This Endometriosis Awareness Month, there is much to be hopeful for at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL).
CSHL Associate Professor Semir Beyaz’s lab, in collaboration with Northwell Health, has published results from the world’s first endometrial biobank. This new platform for discovery was made possible through patient volunteers who donated tissue for fundamental biology research and studies of next-generation therapeutics.
Meanwhile, the Seckin Endometriosis Research Center for Women’s Health at CSHL has received a $200,000 donation from the Our Daughters Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of women and girls navigating complex hormone-related illnesses.
Our Daughters Foundation was born out of personal experience and a deep sense of calling. Every woman in the O’Malley family—a mother and her three daughters—has lived with the pain and frustration of endometriosis.
Earlier this month, Beyaz and colleagues welcomed Kara O’Malley, the O’Malley family matriarch and founder of Our Daughters, along with her youngest daughter, Krissy Duenkel, and Krissy’s husband, Justin Duenkel, to the Seckin Endometriosis Research Center for Women’s Health at CSHL. Founded in 2025, it is the first center dedicated to endometriosis within a basic science institution in the U.S.
The O’Malley family’s visit came just days before Krissy Duenkel was scheduled to have surgery with Dr. Tamer Seckin, founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America. Before the trip, O’Malley spoke with Beyaz about the work his lab is doing now and the directions they’d like to take moving forward. Beyaz said that hearing stories like Duenkel’s fuels his determination to one day help find a cure for the disease.
As for O’Malley, she came away from the call so inspired that she and her family decided to double their planned contribution.
“Speaking with Dr. Beyaz, what stood out most was his passion for understanding the biology and genetics of endometriosis,” O’Malley says. “It gave me genuine hope that the future can look very different, not just for the next generation of patients, but for women suffering right now. He’s not only a brilliant scientist with incredible credentials, but someone who truly cares. It’s clear he has spent time listening to women who’ve gone without answers, and he brings both deep compassion and a determined resolve to find them.”
Beyaz believes the donation made by Our Daughters Foundation sends the message that supporting research into this disease is crucial. “Endometriosis is a global crisis,” he says. “We are pushing on all fronts, trying to build a community around endometriosis. Bringing together stakeholders like the O’Malleys and the Endometriosis Foundation of America is how we’re going to do that.”
Written by: Gina DiPietro, Senior Public Relations Specialist | dipietro@cshl.edu | 516-367-6826