Portrait Brigitte Leeners

Brigitte Leeners
Prof. Dr. med.

Director of Department, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology

Other functions at USZ

  • Head of Clinical Research Department of Reproductive Endocrinology

Contact

Tel. +41 44 255 50 01
VCard

Career

08.2020 Clinic Director, Clinic for Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich
04.2015 Head Physician, Clinic for Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich
01. – 02.2017 Visiting Professor, University of Auckland, New Zealand
05.2016 Short visits to fertility centers: Cornell-Weill/Presbyterian, New York (Zev Rosenwaks), Columbia University, New York (Mark Sauer) and University of San Francisco (UCSF, Marcelle Cedars)
03.2016 List position within three-person proposal appointment procedure University Professorship “Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine” Medical Faculty Innsbruck
01.01.2015 Head of Clinical Research, Clinic for Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich
12.06.2014 Titular professorship University of Zurich
30.05.2012 Rehabilitation at the University of Zurich
01.07.2010 Head of interdisciplinary sexual medicine consultation, University Hospital Zurich
24.05.2007 Habilitation in Obstetrics & Gynecology (RWTH Aachen): Epidemiological and psychosomatic factors in the development and course of hypertensive pregnancy diseases
01.04.2003 Senior Physician, Department of Gynecology, Clinic for Reproductive Endocrinology USZ

Education and training

2016-2017 Additional training in management, Hplus Education/Management; BWI AG Zurich, ETH Zurich
2012 FMH specialization in reproductive medicine and gynecological endocrinology
2002 Specialist in gynecology and obstetrics, North Rhine Medical Association & recognition by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health
1992-2001 Assistant physician, University Women’s Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Prof. Dr. W. Rath
1999-2002 Further training in body therapy, DITAT Bonn
1997-2000 Further training in sexual medicine & therapy, German Society for Sexual Research
1993-1999 Additional qualification in psychotherapy, North Rhine Medical Association
03.1995 Dissertation, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf: Infection frequencies of prostitutes using the example of 311 prostitutes from the Düsseldorf area, grade: very good
1991-1992 Stays abroad in clinics in France and Scotland for a total of 13 months
1988-1989 Medical studies at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nantes, Erasmus program, 12 months
1985-1992 Medical studies at the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany

Most important memberships

  • Founding member Swiss Society for Sexology (Swisssexology), 2013-2016 President
  • Swiss Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • European Society for Contraception
  • Swiss Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SGGG)
  • Swiss Medical Association (FMH)
  • Swiss Academy for Psychosomatic and Psychosocial Medicine (APPM)
  • Swiss Working Group on Psychosomatic Gynecology and Obstetrics (AGPGG), 2004-2014 Board Member
  • International Society for Psychosomatic Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Research focus

  • Human Reproduction Reloaded – H2R
    • University research focus of the University of Zurich, participation of 6 faculties
  • Immunological approaches in the treatment of endometriosis (Innosuisse).
  • “Big data” approaches in improving the treatment of infertility patients (Innosuisse).
  • Development of new biomarkers to predict the potential of human oocytes.
    • Functional Genomics Center, ETH Zürich
    • Inst. Veterinary Reproductive Endocrinology, ETH Zurich
    • Center aerospace, biomedical science & technology, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
    • Dept. of Computer Science, Sapienza University Rome
  • Analysis and optimization of the organizational structures of the Clinic for Reproductive Endocrinology, USZ
    • Dept. of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zurich
  • Analysis of various prognostic factors of IVF/ICSI treatments.
    • SNF Travel Grant
    • Dept. of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Auckland, New Zealand
  • Development of a wearable (Ava) for pregnancy planning, prevention and monitoring.
    • 2 CTI grants, 1 Innosuisse grant
    • AVA (start-up)
    • EMPA: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
    • CSEM: Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique
  • Youth sexuality – a representative study in Switzerland
    • SNF-Grant
    • Groupe de recherche sur la santé des adolescents (GRSA), Institut universitaire de médecine sociale et préventive (IUMSP), CHUV Lausanne
  • Endocrinological mechanisms in the regulation of female body weight.
    • ZIPH Grant, Philhuman Foundation, Foundation for wiss. Research UZH/ Baugarten Foundation, Foundation for the Promotion of Nutrition Research in Switzerland
    • Institute of Veterinary Physiology UZH
    • Dept. of Economics, ETH Zurich
  • Epigenetics in male transmission of rheumatic diseases.
    • Jubilee Foundation, Gebauer Foundation
    • Department of Rheumatology, USZ
  • Development of a mathematical model of the female cycle and for the support of fertility treatments (PAEON)
    • FP-7 EU Grant
    • Dept. of Computer Science, Sapienza University Rome, ZUSE Institute Berlin, Hannover Medical School
    • Space Biology Group, ETH Zurich
  • PAEON-Neuropsychology: interactions between steroid hormones & neuropsychological changes.
    • Gottfried and Julia Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation
    • Psychology Institute University of Zurich, ZHAW Zurich
  • PAEON-Epigenetics: Influences of different hormone constellations on epigenetic activation patterns.
    • Department of Psychiatry, Hannover Medical School
  • Risk factors and quality of life in endometriosis
    • Charité Berlin, RWTH Aachen, KS St. Gallen, Stadtspital Triemli, KS Schaffhausen, Department of Gynecology USZ etc.

Further

Editorial board

  • Science reports (Impact factor: 4.122)
  • Frontiers in Endocrinology (Impact factor: 3.519)
  • Gynecological endocrinology

Reviewer for professional journals

  • Human Reproduction
  • American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • European Journal of Contraception
  • Journal of Psychosomatic Research
  • Journal of Sexual Medicine
  • BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
  • Journal of Sexual Research,
  • Journal of Perinatal Medicine
  • Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
  • Early Human Development

Expert opinion research grants

  • Swiss Cancer League