The History and Future of Ovarian Cancer Research

Isaac Newton famously wrote that he “stood on the shoulders of giants”. The same can be said of the groundbreaking research conducted by WHCC-affiliated institutes, which exists in a long tradition of discoveries and investigations.

Ovarian cancer research is one example. While it remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in women, there have been important advances in research about it over the last two hundred years.

Here is a timeline of some of the important discoveries that have brought us to this point.

WHCC’s mission is to support the kind of rigorous research that has unraveled the complexities of this disease. Our researchers at Women’s Health Research Institute (BC), Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Alberta), and Women’s College Research Institute (Ontario), are continuing the trailblazing work that began all those years ago.

Knowing Yourself: Genetics and Health

The occurrence of specific genetic characteristics varies among groups, and may be correlated with race, ethnicity or sex. There are several genetic conditions that specifically affect women.

For example, everyone inherits two copies of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes at birth. These genes help control normal cell growth. In some cases, people inherit mutations in these genes, which puts them at a greater risk for “breast and ovarian cancers as well as some other cancers, such as prostate and pancreatic cancers.” In fact, BRCA mutations “predispose women to a higher lifetime risk of breast (up to 80%) and ovarian cancer (up to 20 – 40%).”

The discovery of BRCA in the early 1990s allowed patients and doctors to better understand the risk associated with certain types of cancers. Screening and management options are available to “reduce the risk of developing cancer, detect cancer at an early stage, and identify more targeted treatments.”

Researchers at Women’s College Research Institute have identified three major clinical gaps in these screening and management options. These include:

The limited portion of the population that is eligible for testing under the eligibility criteria.
The fact that “hereditary cancer genetic testing is often offered to patients too late, with most tests done after a patient has been diagnosed with cancer.”
Genetic testing being offered after cancer treatment has been completed. Ideally, knowing mutation status before or at the time of cancer diagnosis can help a patient and their medical team decide on the best course of treatment.

To bridge these gaps, Women’s College Research Institute launched a research study called The Screen Project, which provides access to population-based genetic testing.

Genetic disorders are also “one of the leading causes of infant mortality,” according to the BC Women’s Health Foundation, due to infants being impacted by mutations, irregularities in gene sequences or inherited issues from their parents.

The Provincial Medical Genetics Program (PMGP) at the BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre provides access to “precise, patient-specific treatment plans for expectant mothers that can save a newborn’s life upon delivery; critically-ill infants in the NICU; babies born with a genetic cancer susceptibility syndrome; patients with genetic eye-disorders and more.”

Sometimes, a patient might not know they are carrying a genetic disorder. This was one reason for the launch of the Translational Genomics Hub at the Women & Children’s Health Research Institute in Alberta.

According to its leader Dr. Oana Caluseriu, the Hub wants “clinicians who have patients whose disease is likely due to a genomics cause, to be able to ask questions of researchers who have expertise with that gene or pathway in a lab.”

This allows clinicians the ability to offer patients better care, anticipate future problems, introduce specific treatments, and counsel the family about similar risks, if necessary.

Across Canada, researchers supported by WHCC member foundations are doing crucial and pioneering research to advance our understanding of genetic disorders, ensuring patients know tomorrow’s risks today.

Upcoming Events

September 19, 2023
9:00AM – 10:30AM PST

Are you passionate about the health of women, trans, and non-binary individuals? Are you eager to learn about ground-breaking research that is shaping the future of healthcare?

We’re thrilled to invite you to the 2023-2024 PWHR Women’s Health Research Seminar Series, an opportunity to learn about some of the latest advancements in women’s health research, and their impact on healthcare. For more information, check out the PWHR website.

November 2, 2023
5:30PM – 9:00PM EST

Join us for a transformative evening of education and networking while exploring the unique needs and issues in Black women’s health. The third Black Women’s Healthcare Summit, presented by Scotiabank, is a gathering place for those who believe in allyship, advocacy, and action surrounding Black women’s health, the health of their families, and their communities.

You will learn about the unique challenges that members of the Black community, particularly women, face due to the intersectionality of race, gender and health and how Women’s College Hospital is moving the dial on these issues.

Purchase your early bird tickets today!

