Richelle Duque Björvang

Richelle Duque Björvang

Affiliated to Research
Visiting address: Hälsovägen, Enheten för obstetrik och gynekologi C1:77, 14186 Stockholm
Postal address: H9 Klinisk vetenskap, intervention och teknik, H9 CLT Obstetrik o gynekologi Damdimopoulou, 171 77 Stockholm
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About me

  • I am a physician scientist with an extensive exposure to the clinical,
    experimental and epidemiological arenas. I like solving problems, figuring
    out solutions, and analyzing data. Aside from managing my own project by
    tackling four different cohorts for my epidemiological studies as well as
    performing in vitro experiments, I have also organized the KI “Experts
    explain” Zoom seminar series, held lectures at KI and KTH, and written for
    the KI blog. I also held a position as PhD student representative in the
    department and I was part of the steering committee of the KI Network
    Medicine Alliance. In my spare time, I do jigsaw puzzles, make arts and
    crafts, and take care of my plants. I am currently training to run 21K and
    finding what feels good by doing yoga.
    I am passionate about reproductive and fetal medicine as well as women's
    health and have also recently gained interest in the field of mental health.
    I am well-versed on reproductive toxicology. I enjoy working in a
    collaborative, multi-cultural environment that promotes the construction of a
    stronger, more cohesive scientific community. I look forward to contributing
    towards high-quality research that improves the health and well-being of
    people all over the world.
    Forskar Grand Prix, finalist (2021)
    HERstory European competition, winner (2021)
    Birgitta and Carl-Axel Rydbeck’s Research grant for Pediatric Research
    (2020)
    Karolinska Institutet travel award for collaboration with University of Tokyo
    (2020)
    Karolinska Institutet PhD travel grant (2020)
    European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal testing 3R student
    grant (2018)
    Karolinska Institutet PhD travel grant (2018)
    Society for Reproduction and Fertility travel grant (2017)
    Swedish Insitute Study Scholarship (2014-2016)
    Magna cum laude (with great honors), BSc Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
    (2007)
    2021 PhD in Reproductive Toxicology, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
    2016 Masters in Medical Science, Uppsala University, Sweden
    2012 Doctor of Medicine, University of the Philippines - Manila, Philippines
    2007 BSc Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines -
    Diliman, Philippines

Research

  • Our modern, industrialized society has developed countless improvements for
    everyday life. Although these developments come with many benefits, they can
    also be accompanied by adverse effects to our health and the environment.
    One important example is exposure to industrial chemicals, which is now
    ubiquitous in day-to-day life. Some of these chemicals have been found to
    disrupt endocrine activity, and are thus named endocrine disrupting chemicals
    (EDCs). Studies of humans, wildlife populations, multiple experimental animal
    studies, and epidemiological cohorts show associations between EDC exposure
    and adverse health effects, making this a global health concern. Extensive
    lines of evidence have demonstrated detrimental effects of EDC exposure on
    male fertility, while their effects on reproductive health in women remain
    poorly understood. Currently, our study aims to identify EDCs that are
    associated with adverse effects on fertility in women in Sweden, elucidate
    transfer of chemicals from mother to the fetus, and investigate the effects
    and mechanisms of action of the identified chemicals on human ovarian
    folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis /in vitro/. Ultimately, we aim to
    provide a better understanding of the effects of EDCs on female reproductive
    health, making us a step closer towards protecting our future generations via
    more efficient legislations on chemicals.
    Link to my PhD thesis: Fewer Kids: Not Always By Choice - The link between
    endocrine-disrupting chemicals and female reproductive health [1]
    [1] https://openarchive.ki.se/xmlui/handle/10616/47761

Articles

All other publications

Employments

  • Affiliated to Research, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-2024

Degrees and Education

  • Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 2022

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