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Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.
Please continue to share important news and opportunities with us so that we may share it with you and others who are committed to supporting the careers of exceptional women in science.
Stay safe and sound,
Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org
A biomedical engineer pivots from human movement to women’s health.
As a fellow in the MIT Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Engineering Excellence, Shaniel Bowen explores a topic that has seen little research — women's sexual anatomy and health. Currently, Bowen devotes a portion of her time to outreach, health promotion, and education, primarily focusing on women’s health issues. Photo: Gretchen Ertl (MIT News). Read more.
Apply Now for the MMRF 2024 Research Fellows Award Program.
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation will provide $150,000 in research funding over two years to successful applicants who seek to learn more about the biology of myeloma and identify new approaches to monitor for and treat the disease. Read more.
The capital women need, for the future we all need.
Melinda French Gates has introduced a new white paper that discusses the barriers that women, especially in Africa, face in accessing capital and how philanthropic, public and private sectors can come together to close gender financing gaps. Read more.
A “corporate athlete” mindset is key to a healthy life. Here’s how to find it.
How can women find balance in their lives so they can achieve their professional goals, feel satisfied as they nurture their families, and keep their health in check? Katz Institute for Women's Health sat down with LaShonda Anderson-Williams, EVP & chief strategy officer of Salesforce Global Health & Life Sciences. Read more.
FASEB announces the recipients of its 2024 Excellence in Science Awards.
“The 2024 FASEB Excellence in Science Award recipients reflect achievements as leaders in the biomedical research community,” says Mary-Ann Bjornsti, PhD, FASEB President and former Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). “Each awardee has demonstrated excellence and innovation in their research field and exemplified a steadfast commitment to future researchers through their mentoring activities.” Read more.
Pathways to Prevention (P2P)’s Postpartum Health Initiative.
The Pathways to Prevention (P2P) workshop Identifying Risks and Interventions to Optimize Postpartum Health aims to address the maternal health crisis by identifying and closing research gaps in postpartum health. Two new reports from the workshop are now available, and they describe current research activities and outline resources and opportunities for advancing research to predict and prevent poor postpartum health outcomes. Read more.
Essential Health Care Services Related to Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Women.
On April 29-30, The National Academies Forum on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders will host a hybrid public workshop to explore mental health care services related to anxiety and mood disorders in women. The workshop will examine currently available evidence to identify, define, and prepare strategies for the provision of essential healthcare services related to anxiety and mood disorders in women across the life course. Read more.
Six people, including four women, were selected as this year's winners of the Samsung Hoam Award.
Six recipients of the Samsung Ho-Am Prize were named by the Ho-Am Foundation, with the most women included on the list in the award's 34-year history. Dr. K. Heran Darwin, a Vilcek Foundation board member, is a biologist who discovered the protein recycling system in tuberculosis for the first time, suggesting the possibility of developing new treatments through research on bacterial infections. Read more. Image: Dr. K. Heran Darwin (Vilcek Foundation)
She Dreams of Pink Planets and Alien Dinosaurs.
Lisa Kaltenegger, founding director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University, hunts for aliens in space by studying Earth across time. “I think a lot of people might not be so aware of where we are right now, and that they are living in this momentous time in history,” she said. “We can all be a part of it.” Read more.
People invent things – AI just helps, biotech IP expert tells Congress.
Clear laws giving intellectual property rights to human inventors who use artificial intelligence will allow us to take advantage of the remarkable advances AI can bring to biotechnology, a biotech patent expert told Congress on April 10. Read more.
A Gold Medal for America’s Rosies, the Women on the Home Front.
Rosie the Riveters, American women who filled a crucial labor shortage during World War II and reshaped the workforce, received a Congressional Gold Medal. Read more.
The Prize Competition for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity: Toolkit is Now Live.
