A US non-profit has unveiled grants worth $25,000 each for junior investigators studying how biological sex shapes disease in women, aiming to close persistent gaps in medical knowledge.

Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM), based in Greenwich, Connecticut, announced the 2025 WHAM Edge Awards on 8th September. The scheme, part of the WHAM Investigator’s Fund, supports pre-clinical, clinical, and translational studies in four fields that affect women most: autoimmune disease, brain health, cancer, and heart health.

For the first time, the awards will also welcome work on healthspan, bone and muscle health, and innovative approaches to endometriosis, menopause, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Projects using artificial intelligence or secondary data analysis are encouraged.

Key details of the 2025 awards

• Nominations come from WHAM partner institutions and the WHAM Research Collaborative, which includes 100 members.
• Each winner receives $25,000 in unrestricted funding.
• Recipients will be announced on 29 October 2025.
• A virtual WHAM Forum on 18 November 2025 will showcase the awardees.

The six-member Scientific Advisory Board selecting the winners includes 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).

“Too many promising research ideas go unfunded simply because they are too early-stage for traditional grantmaking,” said Dr Anula Jayasuriya, WHAM’s chief scientific officer and chair of the 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 centre.”

Launched in 2022, the Edge Awards were created to address a structural barrier in research funding: major funders often require preliminary data that early-career scientists lack. WHAM provides seed funding to help researchers generate data that can attract larger grants.

Economic case for investment

Modelling commissioned by WHAM from the RAND Corporation shows that an additional $350 million directed at sex-specific research in brain, heart, cancer, and autoimmune conditions could yield almost $14 billion in economic returns through improved health and reduced medical costs.

“Women are greatly understudied and often disproportionately affected by diseases, including lung cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s,” said Carolee Lee, WHAM Founder and CEO. “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.”

Private philanthropy continues to play a crucial role as public budgets tighten. The WHAM Investigator’s Fund pools donations to sustain high-potential projects that might otherwise stall.

The 18th November forum, titled “Women’s Health Research: The Silent Gap, The Loud Opportunity”, will stream live and feature presentations from the awardees as well as talks from investors, clinicians, and policymakers.

Registration is available their website, where further details about the Edge Awards can also be found.

WHAM launches $25,000 grants to accelerate women-focused studies on sex differences in disease.