Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Dr. Moalli is a Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Director of the Division of Urogynecology & Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital; and Vice Chair in Translational Research Development. She is also a faculty member in the Department of Bioengineering and the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine; Clinical and Translational Institute; Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at Carnegie Mellon University; and Primary Member, Magee-Womens Research Institute.
Education & Training
- Brown University, BA with distinction in Biology
- Northwestern University, MD, PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Institutes of Health-sponsored Medical Scientist Training Program
- University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology
- University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Fellowship in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery
Research Interests
- Pelvic floor disorders
- Biomaterials for the repair of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse
- Mechanisms of maternal birth injury
- Vaginal biofabrication using stem cell technologies
Roughly 20% of women in the United States will undergo a surgery to repair pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence each year. The primary focus of Dr. Moalli’s research has been to improve outcomes for women undergoing these surgeries. In this way, most of her work to date has focused on the study of vaginal and pelvic soft tissue - biomaterial interactions. The lab has been critical in advancing current knowledge on mechanisms of complications following the implantation of polypropylene prolapse and incontinence meshes. To overcome the limitations of these materials, the group is developing novel elastomeric membranes with properties more closely matched to those of the vagina and it supportive tissues. Recently, she has explored regenerative techniques to rebuild compromised tissue and biobased materials that are derived from plants as opposed to petroleum byproducts. Since vaginal birth is the sentinel event that predisposes to incontinence and prolapse later in life, Dr. Moalli also works on defining mechanisms of maternal birth injury and improving imaging based modalities to identify severe maternal birth injury and novel biomimetic approaches to repair. Finally, the lab works on stem cell based techniques to improve outcomes for women experiencing congenital absence of a vagina or vaginal loss due to cancers of the pelvis. The strength of her research group is that it is highly interdisciplinary with expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry, biomechanics, computational analyses, and biomaterials. Dr. Moalli is extensively involved in teaching college students, medical students, graduate students, residents, and clinical fellows. As Vice Chair in Translational Research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, she is dedicated to the development of the next generation of leaders in women’s reproductive health.
Selected Publications
View Dr. Moalli publications on PubMed.