Valery Benton

Midwest Crossroads AGEP
Indiana University, Bloomington

Chicago native Valery Benton is a third-year doctoral student at Indiana University-Bloomington pursuing a dual degree in Neuroscience and Biochemistry. She is a graduate of Goshen College in northern Indiana, where she majored in molecular biology. Her main research focus is reproductive pain – “a fancy way of saying ‘my uterus isn’t working right,’” she says. Valery conducts her work in the laboratory of Dr. Heather Bradshaw, who is affiliated with IU’s Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Biochemistry and Neuroscience and the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction. There, she examines the communication between the brain and the uterus, particularly as it relates to uterine health issues such as fibroids and endometriosis. Most drugs prescribed for these reproductive ailments are limited in effectiveness. A primary goal of Valery’s research is the development of better therapies for such illnesses. Improving medical interventions for reproductive illnesses could prevent women from having to undergo hysterectomies. In college, Valery found that she enjoyed scientific research through her coursework and her participation in summer undergraduate research programs. Valery’s first year of graduate study was spent in rotations through various disciplines within Biochemistry. These consisted of Medical Sciences, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Organic Synthesis. This enabled her to explore the field and make an informed decision about her course of study. During her time as a doctoral student, Valery hopes to find her niche in the scientific community. She can see herself as a faculty member, but she also sees value in working from more of an advocate’s perspective in the broader women’s health community. While it is important for the science of women’s health to advance, Valery also feels strongly about the necessity to increase reproductive health awareness among health care providers and consumers. She thinks “beyond the lab” about the big picture of research on women’s health issues. She hopes to bring reproductive health issues further into the public eye, evolving the way people think about women and their bodies. Away from school, Valery is raising four children with her husband. She works out daily. Her family enjoys Bloomington’s overall family-friendliness. They have fun exploring all the things there are to do “for free.” Her advice to budding scientists is to always expect the unexpected, and to be open to learning how to think.