Knowing Yourself: Genetics and Health

Genes are segments of DNA containing instructions for building and maintaining humans. Alterations in DNA sequences — referred to as mutations — can impact a person’s health. Some mutations are related to environmental factors while others are inherited, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The occurrence of specific genetic characteristics varies among groups, and may be correlated with race, ethnicity or sex. There are several genetic conditions that specifically affect women. For example, everyone inherits two copies of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes at birth. These genes help control normal cell growth. In some cases, people inherit mutations in these genes, which puts them at a greater risk for “breast and ovarian cancers as well as some other cancers, such as prostate and pancreatic cancers.” In fact, BRCA mutations “predispose women to a higher lifetime risk of breast (up to 80%) and ovarian cancer (up to 20 – 40%).” The discovery of BRCA in the early 1990s allowed patients and doctors to better understand the risk associated with certain types of cancers. Screening and management options are available to “reduce the risk of developing cancer, detect cancer at an early stage, and identify more targeted treatments.” Researchers at Women’s College Research Institute have identified three major clinical gaps in these screening and management options. These include:

The limited portion of the population that is eligible for testing under the eligibility criteria.
The fact that “hereditary cancer genetic testing is often offered to patients too late, with most tests done after a patient has been diagnosed with cancer.”
Genetic testing being offered after cancer treatment has been completed. Ideally, knowing mutation status before or at the time of cancer diagnosis can help a patient and their medical team decide on the best course of treatment.

To bridge these gaps, Women’s College Research Institute launched a research study called The Screen Project, which provides access to population-based genetic testing. Genetic disorders are also “one of the leading causes of infant mortality,” according to the BC Women’s Health Foundation, due to infants being impacted by mutations, irregularities in gene sequences or inherited issues from their parents. The Provincial Medical Genetics Program (PMGP) at the BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre provides access to “precise, patient-specific treatment plans for expectant mothers that can save a newborn’s life upon delivery; critically-ill infants in the NICU; babies born with a genetic cancer susceptibility syndrome; patients with genetic eye-disorders and more.” Sometimes, a patient might not know they are carrying a genetic disorder. This was one reason for the launch of the Translational Genomics Hub at the Women & Children’s Health Research Institute in Alberta. According to its leader Dr. Oana Caluseriu, the Hub wants “clinicians who have patients whose disease is likely due to a genomics cause, to be able to ask questions of researchers who have expertise with that gene or pathway in a lab.” This allows clinicians the ability to offer patients better care, anticipate future problems, introduce specific treatments, and counsel the family about similar risks, if necessary. Across Canada, researchers supported by WHCC member foundations are doing crucial and pioneering research to advance our understanding of genetic disorders, ensuring patients know tomorrow’s risks today.

Upcoming Events

September 19, 2023
9:00AM – 10:30AM PST Are you passionate about the health of women, trans, and non-binary individuals? Are you eager to learn about ground-breaking research that is shaping the future of healthcare? We’re thrilled to invite you to the 2023-2024 PWHR Women’s Health Research Seminar Series, an opportunity to learn about some of the latest advancements in women’s health research, and their impact on healthcare. For more information, check out the PWHR website. Register via Eventbrite! November 2, 2023
5:30PM – 9:00PM EST Join us for a transformative evening of education and networking while exploring the unique needs and issues in Black women’s health. The third Black Women’s Healthcare Summit, presented by Scotiabank, is a gathering place for those who believe in allyship, advocacy, and action surrounding Black women’s health, the health of their families, and their communities. You will learn about the unique challenges that members of the Black community, particularly women, face due to the intersectionality of race, gender and health and how Women’s College Hospital is moving the dial on these issues. Purchase your early bird tickets today!

Ending the endometriosis diagnosis delay

Around one million Canadians have endometriosis, “a condition in which cells similar to the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, grow outside the uterus,” per the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation.

The condition can cause moderate to severe pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, chronic fatigue, and infertility. As a result, those with endometriosis can often have “a reduced quality of life with mental health issues and difficulties in personal relationships,” according to one study.

Endometriosis patients have also been found by researchers to suffer from “high levels of stress and detriments in mental health” that can affect their work, study and relationships. Treating endometriosis is a matter of improving symptoms and ensuring patients’ lives are not burdened, rather than curing disease outright.

In Canada, however, endometriosis patients face an average diagnostic time of 5.4 years, including “a 3-year delay from onset of symptoms to physician consultation and a 2-year delay between physician consultation and diagnosis.” The delay has been attributed to a lack of awareness about the condition.

