Pushing the boundaries of women's health research
The mission of the Institute for Women's Health Research is to accelerate the rate of discovery in the sciences that impact women’s health and well-being and to increase the research and education portfolio in women’s health at Northwestern University and its clinical affiliates. The Institute is achieving this by:
- Fostering research that explores the sex and gender determinants of health and disease with an emphasis on women
- Encouraging interdisciplinary research, diversity inclusiveness and a comprehensive approach to research
- Preparing researchers and clinicians who understand the sex and gender determinants of health and disease, and; to develop leadership among women and girls interested in science
- Facilitating the translation of basic research into clinical practice
- Becoming the authoritative resource for the community on women’s health issues and providing opportunities to engage women in advancing research
Our Strategy
The Institute for Women's Health Research has identified four significant needs that are strategic opportunities to achieve our goals. They are:
- Lack of awareness among professionals and consumers that sex and gender matter in health and disease
- Insufficient funding sources for sex-based research
- Better utilization of social networking tools to advance what we do and do not know about women’s health across the lifespan
- Gaps in education, interest and persistence of girls who are interested in science
Our programs have been built on platforms that utilize these opportunities to ensure that what we do produces immediate results. The partnerships we have developed between our campuses have led to a cohort of talented investigators who are transforming women’s health across all disciplines and creating a contemporary face for women’s health research.
