FWH awards $2 million in research grants in year 2!
Year two. $2 million. And we are just getting started.
This year, the Foundation for Women's Health awarded $2 million in research grants to scientists at leading academic institutions across the country doing the work that women's health has always deserved — rigorous, urgent, and uncompromising. Filling the gaps in women’s health research created by decades of exclusion from clinical trials, the Foundation for Women’s Health is proving that women’s health is not niche, it is not optional, and it will not wait.
In year one, we met every grant-making target we set and the research we funded is already making huge impact. In year two, our goal was to double our grants and our impact, and we did!
What sets us apart is simple: shorter grant-making processes, grantees selected by the nation’s leading experts, resulting in highly targeted grants to world-class scientists working in the most underfunded areas of women’s health. This is what happens when talented scientists get the funding they need without multi-year processes and delays. This is private-sector research operating at the speed women deserve.
With a total of $3 million awarded to women’s health research in only two years, we are just getting started.
Please meet our extraordinary second cohort of grantees!
Dr. Sheila Shanmugan, MD
University of Pennsylvania
Understanding Why Girls are at Higher Risk for Depression
This study investigates why adolescent girls are at higher risk for depression, focusing on how early childhood adversity affects brain development differently by sex. Using a large longitudinal dataset of over 11,000 adolescents, the research examines how these experiences shape functional brain networks linked to reward processing and emotional regulation. By combining neuroimaging and machine learning, the project aims to identify early predictors of depression risk in girls, enabling targeted prevention strategies during critical developmental windows.
Dr. Elizabeth Andersen, PhD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Impact of Social Media and Menstrual Cycle Dynamics on Depression in Adolescent Girls at Risk of Suicide
This project explores how hormonal changes during puberty and social media dynamics interact to influence depression and suicide risk in adolescent girls. By studying brain activity, hormone fluctuations, and social behavior—particularly rejection sensitivity—Dr. Andersen aims to uncover how digital environments and biological changes jointly affect mental health. The goal is to identify early risk markers and inform interventions tailored to the unique social and biological context of adolescent girls.
Dr. Ling Liu, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles
Decoding Immune Adaptation to Sex, Hormones, and Aging
Dr. Liu’s research seeks to understand how immune function is shaped by sex, hormones, aging, and lifestyle, with a focus on autoimmune disease risk in women. Using cutting-edge single-cell analysis and machine learning, the project examines how immune cells change across life stages and differ between men and women. The goal is to develop a predictive platform for early detection of immune dysfunction and personalized strategies to improve immune health and resilience.
Dr. Anna E. Patrick, MD, PhD
Vanderbilt University
The Role of Estrogen in the Development of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
This study investigates the role of estrogen in driving inflammatory immune responses in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), a condition that disproportionately affects girls. By analyzing how estrogen receptors influence T cell behavior and inflammatory signaling, the research aims to uncover hormonal mechanisms underlying disease risk. Findings could lead to new, targeted therapies that address sex-specific drivers of autoimmune disease in children.
Dr. Audrey Hendricks, MD
University of Colorado, Denver
Discovery of Early Risk Biomarkers and Protective Mechanisms for Cardiovascular Disease in Pre-menopausal Women
Dr. Hendricks’ research focuses on identifying protective factors that reduce cardiovascular disease risk in pre-menopausal women. By integrating genetic data, biological aging markers, and environmental factors, the study aims to improve early risk prediction and uncover mechanisms that protect women from heart disease. The long-term goal is to enable earlier, more personalized interventions and reduce disparities in cardiovascular outcomes.
Dr. Taneisha Cheairs, PhD
Meharry Medical College
Discovering Protective Factors Against Uterine Fibroids in Women with Sickle Cell Disease: Pathways Toward Non-Invasive Therapies for All Women at Risk
This project investigates why women with sickle cell disease have significantly lower rates of uterine fibroids, aiming to uncover biological mechanisms that may protect against fibroid development. By studying this unique population, the research seeks to identify pathways that could be leveraged to develop non-invasive treatments for fibroids. The findings could lay the groundwork for novel therapies that benefit all women at risk.
Dr. Ping Yin, MD, PhD
Northwestern University
Development of Non-Hormonal Oral Medications to Stop Uterine Fibroid Growth
Dr. Yin’s research targets a key genetic mutation that drives growth of uterine fibroids by developing drugs that inhibit the enzyme responsible for tumor growth. This approach exploits a vulnerability unique to fibroid cells, allowing for selective treatment without harming healthy tissue. The project aims to advance a first-in-class oral therapy that could shrink fibroids and offer a non-surgical treatment option.
Dr. Semir Beyaz, PhD
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Developing Uterine Cancer Therapeutics to Address Racial Disparities
This study focuses on understanding the genetic drivers of aggressive endometrial carcinosarcoma, a treatment-resistant and highly recurrent form of uterine cancer that disproportionately affects women of African ancestry. Using single-cell genomics and patient-derived models, the research aims to identify mutations and cellular mechanisms that drive disease progression and resistance. The goal is to uncover new therapeutics to address racial disparities in cancer outcomes.
Dr. Maral Mousavi, PhD
University of Southern California, Viterbi School of Engineering
Early Diagnosis of Endometrial Cancer Using Menstrual Fluid
Dr. Mousavi’s project develops innovative wearable devices that analyze menstrual blood for early detection of uterine cancer. By identifying biomarkers in this underutilized biofluid, the research aims to create accessible, non-invasive diagnostic tools that can be used at home. This approach has the potential to improve early detection, particularly for populations that face barriers to traditional screening.
Dr. Mona Guo, MD
University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
Bilingual AI Chatbot to Increase HPV Vaccination
This project pilots a bilingual AI chatbot designed to increase HPV vaccination rates among postpartum women in underserved populations. Delivered via tablet in a safety-net hospital, the chatbot provides education and guidance at a critical moment for vaccine uptake. The study evaluates its effectiveness in improving initiation and follow-through of HPV vaccination, with the broader goal of expanding AI-driven tools to improve preventive care access and reduce health disparities.