Thankfully, this delay has decreased on average in the last few years. One study on endometriosis in Canada attributes this downward trend to “improved public and physician disease awareness.” Another study associated this with “an increasing awareness of endometriosis in the medical field and the society.”

Education is key to eliminating the gap entirely. Both providers and patients “may be helped by better diagnostic guidelines and a greater awareness of the complexity of endometriosis symptoms.”

WHCC-affiliated researchers are working toward this goal by conducting pioneering research and raising public awareness about endometriosis. These are just three of the amazing researchers working on this important issue in Canada.

Dr. Pieter Kruger is an obstetrician/gynecologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Alberta, and a member of WCHRI. He is an expert in the management of complex urinary, bladder and pelvic floor disorders as well as endoscopic management of benign gynecologic conditions like uterine fibroids, endometriosis and other advanced laparoscopic procedures. Dr. Kruger’s practice focuses on General Obstetrics, and minimally invasive gynecological surgery in the field of general and urogynecology.

Dr. Paul Yong is a gynaecologist with fellowship training in Endometriosis, Pelvic Pain and Advanced Laparoscopy, and Associate Professor in the UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Dr. Yong holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain, is the Research Director at the BC Women’s Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis, and is the Assistant Director of the Women’s Health Research Institute. As Principal Investigator of the UBC Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Laboratory, Dr. Yong leads a research program that focuses on somatic (non-inherited) gene mutations in endometriosis, and changes in the peripheral and central nervous system in endometriosis pain.

For more information on pain management as it relates to conditions such as endometriosis, listen to Women’s College Hospital Foundation’s Mind the Health Gap podcast episode titled “Chronic Pain.” The episode features Dr. Tania Di Renna from Women’s College Hospital’s Toronto Academic Pain Management Institute (TAPMI), and Céleste Corkery, former manager of TAPMI, who discuss chronic pain and pain management.

Are you a researcher, trainee, policymaker, or healthcare provider who is interested in cutting-edge research driving healthcare advancements for women, trans, and non-binary individuals? Join a free, national, and virtual seminar hosted by Partnership for Women’s Health Research Canada (PWHR) on September 19, 2023. From bench to bedside, PWHR is committed to improving healthcare through equity and excellence.

📅 Date: September 19th
🕘 Time: 9am – 11am PT (10am-12pm MT, 11am-1pm CT, 12-2pm ET, 1-3pm AT, 1:30-3:30pm NT)
📍 Where: Zoom

Visit https://pwhr.org/seminar-series/ for more info on how to register.
For inquiries, contact communications@pwhr.org

The research improving health literacy from coast to coast

Health literacy has been defined by the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) as “the ability to access, understand, evaluate and communicate information as a way to promote, maintain and improve health in a variety of settings across the life-course.”

Equipping Canadians with health literacy skills is of the utmost importance. There is a “strong link between low health literacy and a number of negative health outcomes,” according to a report from the CPHA.

For example, chronic diseases — the leading causes of death in Canada — are often treated through self-management, “a process through which individuals actively cope with their chronic disease in the context of their daily lives.”

Dealing with “medical management, role management and emotional management” requires a degree of proficiency, according to the CPHA report.

Furthermore, research suggests that in locales with poor health literacy, health service costs are higher. In a 2009 analysis entitled A Vision for a Health Literate Canada, the CPHA determined that “an extra $8 billion a year [was] spent on health care as a result of low health literacy.”

Unfortunately, health literacy is not evenly distributed. Social, cultural, and geographic biases act as roadblocks to health literacy.

Indeed, Indigenous peoples, older Canadians, along with “recent immigrants, those with lower levels of education and with low English or French proficiency, and persons receiving social assistance are over-represented among those with low health literacy skills,” according to the 2009 analysis.

Empowering patients by providing them with accurate and thorough information about their health is a mandate of WHCC. Recently, we partnered with the Rebel Mamas—two authors, bloggers, and advocates for personal empowerment. We look forward to further shining a light on inequalities in women’s health care and raising awareness about the importance of health literacy.

From coast to coast, researchers associated with WHCC are working to level the playing field by addressing systematic gaps in health literacy. Here are just three researchers doing this vital work.

