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Fuller W. Bazer is a reproductive biologist. His research and other scholarly activities focus on uterine biology and pregnancy. He has made significant contributions to understanding mechanisms of action of pregnancy recognition signals from the conceptus to the maternal uterus, including discoveries of interferon tau (IFNT) and estrogen from ruminant and pig conceptuses, respectively. The roles of components of uterine secretions, including glucose, fructose, amino acids, transport proteins, regulatory molecules, growth factors, and enzymes and endocrine regulation of their secretion is another major research interest with respect to the growth and development of the conceptus (embryo/fetus and placenta). Dr Bazer’s research has also explored the mechanism(s) of action and potential therapeutic value of conceptus interferons and uterine-derived hematopoietic growth factors, particularly uteroferrin, in both pigs and sheep as models for human disease.
When did you first become interested in reproductive biology and why?
I received my B.S. in Biology from the Centenary College of Louisiana with initial interests in going to medical school, but I became more interested in veterinary medicine. Texas A&M University (TAMU) accepted seven students from Louisiana into each of their classes in the College of Veterinary Medicine, but they required that applicants should have several courses in animal sciences. I went to Louisiana State University (LSU) in the Fall of 1960 to take the perquisite courses. One of those courses was reproductive physiology and that subject became of great interest, because I could see not only the link between reproduction and reproductive health in animals and the need to provide high-quality animal protein but also the issues of fertility and reproductive health in humans. I went on to get my M.S. in Animal Science from LSU in January 1963 and then began my required service as an active duty soldier. I served as an Army Air Defense Officer at Fort Bliss, Texas, and in South Korea. While on duty in South Korea, I thought a lot about whether to go to graduate school or professional school to become a veterinarian. Because of my research experience at the LSU, I chose to go to graduate school at the North Carolina State University beginning in August 1965. My Ph.D. was awarded in January 1969, but I had already begun my career in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Florida (UF) in October 1968. So, my interest in reproductive physiology was because of my interest in the subject and my appreciation of the need for research into issues of reproductive health and fertility in both humans and animals.