The Prize Competition for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity: Toolkit identifies the best practices of the winners of the NIH Prize for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity in Biomedical and Behavioral Science, which recognized institutions whose biomedical and behavioral science departments, centers, or divisions achieved sustained improvement in gender diversity. Read more.
The American Association of Immunologists Congratulates Recipients of 2024 Intersect Fellowships for Computational Scientists and Immunologists.
The AAI Intersect Fellowship Program for Computational Scientists and Immunologists provides independent research scientists with one year of salary support for postdoctoral fellows trained in basic bench research to undertake one year of training in computational science, or postdoctoral fellows trained in computational science to spend one year in an immunology research lab to learn basic immunological principles and laboratory techniques. Read more.
A life-course approach to women’s health.
Nature is launching a new Series as a starting point for discussions on how to improve the health of women and girls as part of a route to achieving global health equity. Read more.
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships Announce 2024 Class of Distinguished New Americans.
In addition to receiving up to $90,000 in funding for the graduate program of their choice, the 2024 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellows join a distinguished community of past recipients. The alumni network includes US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who is the first surgeon general of Indian descent and helped lead the national response to Ebola, Zika, and the coronavirus. Read more.
Maiken Nedergaard Wins 2024 HFSP Nakasone Award for Pioneering Science of Sleep and Neurodegenerative Disease.
“Dr. Nedergaard forever changed the way we understand sleep as an essential biological function that promotes brain health and plays a crucial role in preventing diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and Huntington Disease,” said HFSPO Secretary-General Pavel Kabat. “It is a fundamental discovery worthy of being honored with the 2024 HFSP Nakasone Award.” Read more.
Naughty by Nature: Sex in the Animal Kingdom ft. Anastasia Shavrova, Ph.D.
In the exciting debut episode of "The Science of Life," Dr. Raven Baxter kicks off an exhilarating journey into the heart of life sciences, intersecting with the raw truths of social sciences. This episode features a fascinating conversation with Dr. Anastasia Shavrova, a trailblazer in the study of sex evolution and sexual conflicts among animals. Read more. Dr. Baxter was a past RFS speaker, you can check out her presentation here. Image: Dr. Raven Baxter.
How to realize immense promise of gene editing.
Jennifer Doudna, whose work on CRISPR earned her the 2020 Nobel Prize in chemistry, applauded the recent approval of a CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy to help those struggling with sickle-cell disease. Read more.
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Taps 188 Fellows to the Ranks of 19,000 Fellows Honored Since 1925.
“The Guggenheim Fellowship is a life-changing recognition. It’s a celebrated investment into the lives and careers of distinguished artists, scholars, scientists, writers and other cultural visionaries who are meeting these challenges head-on and generating new possibilities and pathways across the broader culture as they do so,” said Edward Hirsch, award-winning poet and president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Read more.
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Awards Distinguished Investigator Grants Valued at $1 Million to 10 Scientists Pursuing Innovative Mental Health Research.
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation announced it is awarding Distinguished Investigator Grants valued at $1 million to 10 senior-level scientists (7 are women in science!) Recipients of the $100,000, one-year grants are exploring new frontiers in understanding a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and the potential connection between mental illness and cannabis use. Read more.
Orcutt Speaks on Deep-Sea Mining for Congressional Panel.
Bigelow Laboratory Senior Research Scientist and Vice President for Research Beth Orcutt was recently in Washington D.C. to participate in a panel exploring the environmental, technological, and policy challenges around deep-sea mining. Read more.
We are pleased to welcome the first members of our new Council of Corporate Leadership!
 
Subscribe to our newsletter (RFS Briefings) at Rosalind Franklin Society | Substack
Marianna Limas, Social Media Manager
Nilda Rivera, Partnership and Events Manager
|
|
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.
Please continue to share important news and opportunities with us so that we may share it with you and others who are committed to supporting the careers of exceptional women in science.
Stay safe and sound,
Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org
Big Bets.
