Specialization
Marlene Werner is a PhD candidate at the Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Gynecology of the Amsterdam UMC, location AMC. She holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology and Psychological Methods from the University of Amsterdam. Her PhD research focuses on the role of testosterone in (cis)women's sexual response and functioning. She is specifically researching the sexual and general wellbeing of (cis)women who have received chemo(radio)therapy as a treatment for lymphoma (within the TOSCA study). Such treatment may lead to decreased production of testosterone by the ovaries and possibly also by the adrenal glands, which could partially explain why (cis)women can experience sexual and other psychophysiological problems after cancer therapy, such as chronic fatigue, low energy, decreased motivation and lowered mood. This symptom complex is also known clinically as Female Androgen Insufficiency Syndrome (FAIS). The purpose of her dissertation is twofold: (1) if possible, to move toward a diagnostic testosterone level for the diagnosis of FAIS and (2) to specify the relationship between testosterone and sexual response and (dys)function in (cis)women. The results could serve as a springboard to study testosterone supplementation as a treatment for (cis)women with FAIS after cancer therapy.
Focus of research
Next to her focus on oncosexology and the endocrinology of sexual wellbeing, Marlene's research interests cover psychometrics and research methods in sexology. Next to her PhD projects, she is working on creating a questionnaire which aims to measure sexual pleasure (the Amsterdam Sexual Pleasure Index/Inventory), a project she started working on with her late supervisor Ellen Laan.