The Celso-Ramón García Professorship of Obstetrics & Gynecology
The Professorship was created in 1994 through the generous support of Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, the Massey Charitable Trust and the many grateful patients and friends of Celso-Ramón García, MD to honor Dr. García’s contributions to the field of women’s health.
Dr. García (1922–2004) spearheaded the development of innovative programs in both family planning and infertility. He was renowned for his skill as a microsurgeon and for his innovative discoveries in the conservational management of reproductive tract problems. As a member of the faculty of Penn Medicine’s Division of Human Reproduction for over 25 years, Dr. García contributed dramatically to the understanding of the management of menopause. In the early 1950s, he collaborated with Drs. John Rock and Gregory Pincus in developing the first oral contraceptive. He trained many leaders in the field of human reproduction, and the graduates of his programs occupied principal positions in medical institutions both nationally and internationally. Dr. García’s remarkable technical and scientific knowledge, combined with his warmth and compassion, were great sources of strength and comfort to his patients over the years.
A former President of the American Fertility Society, Dr. García was also honored with the Carl Hartman Award of the American Fertility Society, the Sesquicentennial Award from the University of Michigan, and the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics/Wyeth-Ayerst Public Recognition Award for achievement in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Current Chairholder
Christos Coutifaris, MD, PhD
Christos Coutifaris, MD, PhD is Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He received a BA in biophysics from Amherst College, and MD and PhD degrees from the Perelman School of Medicine. His research, funded continuously by the NIH for over 25 years, has concentrated on the efficacy of fertility treatments and on understanding human trophoblast differentiation, embryo implantation, and the molecular basis of adverse perinatal outcomes.
Dr. Coutifaris is a recognized leader in academic reproductive medicine and lectures extensively nationally and internationally. He has received multiple teaching awards and has served on several NIH study sections and on the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He served on the Executive Board of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, was President of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and is currently President-Elect of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Previous Chairholders
- Gregory S. Kopf, PhD 1994–2001
- George Coukos, MD, PhD 2004–2014