In a bold step toward reshaping the future of women’s health, WHAM (Women’s Health Access Matters) is proud to announce the 2025 WHAM Edge Awards, an initiative of the WHAM Investigator’s Fund. These research grants provide critical support to early-career researchers exploring how biological sex influences health outcomes across four key health areas that disproportionately or differently affect women: autoimmune disease, brain health, cancer, and heart health.
In 2025, WHAM is also welcoming proposals in current areas of high interest for the health of women: healthspan, bone and muscle health, novel approaches to women’s health conditions (such as endometriosis, menopause, and PCOS), and innovative methodologies, including AI and secondary data analysis.

Why Now

WHAM is stepping in to ensure promising research doesn’t stall.

“Too many promising research ideas go unfunded simply because they are too early-stage for traditional grantmaking,” said Dr. Anula Jayasuriya, Chief Scientific Officer of WHAM and Chair of the WHAM Scientific Advisory Board. “At WHAM, we believe that early investment in bold ideas—and in the brilliant minds behind them—is how we drive progress in women’s health. The WHAM Edge Awards are not just about research funding; they’re about changing the system and building a future where women’s health research is at the center.”

About the Awards

Each of WHAM’s partner organizations and WHAM Research Collaborative members have the opportunity to nominate several early-stage investigators for consideration. The WHAM Research Collaborative is a preeminent group of over 100 scientists, physicians, and luminaries leading institutions committed to advancing women’s health research.

Each awardee will receive $25,000 in unrestricted funding to pursue pre-clinical, clinical, or translational research focused on how biological sex influences health outcomes. Recipients will be notified on October 29, 2025 with a virtual WHAM Forum and presentation of the Edge Awards to take place on November 18, 2025.

Awardees will be selected by WHAM’s Scientific Advisory Board: Dr. Hadine Joffe (Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital), Dr. Anula Jayasuriya (WHAM), Dr. Alyson McGregor (USC Greenville), Dr. Pamela Moalli (UPMC), Dr. Basmah Safdar (Yale), and Dr. Nicole Woitowich (Northwestern University).

Launched in 2022, the WHAM Edge Awards were created to fill a critical gap in the funding landscape. Early-career researchers often face barriers accessing grants, which frequently require preliminary data that junior investigators have not yet had the opportunity to collect. WHAM’s goal is to help overcome these systemic hurdles by providing the early support necessary to advance promising, potentially transformative research.

Why It Matters

The vast majority of serious diseases affect women differently or disproportionately—yet most research still treats men as the default. Without investment in early-career scientists, bold, high-potential ideas are too often left behind.

“Women are greatly understudied and often disproportionately affected by diseases, including lung cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s,” said Carolee Lee, Founder & CEO of WHAM. “By accelerating research into sex and biological differences, we can not only improve outcomes but also reduce healthcare costs and boost the economy. The time to act is now. This is personal. It affects you—your life, your family, your community—and the future of our healthcare system and economy.”

WHAM’s research has shown that investing $350 million in women’s health research generates a $14 billion return to the U.S. economy—demonstrating that advancing women’s health is not only urgent, but also one of the smartest economic investments we can make.

In today’s changing funding landscape, private investment is essential to driving innovation. The WHAM Investigator’s Fund was created to catalyze private support for cutting-edge research and ensure that women’s health—and the next generation of leaders shaping it—has the resources to thrive. By fueling discovery today, we unlock breakthroughs that will transform health and strengthen the economy for everyone tomorrow.

For more information about WHAM and its initiatives, please visit www.whamnow.org.

To register for the November 18th WHAM Fall Forum & Edge Awards Virtual Presentation, please sign up here.

About WHAM

WHAM, Women’s Health Access Matters, was founded by Carolee Lee, as a non-profit 501c3. WHAM has established itself as a neutral convener, connecting leaders across sectors to advance healthcare innovations and reshape the women’s health landscape. WHAM’s initiatives, from laboratory research to real-world implementation, are designed to create sustainable impact and improve health outcomes for all. The WHAM Investment Collaborative, alongside WHAM’s renowned Research Collaborative and the soon-to-launch Life Sciences Collaborative, is focused on accelerating the development and adoption of groundbreaking healthcare solutions.

Stay updated on WHAM’s initiatives by signing up for the newsletter and following us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Learn more at www.thewhamreport.org and www.whamnow.org

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