Dr. Tuuli is the Chace-Joukowsky Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital and the Care New England Health System. His top priority is to improve the quality of maternal care and eliminate disparities in perinatal outcomes. Board certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, his research is focused on the prediction and prevention of adverse obstetric outcomes, including preventing of surgical site infection after cesarean delivery, management of labor, and management of medical complications in pregnancy. He currently leads four R01s for ongoing randomized trials on treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, management of anemia in pregnancy, optimizing glycemic control in overweight and obese women with gestational diabetes, and use of a chatbot for prenatal genetic counseling. He also leads a U.S. DHHS Office of Minority Heath grant to develop a participatory model for integrating community-based maternal support services into perinatal care to address social drivers of health, and test the impact on perinatal health equity. He is also Co-Lead of the Professional Development Core of the U54 NIH-funded Rhode Island Advance Clinical and Translational Research (Advanced CTR), a statewide program aimed up building research infrastructure. He has over 250 peer-reviewed publications in high impact journals including the NEJM, JAMA, JAMA Pediatrics, and Lancet, in addition to numerous book chapters and conference abstracts.
Dr Tuuli serves in several national organizations and committees including member of Perinatology and Neonatology study section at the NIH, member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee to assess the state of Women's Health Research at the NIH, Certifying Examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, member of the editorial board of Obstetrics & Gynecology, as well as editorial consultant for several academic journals. He has been recognized with several awards for his work, including the Roy M. Pitkin Award for excellence in obstetrics and gynecology research, Top 10 U.S. Clinical Research Achievement Award, and the Linda Holmes Newton Legacy Award for his work advancing perinatal health equity. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2023 in recognition of his high-impact research to prevent adverse obstetric outcomes, while building research capacity and mentoring diverse scholars.
Dr. Tuuli earned his Medical Degree from the University of Ghana Medical School in 2001. He attended the University of California at Berkeley, earning a Master of Public Health degree with concentration in maternal and child health in 2003. He completed residency training in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Emory University School of Medicine in 2008, and fellowship training in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Washington University in 2011. He also completed the Business of Medicine Physician MBA program at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in 2020, and an Executive Certificate program on Leadership Development to Advance Equity in Health Care from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2021.
ACTIVE Support
1. NIH/NICHD - R01 HD105855–Tuuli/Russo
Role: Principal Investigator
A Randomized Trial of Chatbot for Prenatal Genetic Counseling
05/01/2022 – 03/31/2027 $ 4,288,136
The goal of this project is to create and evaluate iPrenatal+ for prenatal genetic counseling in a randomized controlled trial of 1,470 pregnant people in clinics serving racially and socioeconomically diverse pregnant women.
2. DHHS/Office of the Secretary – 1CPIMP231374–Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
Rhode Island Community-based Maternal Support Services (RI COMSS) Bundle for Advancing Perinatal Health Equity
09/30/2023 – 09/29/2027 $6,245,702
The goal of this project is to develop a participatory model for integrating community-based maternal support services (COMSS) into perinatal care to address care coordination and social determinants of health and test the impact on perinatal health equity
3. NIH/NICHD – 1R01 HD109251–Stout (University of Michigan)
Role: Site Principal Investigator
Fully Quantitative Cervical Elastography for Prediction of Preterm Birth in Nulliparous Patients
07/2022 – 06/2027 $1,328,197
The goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that Fully Quantitative Cervical Elastography System (Q-CES) values of cervical stiffness can more accurately predict spontaneous preterm birth than cervical length
4. NIH/NICHD – 1 R01 HD108614- Raghuraman (Washington University)
Role: Site Principal Investigator
09/01/2022 – 08/31/2027 $1,029,584
The objective is to assess the effectiveness of maternal oxygen supplementation for intrauterine resuscitation of Category II electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) in labor.
5. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – INV-047883 – Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator (Ghana)
Low Field MRI in Accra
08/012022 – 07/31/2025 $368,863
This prospective cohort study will use portable (mobile) Swoop MRI (HYPERFINE) to image the brains of newborns and follow them up at 3-, 6-, and 12-months to compare structural development of the brain and neurodevelopmental milestones of babies of women with and without iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in pregnancy.
6. NIH/NICHD - 1R01 HD108210–Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
Novel Vacuum-Induced Postpartum Hemorrhage Control: a Multicenter Randomized Trial in Ghana.
08/01/2022 – 07/31/2027 $2,547,378
Multicenter randomized trial of 424 women with postpartum hemorrhage to test at 2 large obstetric hospitals in Ghana to test the effectiveness, safety and cost effectiveness of a novel vacuum induced hemorrhage control device.
