Gale Bartholomew Hill
Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology

The microflora of the female lower genital tract is an important source of opportunistic pathogens that are etiologic in many pelvic infections, e.g., chorioamnionitis, post-partum endometrities, salpingitis, and post-operative infections. Additionally, there is strong evidence of a role in premature births. An alteration of the vaginal microflora in adult women, bacterial vaginosis, has been linked to a higher risk for the infections listed above and to premature birth. My research is directed toward 1) elucidating the specific microoranisms in the microflora most closely associated with bacterial vaginosis and prematurity, 2) understanding the control mechanisms of vaginal ecology which favor the development of bacterial vaginosis and particularly the presence of the species most etiologic in prematurity, 3) evaluating the biological and biochemical properties of these species, 4) theorizing and testing of probable pathogenetic mechanisms in prematurity based on these and other data and finally, 5) developing effective preventative measures and therapeutic modalities for bacterial vaginosis and prematurity.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Contact Information

  • 331 Cedar Berry Lane, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
  • Box 3084 Med Ctr, Durham, NC 27710

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