| | Northwestern University’s Institute for Women’s Health Research is helping to accelerate the rate of discovery in the sciences that impact women’s health and well-being. Led by internationally renowned researcher Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD, the Institute delivers on Northwestern’s vision for collaboration by creating uncommon teams of researchers and applying innovative problem solving. The Institute and its team are also leveraging Northwestern’s growing reputation for excellence in women’s clinical care by catalyzing the strengths and resource of the Feinberg School of Medicine, the University and Northwestern Memorial’s new state-of-the art Prentice Women’s Hospital. Together, we will make Chicago an epicenter of women’s health research and care.
Please follow these links to:
The Institute's five priorities
The history of the Institute
The Institute's accomplishments
The Institute fosters research that impacts women’s health and well-being by providing seed grants to explore new hypotheses related to sex and gender, identifying and sharing funding opportunities, establishing an animal resource center and assisting recruitment of research participants through a women’s health registry. Our goal is to make Northwestern a place where innovative leaders in women’s health find a welcoming home.
The Institute encourages interdisciplinary research, diversity inclusiveness and a comprehensive approach to women’s health science by creating uncommon, creative teams of researchers no matter what disciplines they represent. We will host scientific roundtables that include basic, transitional and clinical researchers to explore the full spectrum of research questions.
The Institute works to prepare undergraduates, graduates, physicians and scientists at all levels of training and practice to understand the sex and gender determinants of health and disease. This effort includes identifying and engaging leaders in women’s health to serve as role models and mentors.
The Institute is creating an environment that accelerates research knowledge into effective medical practice and care for women. We promote the use of evidence-based clinical guidelines and protocols so all women receive the highest standard of care from all the clinical affiliates.
The Institute invites women from diverse backgrounds to participate in ground breaking research by joining the Women’s Health Registry, a gateway for clinical trial participation at Northwestern. We also act as a credible resource for women who value authoritative health science information.
The leaders of the Institute’s Staff are:
Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD - Executive Director
Sarah Bristol-Gould, PhD - Assistant Director of Research and Education Programs, Coordinator Illinois Women's Health Registry
Sharon Green, MHA - Director for Program Development and Strategic Planning
Barbara Sutcliffe – Business Administrator
The creation of the Institute for Women's Health Research was announced in November, 2006 by Dr. Lewis Landsberg who was Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University at the time. Teresa Woodruff, PhD was named executive director of the new Institute. The IWHR is organizationally located in the Feinberg School of Medicine and reports directly to the Dean instead of a specific university department enabling the Institute to be multidisciplinary in its approach.
The Institute can be described as an umbrella organization, becoming a central depository of information about research and programs that impact women's health throughout Northwestern University and its affiliated clinical partners.
Northwestern has two campuses, Chicago and Evanston, with a great deal of basic science research taking place in Evanston, and more translational and clinical activities located on the Chicago campus. Affiliated clinical sites include Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Prentice Women's Hospital and Children's Memorial Hospital. There are server al physician corporations that feed into this complex of services. The Institute is working with all entities to encourage innovative partnerships and collaborations.
Funded two ‘pioneer’ grants for projects that explore a gender oriented hypothesis that could help make researchers competitive for larger NIH funding. Year One grantees:
Catherine A. Woolley, Ph.D. - Dept. of Neurobiology & Physiology
Project: Development of an ERb Antibody to Study Estrogen and Depression.
Melina Kibbe, M.D. – Dept of Medicine/Vascular Surgery
Project: The Vasoprotective Role of Estrogen against Cardiovascular Disease. Dr. Kibbe has submitted a large ANSWHR grant application based in part on her work. Received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Northwestern to establish the Illinois Women’s Health Registry. This registry will collect self-reported health information from community women who have agreed to be contacted if they match any research studies seeking participants. The Institute is collaborating with the University of Kentucky on this project. Is collaborating with the School of Continuing Studies to develop an on-line Master’s and Certificate program in women’s health. Identified gender sensitive clinical services available within the NU system beyond maternal health and has posted them on the Institute web site for community women. Is identifying gender sensitive practice guidelines that will soon be available on the web site and available to all NU affiliated physicians. Is hosting a Neuroscience Symposia on Women and Cognitive Function on October 24, 2008 featuring national experts. Speakers include Pauline Maki, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago; John H. Morrison, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Catherine Woolley, PhD, Northweestern University; Phyllis Wise, PhD, University of Michigan. Is identified as a collaborator in two ANSWHR grant applications submitted in Fall, 2007. Is developing a “food for thought” series, a lunchtime opportunity to bring together researchers from a variety of disciplines but with potentially cross cutting interests to define their interests and seek out collaborations. The first one is scheduled for early 2008 on neuroscience and behavior. Is collaborating with the Department of Medicine to match residents and fellows who want a research experience as part of their rotation to scientists who have identified short term projects that would stimulate an interest in women’s health. Adopted the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School in Chicago, providing mentorship experiences in the sciences to low income, minority high school girls. So far, the 13 girls have attended two 3-day Saturday lab ‘academies’ and are scheduled to attend a public health women’s health conference where they learned about public health careers and increased their knowledge on several women’s health topics. Has provide 2 speakers and financial support for the 9th Annual Illinois Women’s Health Conference sponsored by the Office of Women’s Health at the Illinois Department of Public Health on November 14-15, 2007. The Institute also provided planning and financial support for the 16th Ovarian Workshop held in San Antonio, Texas in July 2007. Provided support to the newly established fertility preservation program until the Oncofertility Consortium funding was received This included support for a Research Assistant Professor, Karrie Snyder, Ph.D., who co-wrote the first ever book on Oncofertility with Dr. Woodruff. Fall 2007, Northwestern University recently received a BIRCWH award, a training grant in women’s health. Dr. Woodruff is co-director on the project.
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