Joan Jorgensen

Joan Jorgensen is Professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Veterinary Medicine. Her research investigates the molecular mechanisms governing gonad development, sex differentiation, and reproductive biology. She directs a laboratory focused on understanding how cell-cell interactions and signaling pathways regulate reproductive development and function.

Dr. Jorgensen's work examines transcriptional regulation of ovarian follicle formation, fetal Leydig cell steroidogenesis, and the roles of Iroquois homeobox factors in reproductive development. Her research utilizes genetic mouse models, molecular biology techniques, and cellular analysis to uncover fundamental processes in sex determination, gamete maturation, and hormone production.

She has made significant contributions to understanding how dysregulation of developmental pathways contributes to reproductive disorders and infertility. Current projects investigate IRX3/5 functions in ovarian reserve establishment and uterine receptivity, and cholesterol metabolism in sex differentiation pathways.