Vanessa Nakate to Open Giving Black Conference 2026 With Climate Justice Keynote
2 weeks ago
United States Marlena Fejzo is a medical scientist and geneticist whose pioneering research focuses on women's health, particularly severe morning sickness, also known as hyperemesis gravidarum. Her work has led to significant discoveries about the genetic basis of this condition, paving the way for new treatments and a deeper understanding of understudied disorders affecting women.
Marlena Schoenberg Fejzo, Ph.D. is a medical scientist whose research focuses on conditions and diseases that primarily affect women. She is currently research faculty at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.
Geneticist Marlena Fejzo has been awarded the inaugural 2025 BioInnovation Institute & Science Translational Medicine Prize for Innovations in Women’s Health for her leading discoveries about the genetic basis of severe morning sickness. She will present on her discoveries at an award ceremony on April 29 at the BioInnovation Institute (BII) in Copenhagen, Denmark, and receive a cash prize of $25,000.
Fejzo serves as Chief Scientific Officer for Harmonia Healthcare, a health platform committed to closing the healthcare gender gap and intends to open the company's first care center, with a focus on physician-lead research, diagnostic and treatment programs for hyperemesis gravidarum.
Marlena Fejzo's research on hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) has been awarded an EQT Foundation 2025 Women's Health Grant.
In 2018, Fejzo, in collaboration with personal genetics company 23andMe, Inc., published the first link between nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and the placenta, appetite, and vomiting hormone GDF15.
Marlena Fejzo is a Research Advisor and Board Member of the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation, and concurrently serves as Research Director and a Board Director since 2018. She advises, collaborates, and directs research with the foundation since 2001.
NGM Bio's EMERALD Phase 2 Clinical Trial of NGM120 in Hyperemesis Gravidarum is underway in the United Kingdom and Australia, aligning with advances in understanding the mechanisms of HG.
Marlena Schoenberg Fejzo, born on February 20, 1968, is an American medical scientist known for her work in women’s health, including hyperemesis gravidarum. She earned her undergraduate degree in Applied Math from Brown University in 1989 and a Ph.D. in Genetics from Harvard University in 1995. Following her doctoral studies, from 2000 to 2020, Dr. Fejzo conducted research on ovarian cancer within the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the laboratory of Dennis J. Slamon. During this period, she also dedicated efforts to hyperemesis gravidarum, driven by her personal experience with the condition. Currently, she holds a position as research faculty at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, where her primary focus remains on advancing women’s health.
Dr. Fejzo’s research career is marked by several key discoveries and extensive publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. She has published on various women’s health issues, including ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Notably, she identified the first genes linked to uterine fibroids, as well as those associated with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum. In 2018, in collaboration with the personal genetics company 23andMe, Inc., her research established the first connection between nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and the placenta, specifically the appetite and vomiting hormone GDF15, along with other genes. Further solidifying this work, in 2022, she published research identifying the first mutation in GDF15 associated with hyperemesis gravidarum, highlighting GDF15’s role as a predisposing factor for the condition. In December 2023, Dr. Fejzo collaborated with Stephen O’Rahilly and an international team to publish a study detailing the mechanism behind nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum; this research identified potential avenues for prevention and treatment. She also serves as a Research Advisor and Board Member for the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation.
Dr. Fejzo’s contributions have garnered significant recognition. In 2023, she was named one of the ten fiercest women in life sciences by Fierce Pharma. The following year, 2024, saw her recognized as a TIME Women of the Year, a Time100 Health honoree, and a recipient of a National NOW award. In 2025, she was awarded the inaugural BioInnovation Institute & *Science Translational Medicine* Prize for Innovations in Women’s Health, acknowledging her leading discoveries regarding the genetic basis of severe morning sickness and her efforts to find a cure. Her work continues to explore the genetic puzzle of morning sickness, with ongoing studies, including one investigating metformin, aimed at developing new and equitable approaches to mitigate symptoms.
Curious about our offerings or have inquiries? We're eager to assist!
Just complete the form, and we'll respond promptly.