Presidents of the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation challenge us to push big bets in philanthropy to address big global problems. A presentation in NYC on April 9th provided an overflow audience with an energized look at how large-scale global change can happen. It is part of the legacy and continuing priority of these two iconic foundations. The centerpiece of the discussion was the new best-seller by Rajiv Shah, Big Bets. Read more. Image: Darren Walker, Ford Foundation; Rajiv Shah, Rockefeller Foundation.
2025 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science.
The Vilcek Foundation will award three Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise of $50,000 each to young, immigrant biomedical scientists who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. Applications are open through June 10, 2024. Read more.
The 2023-2024 Research!America Microgrant awards.
Research!America, with support from the Rita Allen Foundation, is awarding microgrants of $1,000 to $4,000 to 21 graduate student and postdoc-led science policy groups from across the U.S. to initiate civic engagement and educational outreach activities in their communities. The Rita Allen Foundation has also been an important supporter of the RFS Awards in Science. Read more.
Overlooked No More: Yvonne Barr, Who Helped Discover a Cancer-Causing Virus.
Virologist Yvonne Barr worked with the pathologist Anthony Epstein, who died last month, in finding for the first time a virus that could cause cancer. It’s known as the Epstein-Barr virus. Read more.
The Pershing Square Foundation announced the seven winners of the “MIND” Prize (Maximizing Innovation in Neuroscience Discovery).
Congratulations to Faranak Fattahi, PhD., whose lab aims to investigate the elusive role of Schwann cell-neuron interaction in motor neuron dysfunction and degeneration in ALS. This could ultimately lead to novel therapeutic avenues for those affected by ALS and other neuromuscular diseases. Read more. Image via NIH.
Are women’s prime working years in peril?
Women’s healthcare has been neglected for decades. McKinsey research dispels some of the myths about women’s health and suggests ways to significantly improve health outcomes—and the economy. Read more.
Call for Presentations for Public Summit on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education.
The Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education invites submissions for presentations, posters, and sessions on practices to address and prevent sexual harassment in higher education and research that can help inform such practices. Read more.
The University of San Diego Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Physics and Biophysics Earns 2024 Cottrell Scholar Award.
For her past achievements as a researcher and educator and for her ambitious plans to study quantum turbulence and to teach students quantum technologies, Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Physics and Biophysics Maren Mossman, PhD, has earned a 2024 Cottrell Scholar Award. Read more. Image via University of San Diego.
Women in Science: Follow your passion and you’ll get to where you’re meant to be.
From math hater to a leader in clinical data, it’s been a long journey for Jennifer Visser-Rogers, vice president for statistical research and consultancy at Phastar. Read more.
What's it like to live in space? One astronaut says it changes her dreams.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral O'Hara is pictured working with the Microgravity Science Glovebox, a contained environment crew members use to handle hazardous materials for various research investigations in space. Read more. Image credit: NASA.
The Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology.
The AIM-HI Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology recognizes outstanding women leaders in all sectors of the health and life sciences industry who have made a significant impact on advancing cancer treatment, detection, and diagnosis for patients worldwide through the development and commercialization of novel technologies, advocacy, and/or implementation of public policy. The Nomination Deadline for the 2024 Beacon Award is Friday, May 31, 2024, at 11:55 PM Eastern time. Read more.
Overlooked No More: Henrietta Leavitt, Who Unraveled Mysteries of the Stars.
The portrait that emerged from her discovery, called Leavitt’s Law, showed that the universe was hundreds of times bigger than astronomers had imagined. This article is part of Overlooked, a series of obituaries about remarkable people whose deaths, beginning in 1851, went unreported in The Times. Read more.
Hilton Humanitarian Prize.
At $2.5 million, the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize is the world’s largest annual humanitarian award presented to nonprofit organizations judged to have made extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering. Which organization will you nominate? All nominations must be submitted online by Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Read more.
One Unintended Consequence of SPUTNIK: My Career in Science.