Emma Bedard is an MSc student at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta whose research looks “to better understand women’s decision-making processes when considering contraception methods.” Supervised by Dr. Nese Yuksel, and with Dr. Terri Schindel, Bedard has formed a partnership with Alberta Health Services’ Birth Control Centre to explore women’s experiences of accessing Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), which she hopes “will contribute to our understanding of women’s needs and provide insight into future practice changes for health-care providers — like pharmacists — advising about contraception.”

Emily Simmonds, MA, Ph.D. Candidate, is a critical scholar and a qualitative researcher at Women’s College Hospital’s Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health. Her research applies strength-based, anti-colonial, and anti-oppressive methodologies as she acknowledges and centres the ongoing impacts of colonization and racism on Turtle Island. She prioritizes partnerships with community members and community-led organizations.

Dr. Ann Pederson is an Adjunct Professor at both UBC’s School of Population and Public Health and Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Health Sciences (SFU), and Director of Population and Global Health at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre. She is committed to “feminist, gender-transformative health promotion and researching interventions that can simultaneously address harmful gender norms while improving health.” Dr. Pederson has also done research on settlement and health for newcomer women; gender-based violence, including sexual assault and interpersonal violence in the perinatal period; and improving the experience of bereaved parents and clinicians navigating the experience of stillbirth.

Nearly a quarter of Canadian women experience pelvic floor disorders. Why don’t we talk about them?

The experience is widespread: pelvic floor conditions affect about a quarter of all women. As the respondent indicates, these disorders are often chalked up to being a normal part of life.

Women are made to feel stigmatized by these conditions—discouraged from seeking care, which usually results in the worsening of the conditions.

This is even more unfortunate knowing that 90% of incontinence cases in aging women can be improved with exercise, and 70% with physiotherapy.

It is thus of the utmost importance that stigmas are erased. WHCC strives to do this by raising awareness about pelvic floor dysfunction and having honest conversations about signs, and symptoms, and treatment.

Pioneering research in the field of pelvic floor dysfunction is being conducted at each of our WHCC-affiliated hospitals to ultimately help women living with pelvic floor issues and pain, and alleviate the shame society places on these kinds of health problems.

We recently met with some of these researchers to learn more about what they do and how they help.

Dr. Erin Kelly is a Urogynecologist at the Lois Hole Hospital for Women at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Edmonton, Alberta. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Fellowship Program Director for the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery program, at the University of Alberta. Dr. Kelly’s research interests include chronic pelvic pain management, surgery for pelvic floor disorders, patient education and quality improvement.

Olivia Drodge is a physiotherapist at Women’s College Hospital. She treats a wide range of patients with varying pelvic and/or widespread pain or post-operative conditions. Olivia is passionate about providing client’s the highest quality of care in aims to help improve their overall physical and emotional well-being. She aims “to provide as much education for clients for them to gain a stronger understanding of their pain condition, as well as ways they can manage their symptoms and feel more empowered doing so in our individual and/or group sessions.” She also works with the Trans Related Surgeries Program and work with patients pre/post operatively for ongoing treatment and support.

Dr. Catherine Allaire is the Medical Director of the BC Women’s Centre for Pelvic Pain & Endometriosis. A gynecologist, Dr. Allaire specializes in endometriosis, pelvic pain, surgical education, and minimally invasive surgical techniques (MIS).

Nearly a quarter of Canadian women experience pelvic floor disorders. Why don’t we talk about them?

“People think I’m being dramatic when in reality, my reaction is proportional to the pain I’m experiencing. At times I’m not able to even get out of bed.” This is just one respondent’s experience reported to a survey conducted by Alberta Women’s Health Foundation on pelvic floor dysfunction. The experience is widespread: pelvic floor conditions affect about a quarter of all women. As the respondent indicates, these disorders are often chalked up to being a normal part of life. Women are made to feel stigmatized by these conditions—discouraged from seeking care, which usually results in the worsening of the conditions. This is even more unfortunate knowing that 90% of incontinence cases in aging women can be improved with exercise, and 70% with physiotherapy. It is thus of the utmost importance that stigmas are erased. WHCC strives to do this by raising awareness about pelvic floor dysfunction and having honest conversations about signs, and symptoms, and treatment. Pioneering research in the field of pelvic floor dysfunction is being conducted at each of our WHCC-affiliated hospitals to ultimately help women living with pelvic floor issues and pain, and alleviate the shame society places on these kinds of health problems. We recently met with some of these researchers to learn more about what they do and how they help. Dr. Erin Kelly is a Urogynecologist at the Lois Hole Hospital for Women at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Edmonton, Alberta. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Fellowship Program Director for the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery program, at the University of Alberta. Dr. Kelly’s research interests include chronic pelvic pain management, surgery for pelvic floor disorders, patient education and quality improvement.

