Nina Stachenfeld, PhD

Director of the Laboratory for Metabolic Testing and Performance, and Fellow
The John B. Pierce Laboratory

Senior Research Scientist
Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences & Yale School of Public Health
Yale School of Medicine
Committee on the Status of Women in Medicine (SWIM), Co-Chair
WHRY Pilot Project Program Investigators
Discovery to Cure Internship, Mentor

Education

BA, Antioch College, 1981
MA, New York University, 1987
PhD, Columbia University, 1993

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Nina Stachenfeld joined the John B. Pierce Laboratory as a postdoctoral associate in the laboratory of the late Ethan R. Nadel, Ph.D. in 1993. The focus of her work in Dr. Nadel’s laboratory was examining the effects of aging and exercise on the fluid, sodium regulation and cardiovascular systems. Dr. Stachenfeld’s research focuses on the reproductive hormone effects on physiological responses during exercise, thermal, and orthostatic challenges. Currently, she is studying reproductive hormone effects on skin microcirculation, autonomic function and sympathetic outflow in women with low orthostatic tolerance, and on endothelial function in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. She is also studying metabolic effects of environmental exposure on insulin resistance in women. Dr. Stachenfeld has authored/co-authored over 70 publications. She is a member of the American Physiological Society, the American College of Sports Medicine, and The Endocrine Society. She is on the Editorial Board of FASEB J and Endocrinology.

Recent Publications

Berbrier DE, Leone CA, Adler TE, Bender JR, Taylor HS, Stachenfeld NS and Usselman CW. Effects of androgen excess and body mass index on endothelial function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. (2023) J Appl Physiol (1985). 134, 868-878 Pubmed J Appl Physiol (1985)

Kirby NV, Stachenfeld NS and Alexander LM. Letter to the Editor in response to: Microvascular endothelial function following the cessation of long-term oral contraceptive pill use: A case report. (2023) Exp Physiol. Pubmed Exp Physiol

Huang T, Howse FM, Stachenfeld NS and Usselman CW. Correlations between salivary- and blood-derived gonadal hormone assessments and implications for inclusion of female participants in research studies. (2023) Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 324, H33-H46 Pubmed Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol

Dillon GA, Stanhewicz AE, Serviente C, Flores VA, Stachenfeld N and Alexander LM. Seven days of statin treatment improves nitric-oxide mediated endothelial-dependent cutaneous microvascular function in women with endometriosis. (2022) Microvasc Res. 144, 104421 Pubmed Microvasc Res PMC Article

Giersch GEW, Garcia CK, Stachenfeld NS and Charkoudian N. Are there sex differences in risk for exertional heat stroke? A translational approach. (2022) Exp Physiol. 107, 1136-1143 Pubmed Exp Physiol

Mamillapalli R, Toffoloni N, Habata S, Qunhua H, Atwani R, Stachenfeld N and Taylor HS. Endometriosis promotes atherosclerosis in a murine model. (2022) Am J Obstet Gynecol. 227, 248.e1-248.e8 Pubmed Am J Obstet Gynecol PMC Article

Gomez JMD, VanHise K, Stachenfeld N, Chan JL, Merz NB and Shufelt C. Subclinical cardiovascular disease and polycystic ovary syndrome. (2022) Fertil Steril. 117, 912-923 Pubmed Fertil Steril

Stachenfeld NS and Mazure CM. Precision medicine requires understanding how both sex and gender influence health. (2022) Cell. 185, 1619-1622 Pubmed Cell

Shawky NM, Dalmasso C, Ojeda NB, Zuchowski Y, Stachenfeld N, Alexander BT and Reckelhoff JF. Consequences of hyperandrogenemia during pregnancy in female offspring: attenuated response to angiotensin II. (2022) J Hypertens. 40, 712-722 Pubmed J Hypertens PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS and Alexander LM. Why gender equity should remain a focus for the American Physiological Society. (2022) Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 322, H575-H578 Pubmed Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol

Giersch GEW, Morrissey MC, Katch RK, Colburn AT, Sims ST, Stachenfeld NS and Casa DJ. Menstrual cycle and thermoregulation during exercise in the heat: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (2020) J Sci Med Sport. 23, 1134-1140 Pubmed J Sci Med Sport

