Research & Translational Medicine for Endometriosis

It is our vision that, worldwide our research will contribute to finding causes, treatments, prevention, and a cure for endometriosis and related health problems.

Endometriosis Research by The Endometriosis AssociationEndometriosis Research, Endometriosis Pain, Endometriosis Association

Millions of women and girls all over the world suffer from endometriosis, a chronic immune and endocrine disease which causes years of pain, infertility, sporadic and sometimes complete disability, and can keep a woman or girl from reaching her potential and contributing fully to her family and society. Endometriosis is a modern epidemic and appears to be growing rapidly.

Because of breakthrough research by the Endometriosis Association, the work of dedicated women and their families, and selected doctors and researchers around the world, understanding of the causes of the disease is now in sight. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, one of the foremost medical schools and research centers in the United States, chose to partner with the Endometriosis Association in its research efforts.

The Endometriosis Association is committed to pushing that research frontier forward. We believe that those affected by endometriosis and interested in it worldwide will support the effort to cure and prevent endometriosis.

Endometriosis Research Impact

  • First to establish an endometriosis research registry, largest in the world for 2 decades
  • First to show that endometriosis is a disease of all socioeconomic groups, pre-teen to post-menopausal women, and of all racial groups
  • First to establish ongoing multi-disciplinary research programs

The Endometriosis Association was first to lead the field of science and medicine in the big picture of endometriosis:

  • documented long delay between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis
  • demonstrated that pain, not infertility, is the cardinal symptom of endo
  • shifted focus from “just” a pelvic disease to a systemic one
  • showed a link to atopic diseases
  • discovered higher rate of autoimmune diseases
  • linked to certain cancers
  • linked to gut dysbiosis and immunotherapy
  • discovered and proved a cause of endo and its link to epigenetics
  • discovered dioxin link in endo pathophysiology, first proven agent to be able to cause spontaneous, severe endo
  • showed the disease is chronic, now accepted and promulgated in medical society guidelines
  • groundbreaking research on non-invasive diagnostics

Our Breakthrough Endometriosis Research

The Association funded breakthrough research showing that dioxin and other toxic chemicals can cause the development of endometriosis and other health problems to which those with endometriosis are susceptible, including certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, and heart disease.

Learn how research is leading the endo movement in new directions by reading section three in Endometriosis: The Complete Reference for Taking Charge of Your Health.