BioInnovation Institute & Science announce the launch of the Translational Medicine Prize for Innovations in Women´s Health and Gender Medicine

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BioInnovation Institute (BII), an international non-profit foundation, incubating and accelerating world-class life science research, today announces the launch of the BII & Science Translational Medicine Prize for Innovations in Women´s Health and Gender Medicine.

This follows the successful BII & Science Prize for Innovation – which is now in its third year and recognizes and celebrates bold researchers internationally who are asking fundamental questions at the intersection of life sciences and entrepreneurship.

The introduction of the Translational Medicine Prize for Innovations in Women´s Health and Gender Medicine recognizes researchers who have developed innovative advances with translational potential to impact women's health and gender medicine globally.

Contributions within any area of women's health and gender medicine will be considered, including maternal health and chronic gynecological diseases, reproductive health including female and male contraception and infertility, or elucidation of sex- and gender-specific approaches to conditions that affect women differently or disproportionately. The winner will have their essay published in the Journal, Science Translational Medicine, and will receive a cash reward of $25,000 to further progress their research.  

Women's Health is a focus area for BII. Its Women's Health Initiative aims to support women's health start-ups and projects across a broad range of indication areas. This new award will highlight researchers who are striving to address crucial challenges in women's health using creative approaches.

Jens Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of BII said: "We are proud to introduce this Prize alongside Science Journals, following the success of our Innovation Prize. Women's Health remains a core focus for BII, and we continue to support early-stage start-ups and projects in the field, through programmes such as our collaboration with Ferring Pharmaceuticals. We hope this award, which will be announced in 2025, provides the well-deserved recognition of the researchers leading the way in this underserved area of research."

Sudip Parikh, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Publisher of Science Journals added: "With approximately just 1% of healthcare research and innovation invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology[i], it is a highly underserved area of healthcare. That is why we are pleased to be working alongside BII again to launch this award to recognize researchers who are developing innovative solutions to address female specific conditions."

About the BioInnovation Institute Foundation:

At BioInnovation Institute (BII), we accelerate world-class life science start-up innovation for the benefit of people and society. As a non-profit institute, BII operates the company creation programs, Bio Studio, Venture Lab and Venture House, to support life science start-ups with knowledge, network, infrastructure and funding of up to 3M EUR per projects and 1,8 M EUR per start-up. With our expertise, network, funding, and infrastructure, we empower startups to succeed and believe in the transformative power of life science innovation. Read more on www.bioinnovationinstitute.com

About Science/AAAS

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For additional information about AAAS, visit www.aaas.org.

About the Translational Medicine Prize for Innovations in Women´s Health and Gender Medicine 

The Prize aims to recognize researchers who have developed innovative advances with translational potential to impact women's health and gender medicine globally.

Contributions within any area of women's health and gender medicine will be considered. These may cover work in areas of female-specific conditions including maternal health and chronic gynecological diseases, reproductive health including female and male contraception and infertility, or elucidation of sex- and gender-specific approaches to conditions that affect women differently or disproportionately.

We encourage researchers who may have made significant advances in addressing questions in these fields at the intersection of translational research and clinical applications, or who are developing new drugs, diagnostic approaches, medical devices, or healthcare technologies, to apply. Researchers who have advanced development of new solutions that can be readily deployed in low- and middle-income countries are encouraged to apply.

The Prize is awarded for outstanding research performed by the applicant and as described in a 1,000-word essay.

[i] McKinsey & Company. Unlocking opportunities in women's healthcare. 2022. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/unlocking-opportunities-in-womens-healthcare