following her residency, she pursued a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. To gain further research training, she completed a master of science degree in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at Penn. Dr. Gracia has been on the faculty at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine since 1997, where she is now an associate professor. She is also the director of the Fertility Preservation Program at Penn Fertility Care.
Dr. Gracia balances clinical work with research in reproductive aging, the menopausal transition, and oncofertility. She is particularly interested in fertility preservation for cancer patients and maximizing fertility potential for cancer survivors. In addition to studying the effect of cancer treatments on future fertility, her research team optimizes experimental protocols for oocyte and ovarian tissue cryopreservation that can allow pediatric and young adult cancer patients to maintain options for future fertility as they approach cancer treatment.
Dr. Gracia has authored over sixty peer-reviewed publications, and has received numerous awards and honors and several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Early in her career, she received a Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) K-12 mentored career development award, funded by the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH). She credits this program with giving her protected time for research, which kick-started her career in clinical research.
Recently, Dr. Gracia presented “Emerging Technologies in Oncofertility” as part of the ORWH Women’s Health Seminar on Innovations in Reproductive Technologies.
According to Dr. Gracia, the strong mentorship she received along her professional journey has been critical to her success. She says, “My mentors have shown me that research can be exciting and rewarding. They have also allowed me to see that it is possible to combine clinical practice and clinical research, and they have been a huge part of my success in publishing and getting funding.” Dr. Gracia has two daughters, ages 7 and 9. She credits her supportive husband and a strong network of friends with helping her balance a demanding career with family life.
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