The vision of Dr. Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD Executive Director, Institute for Women's Health Research “We stand at the beginning of a century where enormous gains in women’s health scholarship and medical practice will be possible. We stand at a time when women’s healthcare needs extend beyond obstetrics and gynecology to all disciplines of medicine. We stand at a particularly critical, unifying and expectant time in the life of the Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Prentice  Women's Hospital and the Feinberg School of Medicine. These institutions recognize the unparalleled opportunity to be at the leading edge of research that impacts women’s health. These institutions have invested heavily in women’s healthcare infrastructure and programming. And these institutions recognize that there is a critical bond between the latest research and the treatment of women throughout their lifespan. Now is the time to capitalize on this relationship, catalyze women’s healthcare research and create the most comprehensive women’s healthcare program in the nation. We plan to make 21st century possibilities for a healthy life and prevention of disease in women a reality.”
Join the Illinois Women's Health Registry The Institute for Women's Health Research has launched its IRB (Institutional Review Board) approved Illinois Women's Health Registry.  We invite any female, Illinois resident over the age of 18 willing to complete a comprehensive health survey to enroll.  The purpose of the Registry is twofold.  The collective data will be analyzed longitudinally to track the health trends and status of Illinois women, which will help identify community health priorities.  Secondly, the database can be queried to identify women who match eligibility requirements of university-sponsored studies.  Women who match requirements may be invited to participate in specifically approved studies that advance women's health.
Federal, state and local organizations identify a number of health issues every month to bring to national attention. The Institute will focus on one of these topics each month. Please go to Publications for archived health topics. April is IBS Awareness month.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder that typically presents as altered stool consistency combined with abdominal bloating, pain or discomfort that is usually relieved with defecation.  Please follow this link to learn more about IBS.
Outstanding Research Addressing Women's Health The Women's Faculty Organization presented two prizes for "Outstanding Research Addressing Women's Health" at the Fourth Annual Lewis Landsberg Research Day held March 19, 2008 at the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center.  Sarah Sutton, MD, co-chair of WFO, presented Kazunari Nohara, PhD, a post-doctoral research fellow in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine for his work titled A New Model of Metabolic Syndrome Neonatal Programming of Leptin Resistance by Testosterone; and Jacqueline S. Jeruss, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery for her project The Oncogenic Association between Smad3 and Cyclin Overexpression in Breast Cancer.		Pictured at the award ceremony (l-r) Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, Vice President for Medical Affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean Feinberg School of Medicine, Kazunari Nohara, PhD, Sarah Sutton, MD, Jacqueline Jeruss, MD, PhD, and Rex Chisholm, PhD, Dean of Research.