7. NIH/NICHD - 1R01 HD105855–Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
A Multicenter Randomized Trial of IV vs Oral Iron for Treating Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Pregnancy
05/01/2022 – 03/31/2027 $4,121,180
Multicenter randomized trial of 746 pregnant women with moderate to severe anemia at 24 – 28 weeks in 3 U.S. medical centers comparing the effectiveness, safety and cost effectiveness of IV versus oral
8. NIH/NICHD - 1R01HD101476–Scifres/Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
Intensive Glycemic Targets in Overweight and Obese Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Multicenter Randomized Trial
04/01/2020 – 04/30/2024 $3,804,213
Multicenter randomized trial of 850 pregnant women at 3 U.S. medical centers comparing intensive to standard glycemic targets in obese women with gestational diabetes.
PAST Support
1. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - OPP1192462 – Stringer – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Role: Site Principal Investigator (Ghana)
Limiting Adverse Birth Outcomes in Resource-Limited Settings - The LABOR Study
09/18/2019 – 04/31/2023 $2,173,115
Multicountry study of 15,000 pregnant women and their fetuses/newborns to exhaustively document the course and outcomes of labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period in 2 African countries and India, where the occurrence of adverse birth outcomes is high.
2. NIH/NICHD - 7U01HD077384– Cahill/Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
Optimizing Management of the 2nd Stage of Labor: Multicenter Randomized Trial
07/18/2014 – 12/31/2022 $8,711,687
Multicenter randomized trial of 2400 pregnant women in 6 U.S. medical centers comparing immediate to delayed pushing in the second stage of labor.
3. Frankel Innovation Initiative – Stout (University of Michigan)
Role: Site Principal Investigator
Fully quantitative cervical elastography to predict preterm birth
01/01/2021 – 12/31/2022 $300,000
The goal of this project is to apply quantitative cervical elastography to predict preterm delivery <37 weeks and time to delivery using time to event analyses.
4. NIH/NICHD – 3R01HD086007-02S1 – Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Obese Women at Cesarean: Multicenter Randomized Trial
09/01/2017 – 08/31/2022 $114,375
This administrative supplement ensures adequate representation of Black women in a trial of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy at cesarean, and to test the complementary novel hypothesis that differences in the preoperative skin microbiome explain, at least in part, differential susceptibility to SSI after cesarean in general, and in Black women in particular.
5. NIH/NICHD – 7R01HD086007– Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Obese Women at Cesarean: Multicenter Randomized Trial
09/16/2016 – 08/31/2022 $2,913,390
Multicenter randomized controlled trial of 2850 pregnant women in 4 U.S. hospitals to test the hypothesis that prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy will reduce surgical site infection after cesarean in obese women.
6. KCI Supplemental Funding – Tuuli
Role: Principal Investigator
Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Obese Women at Cesarean: Multicenter Randomized Trial
02/07/2017 – 08/31/2022 $330,200 + 1425 Prevena devices
Unrestricted support in the form of 1425 Prevena negative pressure wound therapy devices and supplemental funds to support a multicenter randomized controlled trial of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy in obese women at cesarean.
7. March of Dimes – Macones (Center PI)
Role: Principal Investigator (Theme 1)
WU Transdisciplinary Center for the Prevention of Preterm Birth (WU-TROP)
11/01/2014 – 10/30/2019 $857,525
The goal of theme 1 (Photoacoustic Endoscopy for Assessment of Cervical Remodelling) is to adapt a novel photoacoustic endoscopic system for cervical imaging (cPAE).
8. March of Dimes Prematurity Pilot Grant– Tuuli/Stout
Role: Principal Investigator
Novel Quantitative Cervical Elastography for Predicting Preterm Birth in Symptomatic Patients
06/15/2018 – 06/14/2019 $50,000
The goal of this pliot grant is to test the hypothesis that a novel sensor-based, ultrasound elastography for quantitative elqstography is predict of preterm birth in patients presenting with symptoms of preterm labor.
9. NIH/NHLBI – 5U01HL120338– Tita (University of Alabama)
Role: Site Principal Investigator
Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy (CHAP)
08/01/2014 – 06/30/2018 $446,615
A large pragmatic multicenter randomized trial designed primarily to evaluate the benefits and harms of antihypertensive therapy for mild chronic hypertension in pregnancy to a goal <140/90 mmHg (as recommended for the general population in the US) compared with ACOG’s current policy to withhold treatment unless hypertension is severe.