Dr. Carol Shoshkes Reiss is the oldest daughter of a first-generation American who struggled against the antisemitism of the 1940s to become a successful physician, as her mother was an artist and interior designer. She delves into her family, studies, and professional career in this book. Read more. Image via New York University.
‘Maybe I was never meant to be in science’: how imposter syndrome seizes scientist mothers.
Brazilian biologist Fernanda Staniscuaski founded the Parent in Science advocacy movement after talking with other scientist parents. In the fourth episode of this six-part podcast series about Latin American women in science, Staniscuaski lists the movement’s achievements so far, and the challenges that lie ahead. Read more.
Estella Bergere Leopold (1927–2024), passionate environmentalist who traced changing ecosystems.
Leopold, who has died aged 97, was an ardent conservationist who argued that nature should be cherished and protected. She thought that science should be used in defense of the planet; this is evident in her writings, lectures and political activism. Read more.
CDC Foundation Fries Awards for Health.
The CDC Foundation’s Fries Awards for Health is accepting nominations now through May 7th for both the Fries Prize for Improving Health and the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award. The mission of the Foundation is to identify and honor individuals, organizations, or institutions which have made great contributions to the health of the public. Read more.
ARPA-H launches program to retrain immune cells to combat diseases.
“By developing agents that target specific immune cell types, essentially providing on-the-job instructions to cells already active inside your body, we hope to make advanced immunotherapies available close to home for Americans across the country,” said Program Manager Daria Fedyukina, Ph.D. “The science is primed to provide these advances, and EMBODY will focus on innovations in validation, quality, and delivery that can translate to huge wins for individuals and their caregivers.” Read more. Image:Daria Fedyukina, Ph.D. Program Manager, Health Science Futures, ARPA-H.
‘Alarming’ Turning Point for Women in C-Suite, S&P Global Warns.
Women’s representation in senior level positions at US companies faces an “alarming turning point,” with steady growth showing signs of fatigue for the first time in two decades, according to a new report. Read more.
Jennifer Raab’s journey from academia to ‘rustic, cowboy things’ and stem cell research.
Former Hunter College President Jennifer Raab just after the start of the new year took on a new assignment as CEO and president of the New York Stem Cell Foundation. City & State caught up with Raab at her office in the foundation’s research facility on Manhattan’s West Side to talk about how she was convinced to take on a new role and the impact she expects the nonprofit to have on what she calls “miracle biology.” Read more.
Join Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe at The State of Omics.
The past two years have seen exciting advances in the world of genomics, as several companies threaten to disrupt the next-gen sequencing (NGS) establishment. In this 4-hour event on Wednesday, April 17 –The State of Omics—leaders from the world of genome technology, analysis, NGS, and multi-omics offer a pulsating view of the rapid progress in this field. Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe, is a featured speaker. Read more.
We are pleased to welcome the first members of our new Council of Corporate Leadership!
Subscribe to our newsletter (RFS Briefings) at Rosalind Franklin Society | Substack
Marianna Limas, Social Media Manager
Nilda Rivera, Partnership and Events Manager
|
|
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.
We hope you saw our first presentation for "Monthly Mondays," an exciting new webinar series of interviews and presentations brought to you by the Rosalind Franklin Society. This series is dedicated to showcasing the inspiring work, innovative research, and transformative achievements of women and minorities in the fields of science, medicine, and Biotechnology. In partnership with Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News and Mary Ann Liebert Publishers, we will showcase the significant contributions and unique paths and opportunities in academia, public agencies, and industry.
We are thrilled to have broadcast the first presentation of the series on March 25 featuring Dr. Carolyn Mazure, Yale University School of Medicine, director of the new White House Initiative on Women's Health Research. This session provided valuable insights and updates on the initiative which, under the leadership of First Lady Jill Biden, aims to fundamentally change how we approach and fund women's research. You can Watch the OnDemand Recording Now.
