VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Howard and Georgeanna Jones Foundation for Reproductive Medicine (“Jones Foundation”) is pleased to announce that it has awarded Robin Skory, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania funding for a two-year study entitled, Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Oocyte-Granulosa Cell Communication as Determination of Developmental Competence.
Dr. Skory, a physician-scientist, trained at Northwestern (M.D./Ph.D.), UCSF (OB/Gyn residency) and the University of Pennsylvania (REI fellowship). Her research combines advanced live imaging with follicle culture models to reveal how somatic-germ cell communication informs embryo development. Her research program aims to define the fundamental determinants of egg quality and translate these insights into improved options for fertility treatment and preservation.
Robert W. Jones, who has been Chairman of the Jones Foundation for nine years, and a member of the Board of Directors for 29 years, enthusiastically offered these comments, “The Howard and Georgeanna Jones Foundation is a leader in the development of reproductive medical techniques that have profoundly served humankind. The Board of Directors is proud to support a new generation of professionals like Dr. Skory who will advance our efforts to improve infertility treatment in the United States.” Mr. Jones added, “Our goal is to identify and fund the most innovative and promising studies across the United States—those that have the potential to transform treatments, lower patient expenses, and increase the number of successful pregnancies. A crucial aspect of our mission is to invest in career scientists and physicians, ensuring they can continue their work and grow within this vital area of research.”
About The Howard and Georgeanna Jones Foundation For Reproductive Medicine
The Howard and Georgeanna Jones Foundation for Reproductive Medicine was founded by IVF pioneers Dr. Howard W. Jones, Jr. and Dr. Georgeanna S. Jones who established the first in vitro fertilization program in the United States, the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine. The Jones institute was responsible for the first American born IVF baby in l981.
The Howard and Georgeanna Jones Foundation for Reproductive Medicine is a 501(c)(3) organization that solicits funds from the general public to support scientific and medical research and education in the field of reproductive medicine. In addition to providing research grants to deserving scientific investigators, the Foundation Board of Directors is prepared to serve in an advisory capacity to the agencies it supports. The Foundation may also sponsor seminars or other educational activities designed to evaluate public policy issues related to reproductive medicine in order to educate the general public and attempt to improve the human condition.
SOURCE The Howard and Georgeanna Jones Foundation for Reproductive Medicine