Wenner MM and Stachenfeld NS. Last Word on Point:Counterpoint: Investigators should/should not control for menstrual cycle phase when performing studies of vascular control that include women. (2020) J Appl Physiol (1985). 129, 1136-1137 Pubmed J Appl Physiol (1985)

Wenner MM and Stachenfeld NS. Rebuttal to Drs. Stanhewicz and Wong. (2020) J Appl Physiol (1985). 129, 1120 Pubmed J Appl Physiol (1985)

Wenner MM and Stachenfeld NS. Point: Investigators should control for menstrual cycle phase when performing studies of vascular control that include women. (2020) J Appl Physiol (1985). 129, 1114-1116 Pubmed J Appl Physiol (1985)

Stone T and Stachenfeld NS. Pathophysiological effects of androgens on the female vascular system. (2020) Biol Sex Differ. 11, 45 Pubmed Biol Sex Differ PMC Article

Stachenfeld N. Introducing a special series, sex as a variable in human research: A systems approach. (2020) FASEB J. 34, 8776-8777 Pubmed FASEB J

Usselman CW, Adler TE, Coovadia Y, Leone C, Paidas MJ and Stachenfeld NS. A recent history of preeclampsia is associated with elevated central pulse wave velocity and muscle sympathetic outflow. (2020) Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 318, H581-H589 Pubmed Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol

Gulanski BI, Flannery CA, Peter PR, Leone CA and Stachenfeld NS. Compromised endothelial function in transgender men taking testosterone. (2020) Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 92, 138-144 Pubmed Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS. Women leading in the Environmental and Exercise Physiology Section of the American Physiological Society: better late than never. (2019) J Appl Physiol (1985). 127, 893 Pubmed J Appl Physiol (1985)

Usselman CW, Yarovinsky TO, Steele FE, Leone CA, Taylor HS, Bender JR and Stachenfeld NS. Androgens drive microvascular endothelial dysfunction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: role of the endothelin B receptor. (2019) J Physiol. 597, 2853-2865 Pubmed J Physiol

Stachenfeld NS. Independent Effect of High Aerobic Capacity To Protect Against Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance in Male Rats. (2019) Endocrinology. 160, 1437-1438 Pubmed Endocrinology

Flores VA, Leone C, Taylor HS and Stachenfeld NS. Effects of bazedoxifene/conjugated estrogens on reproductive endocrinology and reproductive tract ultrasonographic appearance in premenopausal women: a preliminary study. (2019) Gynecol Endocrinol. 35, 390-394 Pubmed Gynecol Endocrinol

Stanhewicz AE, Wenner MM and Stachenfeld NS. Sex differences in endothelial function important to vascular health and overall cardiovascular disease risk across the lifespan. (2018) Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 315, H1569-H1588 Pubmed Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS. Including women in research. It's necessary, and really not so hard to do. (2018) Exp Physiol. 103, 1296-1297 Pubmed Exp Physiol

Adler TE, Usselman CW, Takamata A and Stachenfeld NS. Blood pressure predicts endothelial function and the effects of ethinyl estradiol exposure in young women. (2018) Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 315, H925-H933 Pubmed Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol

Flores VA, Stachenfeld NS and Taylor HS. Bazedoxifene-Conjugated Estrogens for Treating Endometriosis. (2018) Obstet Gynecol. 132, 475-477 Pubmed Obstet Gynecol

Wenner MM, Hinds KA, Howard JT, Nawn CD, Stachenfeld NS and Convertino VA. Measurement of compensatory reserve predicts racial differences in tolerance to simulated hemorrhage in women. (2018) J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 85, S77-S83 Pubmed J Trauma Acute Care Surg PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS, Leone CA, Mitchell ES, Freese E and Harkness L. Water intake reverses dehydration associated impaired executive function in healthy young women. (2018) Physiol Behav. 185, 103-111 Pubmed Physiol Behav

Turner JM, Marsteller DA, Luxkaranayagam AT, Fletcher JM and Stachenfeld NS. Mild exercise in female subjects impairs complex learning independent of hydration status and emotion. (2017) Physiol Behav. 180, 113-119 Pubmed Physiol Behav

Usselman CW and Stachenfeld NS. Contribution of Increased Angiotensin II Sensitivity to Microvascular Dysfunction in Women With a History of Preeclampsia. (2017) Hypertension. 70, 245-246 Pubmed Hypertension

