From using photographs to diagnose and treat ovarian cancer and understanding blood clotting mechanisms in patients with endometriosis, Wellbeing of Women has invested in 18 new projects spanning menstrual and sexual health, pregnancy, fertility and contraception and gynaecological cancers. 

Wellbeing of Women is the only UK charity that is dedicated to funding research in all areas of women's reproductive and gynaecological health. The awardees will begin their projects in 2025.

Professor Hilary Critchley, Wellbeing of Women Research Advisory Committee Chair, said: “We are excited to see the broad range of award recipients and their research areas that Wellbeing of Women has funded this year. These awards will nurture the next generation of women’s health researchers while also increasing understanding of women’s health, something we know has long been neglected.” 

Jeremy Barratt, Wellbeing of Women Director of Research, said "We are delighted to support 18 new research awards exploring the breadth of women’s reproductive and gynaecological health. These grants reflect our commitment to developing future women’s health leaders and driving vital progress that will change and save the lives of women, girls, and babies. We extend our sincere thanks to our esteemed research partners, whose collaboration and shared passion have made many of these awards possible."

Wellbeing of Women has awarded the following projects with a combined total of more than £1.2M

Sexual health

• Female genital mutilation – Women who have experienced female genital mutilation can have their labia minora and clitoris surgically reconstructed, but a lack of research on the safety and benefits means that the NHS do not offer this. Miss Aurora Almadori, University College London, will identify the gaps in female genital mutilation reconstruction clinical trials, to ensure that surgeries are safe and effective. (Co-funded by the British Society for the Study of Vulval Disease)

Gynaecological cancers

• Can ‘molecular photographs’ help us understand ovarian cancer? - Dr Shimrit Mayer, University of Cambridge, will use Imaging Mass Cytometry to take high dimensional photographs of tumor samples, to understand how the different cells and structures interact, and if this can predict how patients will respond to treatment. (Co-funded by the British Gynaecological Cancer Society)
• Using heat to treat ovarian cancer – Dr Haleema Azam, University College London, will assess how heated chemotherapy – a newly developed technique for women with untreatable cancer - when given alongside other types of treatment, impacts ovarian cancer cells’ ability to repair and survive.
• Using the body’s immune system to treat ovarian cancer - Antibodies are proteins normally made by the body to prevent infections and some can help the body kill cancer cells. Professor Sophia Karagiannis, King’s College London, is designing and testing a new generation of antibodies that could penetrate deep into a tumour, recruit and activate the immune system, and kill more ovarian cancer cells. 
• Is there a genetic risk of womb cancer - Dr Caitlin Fierheller, Queen Mary University of London, will use a new saliva-based home-testing app to find out if women with serous endometrial cancer are BRCA carriers, and whether women with this mutation could benefit from a hysterectomy for prevention. (Co-funded by Peaches Womb Cancer Trust and the British Gynaecological Cancer Society)
• Innovative new ways to detect HPV and cervical cancer- Dr Sarah Bowden, Imperial College London, will test a rapid bedside test for detecting HPV and optimise and trial a new methylation test, which could be added to HPV-testing to increase the accuracy in detecting cancer. (Co-funded by the British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology)
• Understanding how ovarian cancer spreads and develops - Extracellular Vesicles (EV) are small structures released by cells which allow them to communicate with other cells, but that also allow ovarian cancer to stay hidden and spread to the rest of the body. Dr Michael Rimmer, University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with the University of St Andrew’s will compare the surface of the EVs in women with and without ovarian cancer to see if new targets for stopping the spread of cancer can be identified. 
• Can genetic tests predict an uncommon type of cancer? - Dr Geoffrey Maher, Imperial College London, and his team will focus on Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD), a rare group of pregnancy-related conditions with risks of development of cancer leading to recommendation of womb-removal (hysterectomy). The research will identify genetic biomarkers that might indicate high and low risk of cancer. If established, those at high risk would be recommended hysterectomy (the standard treatment) but those at low risk could be spared this surgery and retain their fertility. 

Pregnancy, birth and beyond

• High blood pressure during pregnancy and long-term health - Dr Laura Ormesher, University of Manchester, will track the heart, blood vessels, and metabolic health of women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy to see if it increases their future risk of heart disease as well as future pregnancy complications.
• Best birth positions for preventing emergency caesareans - Alice Hodder, University College London, will identify the best labour techniques and positions for childbirth. She will develop a training package for midwives and doctors to enable best care, reducing unnecessary caesareans and associated birth trauma. (Co-funded by the Royal College of Midwives and the Burdett Trust for Nursing)
• Water birth safety - Elizabeth Glyn-Jones, Powys Teaching Health Board, will investigate which mothers and babies are at highest risk for needing medical care during or following birth when birth pools are used during labour, to support women in making informed decisions about their use. (Co-funded by the Royal College of Midwives and the Burdett Trust for Nursing)
• ‘Benchmarking’ lactate levels during labour – Dr Benjamin Greenfield, University of Liverpool, wants to ‘benchmark’ normal lactate levels during labour to improve how lactate levels are measured to diagnose infections. His first step will be finding out if it’s possible to measure lactate levels during birth, to pave the way for a large study. (Co-funded by the British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society)
• Mental health and interpreters - Mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy are common and carry impacts that can last across generations, but women who need an interpreter can encounter barriers to discussing their mental health. Dr Amanda Firth, University of Huddersfield, will find out how midwives and interpreters can work better together to help women discuss their mental health. (Co-funded by the Royal College of Midwives and the Burdett Trust for Nursing)

Menstrual and gynaecological health 

• Endometriosis and blood clotting - Dr Gael Morrow, Robert Gordon University, will assess if blood clots, and the molecules involved, differ in women diagnosed with endometriosis to understand why endometriosis causes heavy menstrual bleeding. This could pave the way for a blood test to diagnose this condition. 
• How does period pain affect wider school life? - Dr Abbie Jordan, University of Bath, and her team will work with school girls and boys, teachers, staff and parents in schools across the UK to conduct the first study to understand how periods and period pain influences the school lives of UK teenage girls. (Co-funded by Reckitt Health Ltd.)
• Diagnosing vulval skin disease - Vulval lichen sclerosus is a common skin condition affecting the vulva and can cause itching, scarring and an increased risk of vulva cancer. Despite this, delays in diagnosis and misdiagnosis is common. Dr Louise Clarke, University of Nottingham will speak to healthcare professionals to understand the barriers they face in diagnosing vulval skin diseases and use this to improve care. (Co-funded by the British Society for the Study of Vulval Disease)

Fertility, contraception and abortion care

• Support discussions around birth control - Charlotte Glynn, British Pregnancy Advisory Service will evaluate the use of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy – a set of questions that assess birth control and feelings and preparation surrounding pregnancies – during abortion care. She hopes it can be used to support better discussions about birth control and help prevent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. (Co-funded by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare)
• Contraception after giving birth – After giving birth, it is recommended to wait at least 18 months before becoming pregnant again. Dr Amy Hough, University College London will find out barriers to accessing contraception in postpartum women and how many unplanned pregnancies happen to improve contraceptive services for women following birth. (Co-funded by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare)