Founder’s Professorship in Women’s Health

Established in 2023, the Founder’s Professorship in Women’s Health honors the legacy of Deborah A. Driscoll, MD, the first woman chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Driscoll is the Luigi Mastroianni, Jr. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Vice Dean for Professional Services at the Perelman School of Medicine. She also serves as the Chief Physician Executive for Penn Medicine Medical Group and Senior Vice President of the Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania (CPUP). Dr. Driscoll graduated from Smith College and New York University School of Medicine. She completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in clinical and molecular genetics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Driscoll has achieved international recognition for her research on DiGeorge/velocardiofacial syndrome and the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. She served as the Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health for 14 years. Dr. Driscoll has held numerous national leadership roles, including President of the Council of University Chairs in Obstetrics and Gynecology and the first woman President of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2011. 

Current Chairholder

Anuja Dokras, MD, PhD, MHCI, is the Founder’s Professor in Women’s Health. A specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, Dr. Dokras is an internationally recognized leader in the field of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). As director of the Penn PCOS Center, Dr. Dokras treats patients, conducts translational NIH funded research, advises trainees, and is engaged in patient advocacy. She is also Director of the Women’s Health Center for Clinical Innovation (WHCCI), the first of its kind in the country. Established in 2021, the WHCCI drives improvements in women’s healthcare by supporting a pipeline of projects that offer novel solutions to complex health delivery challenges. Dr. Dokras received her medical degree from University of Mumbai, her PhD at the University of Oxford, and completed her OBGYN residency and REI fellowship at Yale New Haven Hospital. She then completed a Masters in Healthcare Innovation (MHCI) at Penn.