Please continue to share important news and opportunities with us so that we may share it with you and others who are committed to supporting the careers of exceptional women in science.
Stay safe and sound,
Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org
Novel Research Illuminates Breast Milk's Unique Contribution to COVID-19 Defense in Infants.
Yarden Golan Maor, Ph.D., RD, was named the 2024 recipient of the Ruth A. Lawrence Investigator Award for Outstanding Contributions to Advancing Human Milk Science. Her research highlights antibody transfer to infants through breastfeeding, strengthening the understanding of breast milk's role against infectious diseases. An independent panel of expert judges selected Dr. Golan's research because it exemplifies the importance of human milk science and its potential global health significance. Dr. Lawrence was the founding editor of the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine and a founder of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Read more.
Winners of the 2024 Hill Prizes announced.
TAMEST (Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology) and Lyda Hill Philanthropies today announced the recipients of the 2024 Hill Prizes. The prizes, funded by Lyda Hill Philanthropies, accelerate high-risk, high-reward research ideas with significant potential for real-world impact. We are also pleased that Lyda Hill Philanthropies is an important funder of RFS. Read more.
Protecting women's health.
Explore the ways these powerful women dive into critical components of caring for women--reproductive, postpartum, and maternal healthcare. How can we improve the healthcare system so that all women receive the care they need? Read more.
SWHR Announces 2024 Honorees for Women’s Health Visionary Awards in Advance of Annual Awards Gala.
Join supporters of the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) as they gather in-person for SWHR’s 2024 Annual Awards Gala on Thursday, April 25, 2024. SWHR will recognize Janine Austin Clayton, MD, FARVO, Maria Shriver, and Shontelle Dodson, PharmD for their commitment to improving women’s health. Read more.
Funding Opportunity: Building the Next Generation of STEMM Leaders in the Field of Environmental Justice.
The Gulf Research Program (GRP) is seeking proposals from nonprofit and community based organizations with 501(c)(3) status that have existing environmental justice (EJ) programs to cultivate the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) leaders. Read more.
Climate Conversations: Women in Climate Science.
During Women’s History Month, the National Academy of Sciences showcased the role of women in climate science and climate leadership. Amanda Staudt (National Academies Climate Crossroads) moderated a conversation with Kripa Jagannathan (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) and Miriam Gay-Antaki (University of New Mexico) exploring how institutions and governments can elevate women climate scientists. Read more.
University of Minnesota President-Designate Dr. Rebecca Cunningham.
Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, M.D., an emergency room physician and vice president for research and innovation at the University of Michigan, has been named president-designate for the University of Minnesota. Read more. Image via University of Minnesota.
The Gold Foundation to honor three extraordinary leaders with the 2024 National Humanism in Medicine Medal.
The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the leading nonprofit dedicated to humanism in healthcare for all, announced the 2024 recipients of the National Humanism in Medicine Medal: internationally recognized nurse scientist, sociologist, and transformational leader for global health and women’s health, Dr. Afaf Ibrahim Meleis; visionary pediatrician, activist, and author Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha; and innovative healthcare executive and gun violence prevention advocate Michael J. Dowling. Read more.
2024 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications.
Submissions are now being accepted for the 2024 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, given by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with Schmidt Sciences. Read more.
Nominate Health Care Pioneers for the 2024 Lienhard Award, Sarnat Prize, and Hamburg Award.
Nominations are now open for the National Academy of Medicine's 2024 Gustav O. Lienhard Award for Advancement of Health Care, Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health, and the David and Beatrix Hamburg Award for Advances in Biomedical Research and Clinical Medicine. Nominations will remain open until May 15, 2024. Please help the NAM recognize health care services experts, mental health innovators, and creative biomedical scientists - nominate a colleague today! Read more.
BIOS-SCOPE Collaboration Investigator Elizabeth B. Kujawinski Wins G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award.
