For women, gender bias can result in poorer diagnosis and treatment. As MarĂa Teresa Ruiz Cantero, Prof. in Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Alicante states, "We can no longer pursue the 'one size fits all' model based on men," as this negatively impacts the quality of health care, medical education and research.
Currently, Ramón is working to study how ion channels – certain proteins that regulate the electrical activity of the cells – affect the uterine vasculature during pregnancy, and how that relates to the pathological conditions of pregnancy observed at high altitudes.
In my opinion, I think team science is how we’re going to make big advances in biomedical research. Two heads are better than one, so if we think about questions together, we can make greater steps forward. Everything works better when you can get into a group and share ideas; individuals bring their own strengths to a group which improves the outcome when you’re working within a team.
I’m really excited about my current work because I feel it’s in perfect alignment with all of my previous training and research interests. I’m eager to study how the disruption of sleep and/or circadian rhythms impacts individual tissues and individual cells. I want to follow this line of research to understand why every cell fundamentally needs sleep to stay healthy.
Finding a work-life balance is not easy, but Judy Regensteiner and the other leaders at the Ludeman Center have been a huge support to both of us. Interactions with this group have taught us about ways to achieve the seemingly disconnected goals of building a healthy family life and a successful scientific career.
Ludeman Center researcher Dr. Amy Huebschmann’s research is focused on understanding and ultimately removing barriers to exercise in underserved women with type 2 diabetes. Dr. Huebschmann is working to systematically identify which are physiological and which are psychological barriers in order to find the most effective intervention strategies.
We are finding that girls who are overweight and also have PCOS have many signs of a metabolic syndrome, including pre-diabetes and diabetes, and that most of them have also increased fat in their liver. Our current research is focused on trying to understand what is involved in making this extra liver fat, and I hope to then be able to start a medication trial in the next few years to prevent this.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and diabetes, are also risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and women account for two-thirds of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. Kerry wants to understand how these diseases differ between men and women and how sex hormones, namely estrogen, play a role in their onset and progression.
Long term, I hope to utilize the findings from the Ludeman Center pilot to further inform larger projects looking to improve upon the quality of decisions post-cardiac arrest and limit the implicit bias that may contribute to varying outcomes for women and racial/ethnic minorities.
Ludeman Center researcher Dr. Kristen Demoruelle wants to know why rheumatoid arthritis affects 3 times more men than women. With rheumatoid arthritis, joint damage occurs as a result of the immune system attacking the joints, and the disease can also adversely affect the heart and lungs..
Ludeman Center researcher Dr. Amy Huebschmann’s research is focused on understanding and ultimately removing barriers to exercise in underserved women with type 2 diabetes. Dr. Huebschmann is working to systematically identify which are physiological and which are psychological barriers in order to find the most effective intervention strategies.
Dr. Kao's research works to bring the spirit of Silicon Valley to the study of heart failure. With the mentorship of Ludeman Center founder Dr. JoAnn Lindenfeld and funded by Ludeman Center donors Karen and Steve Leaffer, his research represents a novel approach to personalized medicine.
An Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Â鶹´«Ă˝¸ßÇĺ School of Medicine, Dr. Khazanie specializes in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology. Through her research project supported by the Ludeman Center seed grant, Dr. Khazanie is using data collected at LVAD centers in the U.S. to better understand the social factors that disqualify female patients for LVADs, leading to potential interventions that will make it easier for women to receive the therapies they need.
Katie is equally drawn to another key component of the Ludeman Center mission: mentoring junior faculty scientists. Having served as a mentor to many women throughout her career, she is particularly passionate about supporting the career development of young, talented researchers. Some of her generous gifts to the Ludeman Center have been directed to mentoring and training for researchers as well as to supporting the Ludeman Center's biennial National Conference on Women’s Health and Sex Differences Research.
Cathy’s interest in the work of the Ludeman Center was piqued because her mother had been misdiagnosed during a cardiovascular event in which she did not exhibit the typical “male” signs of crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. Cathy’s leadership and impactful philanthropy have played a critical role in the success of the Center for Women’s Health Research.
Arrow employees look forward to hearing top experts in women’s health and to receiving important health takeaways. As Alan pointed out, “We feel very fortunate to have this partnership with the Ludeman Center. Arrow team members always stress that they walk away with important health information that they did not have before. The educational value for the employees is what it’s all about.”
“It is never too late to get involved. Funding for research is the greatest struggle. I am grateful to have the energy and interest to apply what I learned in the tech world to things that are worthwhile and helpful to us all – the health of us all,” says Lyda.
For years, I've been working to increase industry's participation in improving women's health and working to get women into the system for adequate evaluation and treatment. I've also tried to promote research on sex differences by including women in clinical trials and focusing research dollars on women's health. The Ludeman Center is making a difference in this area and I want to see this work grow across the globe. It's extremely important to me.
After Joyce passed away, I was looking for a way to honor her memory. I came across a newspaper article about Judy [Regensteiner] and the Ludeman Center. So I called Judy and asked to come talk with her. We had a wonderful discussion about the Center and its goals. I thought there was no better way to honor Joyce’s memory than to start supporting the Ludeman Center.