Let’s Talk About Women’s Mental Health

When it comes to mental health, disparities between men and women are stark—among the starkest, in fact, in all public health.

The Women & Children’s Health Research Institute reports that “women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Forty-seven per cent of women are considered at high risk of developing mental health disorders, compared to 36 per cent of men.”

Similarly, Women’s College Research Institute reports that “up to 20% of Canadian women will suffer from a mental illness related to a reproductive life stage such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum or menopause.” Women may pass through each of these stages in their life, with each posing their own unique risk.

Research conducted by Oxford University Professor Daniel Freeman indicates that this difference can be attributed to “a complex mixture of factors contributing to the differences between the genders – related not only to physiological or biological factors, but society, too.”

To combat this higher incidence, robust research is needed to anticipate, prevent, and treat psychological disorders. However, this research is currently lacking.

Today, 22 per cent of Canadians find their needs for mental health services are only partially met, with 21 per cent finding their needs fully unmet. Several barriers exist to accessing care, including “cultural and language barriers, concerns about stigma, demographic inequities, a shortage of mental health care professionals and costs of services.” This is particularly the case for Indigenous women, women of colour, and financially precarious women.

The BC Women’s Health Foundation, the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation, and Toronto’s Women’s College Hospital Foundation are working together to address deeper gender inequalities in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health. This includes research areas like maternal and reproductive mental health, interpersonal trauma, and child and adolescent mental health, among others. Here are some of the researchers doing this vitally important work.

Dr. Rebecca Zivanovic is a resident physician in the University of British Columbia’s Department of Psychiatry, a mental health clinician, and clinical researcher. Dr. Zivanovic works primarily in the areas of concurrent disorders and reproductive mental health — with particular interest in how reproductive health, sexual health and supported parenting can be improved for those with mental health and substance use disorders.

Dr. Amber Mosewich is an associate professor at the University of Alberta in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation and a researcher with the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI). Dr. Mosewich’s research examines “stress, coping, emotion, and resultant cognitive and behavioural responses within the sport domain.” Her work shines light on the “unique needs and experiences” of women athletes, who are all-too-often left in the dark. By researching these singular experiences, Dr. Mosewich aims to make sport more accessible, allowing girls and women to reach their full potential.

Dr. Simone Vigod is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Women’s College Hospital. Dr. Vigod is a leading expert in perinatal mood disorders and has conducted some of the largest studies worldwide on maternal mental illness around the time of pregnancy. Mental illness at this life stage poses unique risks to mothers and their children at a critical juncture in both of their lives. Her research is helping raise awareness about gaps in access to specialized perinatal mental healthcare, as well as identifying vulnerable populations where these gaps are most prominent. She also designs and evaluates novel health system interventions to improve access to and uptake of care for affected women.

Bringing Menopause Out of the Shadows

Women’s Health Collective Canada is working to bring menopause out of the shadows by championing women’s focused medical research. We want to equip women and their health care providers with accurate information about their health and encourage open conversations.

Menopause is a natural and expected stage of life, but it has been shrouded in silence due to cultural taboos about women’s pelvic health. In turn, menstrual health research has suffered.

According to the BC Women’s Health Foundation:

“[H]istorically, women were largely excluded from medical trials. Failure to consider sex and gender in health research, by relying on men’s health as a proxy, effectively leaves women’s health to chance.”

This silence extends to patients themselves. A study from the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation found that menopause reticence has far-reaching consequences.

Unsure what to expect from menopause, or what falls within a healthy range of symptoms, women can sometimes suffer in silence. Pain is widely accepted as a “normal” part of female existence when it can often be treated. With the line between normal and concerning obscured, early detection of cancer becomes more difficult, negatively affecting prognoses.

Our amazing researchers are working to counter this by enlightening the medical field on the complexities and considerations associated with menopause. Some of our WHCC associated researchers working across Canada right now include:

Dr. Lesa Dawson is a gynecologic oncologist and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of British Columbia and an Associate Professor in Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine. Her research focuses on gynecologic cancer prevention for BRCA and Lynch Syndrome families. Her research is focused on cancer survivorship, equity in women’s health and population-based testing for hereditary cancer predisposition. She leads the Gynecologic Oncology Survivorship Clinic, which delivers personalized cancer prevention and menopause care for high-risk women.

