Ten early-career researchers win WHAM grants for women’s health

Ten early-career researchers have each received USD $25,000 grants from Women's Health Access Matters (WHAM) to pursue studies into sex-based differences across key health issues affecting women. The WHAM Edge Awards aim to advance understanding in areas where women encounter unique risks or outcomes, addressing longstanding disparities in medical research and funding.

Research funding

The 2025 WHAM Edge Awards focus on pioneering work in autoimmune disease, brain health, cancer, and heart health. The initiative expanded this year to include healthspan, bone and muscle health, women-specific conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and new methodologies, including use of artificial intelligence and secondary data analysis. Recipients were selected by WHAM's Scientific Advisory Board, with selection based on the potential for early-stage research to influence long-term health advances for women.

Sex differences explored

The awarded projects address a range of conditions. Dr. Brian Aguado of University of California, San Diego, will use AI tools and engineered heart models to assess sex-specific drug options for aortic valve stenosis, a heart condition where women are less likely than men to be diagnosed or receive surgery. Meanwhile, Drs. Amanda Artsen and Amrita Sahu at University of Pittsburgh will study muscle repair in pelvic organ prolapse, a condition affecting up to half of women, and will test a new hydrogel treatment.

Other research highlights include Dr. Domenica Berardi's work at Yale School of Public Health using female-only cell lines to investigate how estrogen may protect against certain types of colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women, and Dr. Erynn Christensen's study on inflammation and cognitive function in women with PCOS, a disorder impacting up to 20% of women worldwide.

Cancer and brain health

Several grants target cancer. Ms. Alicia Gibbons at La Jolla Institute for Immunology will examine immune responses in patients with triple-negative breast cancer, focusing on why some women experience harmful side effects from immunotherapies. Dr. Angela Jarman from University of California, Davis, will review diagnostic differences and potential biases in how women are evaluated for pulmonary embolism, a major cause of cardiovascular death.

In brain health, Dr. Bonnie Lee from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health will study how menopause and hormone therapy influence Alzheimer's risk in females who carry the APOE ε4 gene variant. Dr. Laura Pritschet at University of Pennsylvania will use existing imaging data to track brain changes throughout pregnancy and postpartum periods across thousands of women.

Reproductive health

Other projects focus on women's reproductive systems. Dr. Amparo Martínez Pérez will investigate the role of T cells in endometriosis, using menstrual blood to trace immune drivers of the disease. Dr. Na-Young Rho at Yale School of Medicine plans to explore how methylation changes in the BRCA1 gene may act as markers for ovarian aging, and whether gene-editing tools could help reverse these effects.

Funding landscape

"As federal funding tightens, researchers face growing challenges in advancing women's health. Private and philanthropic investment can drive the next wave of discovery-translating early ideas into solutions that improve health outcomes for everyone," said Dr. Anula Jayasuriya, Chief Scientific Officer, WHAM.

WHAM's support is intended to address a gap in the research ecosystem where early-career scientists struggle to secure financial backing for high-potential work lacking preliminary data. Many awardees are focusing on diseases that disproportionately affect women, or where the lack of sex-aware research has stalled progress in diagnosis and treatment.

Recognition and impact

"These awards are about more than recognition; they are about accelerating the next wave of discoveries that will change the future of women's health. By supporting early-career researchers, WHAM is investing in solutions that can have a real impact on families, communities, and economies for generations to come," said Carolee Lee, CEO & Founder, WHAM.