Gunduz-Bruce H, Kenney J, Changlani S, Peixoto A, Gueorguieva R, Leone C and Stachenfeld N. A translational approach for NMDA receptor profiling as a vulnerability biomarker for depression and schizophrenia. (2017) Exp Physiol. 102, 587-597 Pubmed Exp Physiol

Charkoudian N and Stachenfeld N. Sex hormone effects on autonomic mechanisms of thermoregulation in humans. (2016) Auton Neurosci. 196, 75-80 Pubmed Auton Neurosci

Usselman CW, Stachenfeld NS and Bender JR. The molecular actions of oestrogen in the regulation of vascular health. (2016) Exp Physiol. 101, 356-61 Pubmed Exp Physiol PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS. Sex hormone effects on autonomic and endothelial function. (2016) Exp Physiol. 101, 347-8 Pubmed Exp Physiol

Wenner MM, Taylor HS and Stachenfeld NS. Peripheral Microvascular Vasodilatory Response to Estradiol and Genistein in Women with Insulin Resistance. (2015) Microcirculation. 22, 391-9 Pubmed Microcirculation PMC Article

Sladek CD, Michelini LC, Stachenfeld NS, Stern JE and Urban JH. Endocrine-Autonomic Linkages. (2015) Compr Physiol. 5, 1281-323 Pubmed Compr Physiol

Platts SH, Bairey Merz CN, Barr Y, Fu Q, Gulati M, Hughson R, Levine BD, Mehran R, Stachenfeld N and Wenger NK. Effects of sex and gender on adaptation to space: cardiovascular alterations. (2014) J Womens Health (Larchmt). 23, 950-5 Pubmed J Womens Health (Larchmt) PMC Article

Alian AA, Galante NJ, Stachenfeld NS, Silverman DG and Shelley KH. Impact of lower body negative pressure induced hypovolemia on peripheral venous pressure waveform parameters in healthy volunteers. (2014) Physiol Meas. 35, 1509-20 Pubmed Physiol Meas

Horvath TL, Stachenfeld NS and Diano S. A temperature hypothesis of hypothalamus-driven obesity. (2014) Yale J Biol Med. 87, 149-58 Pubmed Yale J Biol Med PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS. Hormonal changes during menopause and the impact on fluid regulation. (2014) Reprod Sci. 21, 555-61 Pubmed Reprod Sci PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS. The interrelationship of research in the laboratory and the field to assess hydration status and determine mechanisms involved in water regulation during physical activity. (2014) Sports Med. 44 Suppl 1, S97-104 Pubmed Sports Med PMC Article

Stachenfeld NS and Taylor HS. Challenges and methodology for testing young healthy women in physiological studies. (2014) Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 306, E849-53 Pubmed Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab PMC Article

Charkoudian N and Stachenfeld NS. Reproductive hormone influences on thermoregulation in women. (2014) Compr Physiol. 4, 793-804 Pubmed Compr Physiol

Wenner MM, Taylor HS and Stachenfeld NS. Androgens influence microvascular dilation in PCOS through ET-A and ET-B receptors. (2013) Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 305, E818-25 Pubmed Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab PMC Article

Wenner MM, Haddadin AS, Taylor HS and Stachenfeld NS. Mechanisms contributing to low orthostatic tolerance in women: the influence of oestradiol. (2013) J Physiol. 591, 2345-55 Pubmed J Physiol PMC Article

Wenner MM and Stachenfeld NS. Blood pressure and water regulation: understanding sex hormone effects within and between men and women. (2012) J Physiol. 590, 5949-61 Pubmed J Physiol PMC Article

Noonan B and Stachenfeld N. The effects of undergarment composition worn beneath hockey protective equipment on high-intensity intermittent exercise. (2012) J Strength Cond Res. 26, 2309-16 Pubmed J Strength Cond Res

Alian AA, Galante NJ, Stachenfeld NS, Silverman DG and Shelley KH. Impact of central hypovolemia on photoplethysmographic waveform parameters in healthy volunteers part 2: frequency domain analysis. (2011) J Clin Monit Comput. 25, 387-96 Pubmed J Clin Monit Comput

Selvaraj N, Shelley KH, Silverman DG, Stachenfeld N and Chon KH. Autonomic control mechanism of maximal lower body negative pressure application. (2012) Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2012, 3120-3 Pubmed Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc

Nina Stachenfeld, PhD

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Education

Biographical Sketch

Recent Publications

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