Dr. Michelle Jacobson directs the Familial Ovarian Cancer Clinic at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. She is a menopause specialist with an interest in menopause oncology and Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome. Dr. Jacobson’s research is especially interested “in women who are prematurely menopausal due to cancer therapies and women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes.”

Dr. Nese Yuksel is a Professor of Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta. Her research program seeks to study aspects of women’s health, including “reproductive health and menopause to enhance our understanding women’s perspectives and improve the quality of care of women.” Her research program also looks to translate knowledge “through the development of evidence-based practice tools and resources in the areas of reproductive health, menopause and osteoporosis to support women and health care providers.”

Women’s Health Research Month Calls for Better, Fairer Data

Effectively addressing patients’ health concerns first requires identifying them. Comprehensive data collection is meant to inform care providers and patients about areas of concern, but health research has historically excluded women—especially elderly women and women of colour.

In funding and in research, various health issues have been brushed aside through an approach which does not recognize social and biological difference. As a result, many legitimate health concerns from women have been overlooked, leaving patients and researchers in the dark.

Working with our members across the country, Women’s Health Collective Canada aims to correct this under-representation by leading a call for research and greater awareness around the important work correcting these biases. Now officially Women’s Health Research Month, March is the perfect time to highlight some of the incredible work laying the foundations for more equitable research and better care for all women.

Dr. Lauren Beaupre is a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Alberta. Her research centres on osteoporosis, which affects approximately 250,000 Albertans, with women accounting for approximately 70-75 per cent of hip fracture patients requiring emergency surgery. Dr. Beaupre’s research seeks to address systematic care gaps and has been instrumental in improving the health, and in some cases saving the lives, of thousands of women in Alberta. Her work, supported by the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation, looks to promote “ongoing collection of key performance indicators to continue to improve Alberta’s bone health care delivery as well as educational tools for women to plan for a lifetime of bone health.”

Dr. Padma Kaul is an epidemiologist, Professor of Medicine, Adjunct Professor at the School of Public Health, and Co-Director of the Canadian VIGOUR centre at the University of Alberta. She holds a CIHR Chair in Sex and Gender Science and a Heart & Stroke Chair in Cardiovascular Research. Her research interests include examining the burden of heart disease in women relative to men. She has expanded her interest in women’s health by developing a longitudinal pregnancy and birth cohort to study the downstream effects of factors, such as gestational diabetes mellitus, on the development of chronic disease in both the mother and the child. She has extensive experience working with population-level administrative data, clinical registries, as well as large, multinational clinical trials and is exploring the use of novel artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to analyze these data.

Dr. Gina Ogilvie is a Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Control of HPV related diseases and prevention. She is also Senior Public Health Scientist at BC Centre for Disease Control and Senior Research Advisor at the BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre. Dr. Ogilvie is principal investigator for several major research projects and has received funding from PHAC, CIHR, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Canadian Foundation for Innovation and private foundations. Her research is focused on both the public health and clinical aspects of reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, HPV screening and the HPV vaccine, and her findings have been highly influential in setting and directing health policy both in Canada and globally.

Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe is a senior scientist at Women’s College Research Institute (WCRI), and the Director of the Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations at the University of Toronto. Her research is focused on the disproportionate effects of diabetes on low-income and racialized populations. To counter this, she has created a unique community-based diabetes prevention program which looks to improve “access to equitable and effective health care for persons affected by diabetes, with a particular focus on women and underserved populations.” Her CIHR-funded Avoiding Diabetes After Pregnancy Trial in Moms (ADAPT-M) “uses pregnancy as a window of opportunity to identify and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes.”

Dr. Mona Loutfy is a senior scientist and director at the Women and HIV Research Program at Women’s College Research Institute. She works to close the health gap and topple barriers in order “to create a world where girls and women can maximize their true potential, well-being, and health.” This is especially important when it comes to HIV, which often affects marginalized and stigmatized women. Dr. Loutfy’s approach is community-based. Working collaboratively with racialized women, Indigenous women, and women of sexual minority groups, Dr. Loufty and her team can accurately and respectfully address issues affecting their health. This work also looks to help women “better navigate the health system and advocate for their own health and reproductive goals.”