The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography has named oceanographer Elizabeth B. Kujawinski the winner of the 2024 Evelyn Hutchinson Award. The honor recognizes mid-career scientists in limnology or oceanography who have made “considerable contributions to knowledge and whose future work promises a continued legacy of scientific excellence.” Read more.Image via Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Second Cohort of AI2050 Early Career Fellows Named By Schmidt Sciences.
Schmidt Sciences announced the second cohort of nineteen AI2050 Early Career Fellows who will pursue bold and multidisciplinary research in artificial intelligence (AI), more than half are women! Read more.
ARPA-H joins DARPA’s AI Cyber Challenge to safeguard nation’s health care infrastructure from cyberattacks.
In the wake of recent cyberattacks targeting our nation’s digital health infrastructure, there is increased urgency to develop straightforward and dependable solutions to protect patients’ data and access to care,” said ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn. “In an increasingly connected world, cyberattacks on our infrastructure are a tremendous threat to national security. Similarly, connected sectors like transportation, water, and energy can have a cascading impact on a hospital’s ability to provide care,” said DARPA Director Stefanie Tompkins. Read more.
We are pleased to welcome the first members of our new Council of Corporate Leadership!
Subscribe to our newsletter (RFS Briefings) at Rosalind Franklin Society | Substack
Marianna Limas, Social Media Manager
Nilda Rivera, Partnership and Events Manager
|
|
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.
Please continue to share important news and opportunities with us so that we may share it with you and others who are committed to supporting the careers of exceptional women in science.
Stay safe and sound,
Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org
Join us for "Monthly Mondays,"
Join us for "Monthly Mondays," an exciting new webinar series of interviews and presentations brought to you by the Rosalind Franklin Society. This series is dedicated to showcasing the inspiring work, innovative research, and transformative achievements of women and minorities in the fields of science, medicine, and technology. In partnership with Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News and Mary Ann Liebert Publishers, we will showcase the significant contributions and unique paths and opportunities in academia, public agencies, and industry.
Each webinar of "Monthly Mondays" promises to bring you groundbreaking developments, personal successes, and the diverse paths navigated by our featured guests. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights, find inspiration, and connect with trailblazers shaping the very personal future of science, medicine, and biotechnology. Tune in and be part of a community that celebrates science and prioritizes diversity, innovation, and the power of knowledge.
We're excited to announce that the first presentation, scheduled for March 25th, will feature the new White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. This session promises to provide valuable insights and updates on the initiative which, under the leadership of First Lady Jill Biden, aims to fundamentally change how we approach and fund women's health research. You can register for the upcoming session and the series here
Judith Campisi (1948–2024), cell biologist who explored how cells age.
Judith Campisi was the first to show that cellular senescence, a state in which body cells cease to divide but do not die when they should, has both detrimental and beneficial consequences. Senescent cells accumulate in many aging tissues, where they exert adverse effects. Judy inspired a generation of scientists by creating an open-minded, creative and cutting-edge atmosphere of scientific discovery. Read more. Image Credit: Buck Institute.
U.S. Women Make Gains in Highest-Paying Occupations but Still Lag Men.
Women now make up 35% of workers in the United States’ 10 highest-paying occupations—up from 13% in 1980—and have increased their presence in almost all of these occupations, which include physicians, lawyers, and pharmacists. Read more.
3 innovations transforming women's health around the world.
A new global health alliance aims to drive innovations in women's health, such as one-shot HPV vaccines and self-administering family planning solutions, to accelerate closing the gender health gap. Read more.
Improving women’s health ‘could add at least $1tn a year to global economy’
Closing the gender health gap could add at least $1tn (£790bn) a year to the global economy by 2040, according to the first report to quantify the economic opportunities of investing in women’s wellbeing. Read more.
Women in the C-Suite Discuss the Importance of Representation in Leadership.