10. NIH/NICHD – T32HD055172– Macones
Role: Co-Director
Reproductive Epidemiology Training Program
09/01/2015 – 06/30/2018 $1,120,000
The major goal of this project is to train a cadre of physician scientists who will be part of the next wave of extramurally funded researchers in reproductive epidemiology.
11. NIH/NHLBI – 1UM1HL134590– Clasen (Emory University)
Role: Co-Investigator (Clinical and Imaging Core)
Household Air Pollution (HAP) and Health: a Multi-country LPG Intervention Trial
09/22/2016 – 12/31/2017 $24,000
Multinational randomized controlled trial of 3200 households to test the hypothesis that LPG cookstove and fuel intervention during pregnancy and early childhood would substantially reduce household air pollution, thereby reducing associated disease burden.
12. Lumara Health Research Grant – Stout
Role: Co-investigator
17-HydroxyProgesterone Caproate for Preterm Birth Prevention: Association between its Metabolites and Efficacy
11/01/2015 – 10/30/2016 $75,000
This project tested the hypothesis of the study is that specific metabolic products of 17 hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC) are associated with its efficacy in preventing preterm birth.
13. BJHF/ICTS Clinical & Translational Research Funding Award – Stout
Role: Co-investigator
The Vaginal Microbiome and Preterm Birth after Progesterone Prophylaxis
07/01/14 - 06/30/16 $50,000
This pilot grant funding supported preliminary work to investigate the vaginal microbiome communities (using rRNA sequencing) as well as the inflammatory markers (TNF‐alpha, IL‐1) associated with the success and failure of progesterone prophylaxis for preterm birth.
14. NIH/NICHD – 1K12HD063086-Macones
Role: Scholar
Women’s Reproductive Health Research Career Development Program at W. U. St. Louis
08/01/2011 – 07/31/2015 $400,000
The major goal of this grant was to promote the performance of research and transfer of findings that will benefit the health of women though the development of well-qualified, new physician scientists.
15. POM Wonderful Company, Los Angeles – Nelson/Macones
Role: Co-investigator
A placebo controlled randomized clinical trial of pregnancy outcomes and placental function in pregnant women who ingest antenatal POM WonderfulR
07/01/2012 – 07/31/2015 $400,000
The major goal of this grant was to support a clinical trial to determine if ingestion of pomegranate extract, compared to placebo, reduces the incidence of pregnancy complications in women with fetal growth restriction.
16. Washington Univesity ICTS - UL1 RR024992, Just-in-Time Grant-Macones
Role: Co-investigator
Vaginal Microbiome, Short Cervix and Preterm Birth
05/8/12 - 05/7/13 $5,000
This pilot funding supported preliminary work to investigate the vaginal microbiome communities associated with mid-trimester cervical shortening and preterm birth.
Year | Degree | Institution |
---|---|---|
2003 | MPH | University of California at Berkeley |
2001 | MD | University of Ghana |
2000 | MBA | Indiana University |
1997 | BSc | University of Ghana |
Undergraduate Awards:
1992 Prize for Distinguished Performance, GCE Advanced Level Examination, West African Examinations Council
1994 Legon Hall Award for Outstanding Academic Performance, University of Ghana
1997 Honors in Pathology, Microbiology and Pharmacology, University of Ghana Medical School
1997 Award for Best Student in Medical Sciences, University of Ghana Medical School
1997 Prof H H Philips Prize in Physiology, University of Ghana Medical School
1997 Award for Best Student in Pharmacology, University of Ghana Medical School
Graduate Awards:
2001 DANAFCO Prize for Best All-round Student, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Best Student in MBChB Final Part I Examination, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Ghana Medical Association Award for Best Student, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 David Scott Prize in Community Health, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Ghana Prize for Best Student in Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Nana Wereko Ampem Prize for Best Student in Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Kofi Newman Prize in Clinical Obstetrics, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Lucy Peprah Tawiah Prize for Best Male Student in Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Achampong Prize in Clinical Surgery, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Charles Easmon Prize in Surgery, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Shell Prize for Best Student in Medicine, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Alcon/Paracelsus Prize in Ophthalmology, University of Ghana Medical School
2001 Honors in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics and Community Health, University of Ghana Medical School
Postgraduate Awards:
2002-2003 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, Rotary International
2002 Wellness Scholar, University of California, Berkeley
2005-2006 Best Resident Award, Emory University
2005-2008 Honor Roll for High CREOG Examination Score, Emory University
2006 Berlex Best Teaching Resident Award, Emory University
2006-2007 Golden Apple Teaching Award, Emory University
2007 First Prize Award, 41st John D. Thompson Resident Research Day, Atlanta Obstetrical and Gynecological Society
2007 Young Investigator Award, North American Society for the Study of Hypertension in pregnancy
2008 Chief Administrative Resident, Emory University
2008-2011 Professional Development Award, Obstetrix Medical Group
2010 NIH Travel Award for Early Career Researchers, International Federation of Placenta Associations
2010 Outstanding Reviewer (top 5%), American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
2010 President’s Award for Best Research Presentation, St Louis Obstetrical and Gynecological Society
2011 Fellow Teacher of the Year, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine
Faculty Awards:
2011 Faculty Diversity Scholar
Washington University School of Medicine
2013 Best Poster Award (Second Prize)
Women’s Reproductive Health Research Scholars Conference
2014 Roy M. Pitkin Award for for excellence in obstetrics and gynecology research, Obstetrics & Gynecology - Co-author
2015 Best Oral Presentation Award (Concurrent Session 7) – Senior Author
35th Annual Maternal Fetal Medicine conference
2015- Best Doctors in America
Best Doctors Inc.
