Dr. med. Maria Schubert
Urologist
Klinische Andrologin der Europäischen Akademie für Andrologie (EAA)
Tel.: +49 (0)251 83 56095
E-Mail: Maria Schubert
About me
During my clinical and scientific work, I focus on male idiopathic infertility. In the latter aetiological factors, strong enough to explain the extent of the infertility, are missing. Currently, about 72% of andrological patients receive this unsatisfactory diagnosis. Since aetiologic factors are missing, no causal therapy can be offered and couples are offered assisted reproduction to fulfil their desire to have children.
The aim of my translational work is to minimise the number of idiopathic infertile men by identifying further aetiological factors. During clinical workup, I run the consultation for idiopathic infertile men, who are also the focus of my scientific work. Improved diagnostics can create opportunities for individualised therapy.
Concerning diagnosis of these patients, we have already succeeded by genotyping of the FSHB polymorphism (FSHB c.-211 G>T). In current projects, we have been able to further investigate the significance of this polymorphism using techniques such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), histopathological processing of testicular tissue samples and clustering of a large group of patients (a form of machine learning/artificial intelligence). In these ways, we were able to demonstrate the impact of FSHB c.-211 G>T on the FSH serum level, the Sertoli cells (nursing cells) in the testis and the clinical significance in fertility diagnostics.
Through these findings, the genotyping of FSHB c.-211 G>T has found its way into diagnostics of idiopathic infertile men in the Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology at the CeRA. The use of this single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in clinical workup demonstrates the translational focus of our working group and makes the work particularly interesting and lively for me as a clinical physician and scientist.
Scientific career
09/2019 Specialist in Urology 10/2018 Clinical Andrologist (EAA certified) Since 09/2017 Clinical rotation position within the Clinical Research Unit of the German Research Foundation (DFG, KFO 326 Male Germ Cells) Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology (CeRA), Münster University Hospital Since 08/2014 Resident Physician/Specialist, Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, CeRA 2008-2014 Resident Physician, Department of Urology and Children’s Urology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Co-worker of the EMPaCT Working Group (European Multicentre High-Risk Prostate Cancer Clinical and Translational Research Group) 2012-2014 Clinician Scientist, Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg 2011-2012 Ferdinand Eisenberger Grant of the German Society of Urology (DGU) 12 months of scientific research "Role of the microRNA family let-7 in high risk prostate cancer" Current grants
Current grants
2021 1st Award ESHRE-Kongress 2021 Clinical Science award for Oral "A Genome Wide Association Study in men with unexplained infertility identifies nine SNPs at the FSHB locus to be associated with Follicle Stimulating Hormone level" 2020 2nd Lecture Award of the German Society of Urology for "Follicle-stimulating hormone action in unexplained male infertility – a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS)" 2020 Poster Award Andrology2020 "Does the FSHB c.-211G>T polymorphism impact the spermatogenic potential in infertile male patients?" 2016 GeSRU Academics Award "Innovative App on testicular cancer" 2010-2012 Biomarker research in high risk prostate cancer” IZKF-First-Applicant-Programme, Würzburg University Hospital Z-3/14
2011-2012|“Role of the microRNA family let-7 in high risk prostate cancer” Ferdinand Eisenberger-Grant of the DGU ScM1/FE-11
2006|1st Research Award of the 17th Symposium of Experimental Urology for the lecture “Functional analysis on NKX3.1”