Recently, GEN Biotechnology senior editor, Fay Lin, PhD, spoke with Judith Absalon, MD, MPH, vice president and clinical sciences disease area lead of infectious diseases and virology at Glaxo Smith Kline, and Cassandra Wesselman, chief marketing officer at Rosalind, about their respective career journeys including their successes and challenges. Read more.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Tours New England, Announces $100 Million Investment in Women’s Healthcare Alongside the First Lady.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra toured New England to highlight how President Biden’s agenda is delivering for communities across the country. The Secretary joined First Lady Jill Biden in Boston to announce $100 million investment in women’s health research. Read more.
A Multitalented Scientist Seeks the Origins of Multicellularity.
The geneticist Cassandra Extavour became the first Black woman to receive tenure in the biological sciences at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Her studies of reproductive cells yield insights into the origins of multicellular life. Read more. Image: Cassandra G. Extavour, Extavour Lab.
NSF, NIH partner on new research to develop RNA-based methods for biotech innovations.
The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded over $12.7 million across nine research teams to better understand the untapped capabilities of ribonucleic acid (RNA) for potentially far-reaching biotechnology applications, from disease prevention in crops to cancer-fighting therapies. Read more.
Trailblazer Prize For Clinician-Scientists.
The Trailblazer Prize for Clinician-Scientists (Trailblazer Prize) recognizes the outstanding contributions of early career clinician-scientists whose work has the potential to or has led to innovations in patient care. This $10,000 honorarium and prize is made possible by a generous donation from John I. Gallin, MD, and Elaine Gallin, PhD, to the FNIH. Read more.
Meet the 2023 EXACT Plan Award Recipients.
ORWH awarded six researchers (including three women!) for the Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): EXposome in Autoimmune Disease Collaborating Teams PLANning (EXACT-PLAN) Awards. The exploratory, developmental grants requested under the awarded NOSI are intended to enable institutions to plan research strategies and develop partnerships, infrastructure, and capabilities needed to address the major goals of the EXACT Network. This NOSI will also develop a research framework and strategies to support coordination among studies, collaborative research projects, and sites. Read more.
BARDA Accelerator Network 2.0 Enabling Technologies RFP Reopened.
The BARDA Accelerator Network (BAN) 2.0 Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Enabling Technologies Hub has reopened! BARDA’s Division of Research, Innovation and Ventures (DRIVe) is seeking partners who can support startups with commercialization and wrap-around support to enable the rapid development, evaluation, validation, and commercialization of innovative products and technologies. Read more.
Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer named Australians of the Year.
Congratulations to Georgina Long AO and Richard Scolyer AO from the University of Sydney and Melanoma Institute Australia, jointly named 2024 Australian of the Year for their life-saving melanoma work. Read more.
Safiya George Named President of the University of the Virgin Islands.
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Board of Trustees voted to appoint Dr. Safiya George to serve as the University’s sixth president at a meeting held Wednesday afternoon following an extensive presidential selection process. Read more. Image via University of the Virgin Islands.
USA TODAY Announces the 2024 Women of the Year in Honor of Women’s History Month.
USA TODAY, part of Gannett Co., Inc., announced the 2024 Women of the Year honorees who are using their influence to empower women to lead the next generation. This year’s list includes Dr. Madhavi Venkatesan, editor-in-chief of the journal Sustainability and Climate Change. Read more.
Progress for women in science, and yet.
Kate Zernike's excellent book, The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins and the Fight for Women in Science, is a journey back in time and a reality check for the present. In the book Zernike builds on the front-page story she wrote for The Boston Globe in March, 1999, reporting that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA, USA, had acknowledged long-standing sex discrimination. Read more.
ICON's Kathleen Mandziuk's journey from nursing to respected drug development innovator.
Kathleen Mandziuk is vice president, project management, eClinical Development & Delivery, at ICON’ and she says nothing could have prepared the health industry for the global impact the Covid pandemic has had. Read more.
From Stepping Aside to Stepping Forward.
