Caryn R. Dutton, a University of Wisconsin professor who played a central role in plans to offer late-term abortions in Madison, will be joining the faculty of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Dutton will be leaving her post as assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Wisconsin School of Public Health, where she helped to plan the Madison Surgery Center's second-trimester abortion services. Though the plans were approved last year, they were never implemented due to opposition from anti-abortion protesters.

The University of Wisconsin told the Associated Press that the school still plans to offer the controversial procedure despite Dutton's departure.

Prior to the announcement, Dutton had performed abortions at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, whose President and CEO Teri Huyck thanked Dutton "for providing Wisconsin women with compassionate health care" as the group's associate medical director, according to the AP.

Dutton declined a request for comment on Tuesday. Medical School spokesperson Alyssa C. Kneller confirmed that Dutton will be joining the faculty of the Medical School as an instructor in September.

—Staff writer Xi Yu can be reached at xyu@college.harvard.edu.