2016 Best Oral Presentation Award (Concurrent Session 2) – Co-author
36th Annual Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine conference
2017 Best Poster Presentation Award (Poster Session I) – Co-author
37th Annual Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine conference
2017 Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award
Clinical Research Forum
2018 Research Excellence Award – Co-author
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
2018 Best Poster Presentation Award (Poster Session V) – Co-author
38th Annual Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine conference
2020 Best Oral Presentation Award (Concurrent Session III) – First-author
40th Annual Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine conference
2020 Best Oral Presentation Award (Concurrent Session III) – First author, 40th
Annual Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine conference
2020 President’s Award, American Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (AGOS)
2022 Best Oral Presentation Award (Concurrent Session 9) – Co-author, 42nd
Annual Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine conference
2022 Master of Arts ad eundem
Brown University
2022 Elected Member, American Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (AGOS)
2023 Elected Member, National Academy of Medicine
2024 Best Presentation Award (co-author), Plenary Session I, SMFM 2024: Abstract#6
2024 Best Presentation Award (co-author), Oral Concurrent Session 9-Fetal, US & Genetic, SMFM 2024: Abstract#94
2024 Roy M. Pitkin Award for excellence in obstetrics and gynecology research, Obstetrics & Gynecology - First-author
2024 Linda Holmes Newton Legacy Award, Diversity and Inclusion Professionals’ trailblazing founder, Linda Newton
Professional Societies and Organizations:
2011- Member, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM)
2013- Fellow, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG)
2013 - 2015 Member, Committee on Obstetric Practice, ACOG
2015 - 2016 Moderator, Perinatal Epidemiology Forum, SMFM
2015 - 2018 Member, Publications Committee, SMFM
2015 - 2018 Member, Obstetric Practice Bulletin Committee, ACOG
2018-2019 Steering Committee Chair, NICHD Global Research Network
Editorial/Grants Review Roles:
2009 Reviewer, Hofmeyr/A Cochrane Pocketbook: Pregnancy and Childbirth
2009- Reviewer, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
2009- Reviewer, British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
2009- Reviewer, Obstetrics & Gynecology International
2010- Reviewer, Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
2010- Reviewer, Obstetrics & Gynecology
2011- Reviewer, Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
2011- Reviewer, Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology
2014- Reviewer, American Journal of Perinatology
2015- Reviewer, Journal of Perinatology
2016-2018 Associate Editor, American Journal of Perinatology
2019- Senior Reviewer, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine
2019 Adhoc Reviewer, Pregnancy and Neonatology (PN) Study Section
Center for Scientific Review, Center for Scientific Review, NIH
2020 Adhoc Reviewer, Pregnancy and Neonatology (PN) Study Section
Center for Scientific Review, Center for Scientific Review, NIH
2020 Adhoc Reviewer, ZNS1 SRB-A(31), Center for Scientific Review, NIH
2020- Reviewer, Journal of the American Medical Association
2021- Member, Pregnancy and Neonatology (PN) Study Section
Center for Scientific Review, Center for Scientific Review, NIH
2022- Member, Editorial Board, Obstetrics & Gynecology
2022- Board Examiner, General Obstetrics & Gynecology, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
2023 Adhoc Reviewer, PCORI
1. Randomized controlled Trials: Annual OBGYN Resident Core Lectures
2. Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis: Annual OBGYN Resident Core Lectures
3. Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis: Annual Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellows Core Lectures
4. Building a Research Career: Annual Women & Infants Hospital Fellows Research Bootcamp