In the mid-1990s, Nancy Hopkins, a biologist and tenured faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), realized that she had been allocated less lab space than her male colleagues, so she turned to a trusted friend: data. She measured every inch of her lab to irrefutably prove the inequitable distribution of space. Read more.
Calls for Applications: 2024 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talents Programmes.
The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science national and regional Young Talents Programmes support young women researchers around the world to pursue their scientific careers in their home countries or abroad. Read more.
The compassionate doctor.
Dr. Loice Achieng Ombajo became an infectious disease specialist, eventually serving on the faculty at the University of Nairobi medical school. She spent her days in clinics, labs, and classrooms, treating people and teaching students. She always answered patient questions with the compassion she had needed as a young girl mourning her mom. Read more. Image via Gates Foundation.
$1 Billion Donation Will Provide Free Tuition at a Bronx Medical School.
Ruth Gottesman is a former professor at Einstein, where she studied learning disabilities, developed a screening test and ran literacy programs. She donated $1 billion to a Bronx medical school, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, with instructions that the gift be used to cover tuition for all students going forward. Read more.
Why Mexico’s Ruling Party Candidate Is Already Dominating the Presidential Race.
Claudia Sheinbaum, a physicist and protégée of the current president, holds a commanding lead of about 30 percentage points in the polls over the opposition’s Xóchitl Gálvez, a tech entrepreneur. Read more.
Toni Townes-Whitley says don't celebrate that she is one of two Black female Fortune 500 CEOs.
Trailblazing titan is raising the bar for women in tech as a USA Today Woman of the Year: Toni Townes-Whitley is breaking down barriers in the technology industry as a black female CEO of the Fortune 500 company, SAIC. Read more.
Why NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps waited an extra 6 years for her ISS space mission.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps had an unusual path to space: She waited an extra six years to fly. "It has been a number of years, but I was confident that I would fly," Epps, 53, said during a livestreamed Crew-8 press conference held Jan. 25 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Read more. Image: NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps. Credits: NASA
Melissa Gilliam, the first female and Black president of BU, shows what is possible.
Dr. Melissa Gilliam is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year. She will be the first female president of Boston University and first person of color to lead their 184-year-old research institution. Read more.
Madhavi Venkatesan is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year.
Economist Madhavi Venkatesan of Brewster is the executive director and founder of Sustainable Practices, which led a successful municipal plastic water bottle ban across Cape Cod. She is also editor-in-chief of the journal Sustainability and Climate Change. Read more.
Gerta Hoxhaj: Championing Breakthroughs in Metabolic Disorders.
Dive into Gerta Hoxhaj’s journey from a childhood in Albania to being a top researcher in cancer metabolism, now winning a 2024 Vilcek Creative Promise Prize. Read more. Image via Vilcek Foundation.
Mary Bartlett Bunge, 92, Dies; Pioneer in Spinal Injury Treatment.
Mary Bartlett Bunge discovered new ways to promote regeneration in the nervous system, offering hope to countless paralyzed patients worldwide. “She definitely was the top woman in neuroscience, not just in the United States but in the world,” a colleague said. Read more.
Nature publishes too few papers from women researchers — that must change.
“We want to encourage a more diverse pool of corresponding authors to submit. The fact that only 17% of submissions come from corresponding authors who identify as women might reflect existing imbalances in science,” say the authors. Read more.
Lost Women of Science Receive Overdue Recognition, Inspire Present-Day Scientists.
To mark International Women’s Day, Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN‘s deputy editor-in-chief sat down with Amy Scharf and Katie Hafner, the co-founders of the non-profit organization Lost Women of Science (LWOS) to discuss their work. Read more.
New Issue of In Focus Explores Global Women's Health.
The most recent edition of Women’s Health in Focus at NIH explores global women’s health. The feature story describes the progress made as well as some of the remaining challenges for global women’s health. Read more.
We are pleased to welcome the first members of our new Council of Corporate Leadership!
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