The objective of the research program is to advance knowledge in the area of the reproductive sciences. This is accomplished by conducting research at the cutting-edge of the field. The Center has long been recognized by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as having an extraordinary concentration of qualified scientists in the area of female reproductive biology. Research grant support of Center investigators by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation totals over two million dollars annually in direct costs. The Center for Studies in Reproduction was recently awarded a highly competitive Specialized Cooperative Centers Program Grant in Reproductive Research from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. A multidisciplinary experimental approach will be taken in this combined clinical-basic research program to study the function of the pituitary-ovarian-uterine axis and consequently to improve understanding of the etiology and treatment of infertility in women. This program project will further enhance the highly active and productive program of collaborative research ongoing between the members of the Center and other investigators within and external to the University of Maryland.