Second Annual UC San Diego Women’s Health Symposium Highlights Advances in Women’s Health Research
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The University of California San Diego School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (OB/GYN), in partnership with the Center for OB/GYN Research Innovation (CORI), hosted its Second Annual Women’s Health Symposium on May 27, bringing together close to 250 researchers, clinicians, trainees, industry leaders and community partners to advance women’s health through interdisciplinary collaboration and team science.
Held at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, the symposium reflects growing momentum surrounding women’s health research and innovation across UC San Diego and the broader San Diego community.
“This symposium reflects where women’s health research is today and the many opportunities ahead,” said Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. “Bringing together outside perspectives allows us to think differently about the work we do and encourages new ways of approaching important challenges that remain unsolved in women’s health."
Building on the success of the inaugural symposium in 2025, this year’s program expanded in both scale and scientific scope, featuring team science talks co-led by faculty from OB/GYN and others, early career flash talks, trainee prize poster pitches, research collaboration and networking roundtables, and the announcement of an inaugural Women’s Health Innovation Cross-Disciplinary Pilot Grant. Key research areas focused on gynecologic conditions from heavy menstrual bleeding to menopause, cancer, aging, perinatal health, novel technology and female pelvic medicine.
“There is tremendous opportunity to advance our understanding of aging and menopause — areas that have historically not received the attention they deserve — as well as conditions such as pelvic floor disorders and cancer, which affect so many women,” said Gyamfi-Bannerman. “Expanding research and innovation in these areas is essential not only for scientists and clinicians, but most importantly for our patients.”
Gyamfi-Bannerman participated in a keynote fireside chat with Pita Navarro, co-founder and chief scientific officer of the precision medicine startup Evvy, who shared insights on innovation in women’s health diagnostics and the power of engaging women, as well as partnerships between biotech and academics in delivering patient-centered technologies.
Throughout the day, speakers highlighted the growing role of interdisciplinary partnerships in addressing longstanding gaps in women’s health research and clinical care. Sessions featured presentations from investigators across multiple departments and specialties.
Marianna Alperin, MD; Irene Su, MD; Chancellor Pradeep Khosla; Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD; Vice Chancellor John Carethers and Louise Laurent, MD, PhD, were all in attendance at the Women’s Health Symposium.
“This year’s symposium demonstrated how rapidly the women’s health research community at UC San Diego and beyond is growing,” said Marianna Alperin, MD, professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. “The level of engagement, collaboration, and scientific innovation throughout the day reflects the strength of our partnerships and the importance of team science in advancing women’s health research. We are also grateful for the support of our leadership, including Chancellor Khosla, Vice Chancellor Carethers, and Dean Jung, who invest in advancing this work. Together, we are fostering a pipeline for the next generation of talented investigators committed to women’s health research.”
The Women's Health Symposium included several research talks led by industry experts including Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, and Pita Navarro, co-founder and chief science officer of Evvy.
A major focus of the symposium was supporting the next generation of investigators in women’s health research. Trainees presented research during poster sessions and eight finalists competed in a live poster research award competition — delivering timed two-minute presentations to a panel of judges. Three winners received $10,000 prizes: Molly Huang, graduate student, Jacobs School of Engineering Bioinformatics and Systems Biology; Vaibhavi Patankar, third-year medical student and Summer Joyce Batasin, graduate student in the Department of Radiology.
“I’m really excited to be here and showcase my work in ovarian cancer and imaging, while also discovering new techniques that can advance treatments and detection,” said Batasin. “It’s rewarding not only to present my work, but also to share it with clinicians in ways that may ultimately help patients.”
“I am thrilled to showcase the next generation of researchers, clinicians and advocates for women's health in our community,” said Irene Su, MD, professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences and co-director of CORI. “The two-minute prize poster pitches by our trainees were amazing. One of CORI’s central goals is creating opportunities for collaboration and mentorship that help emerging investigators thrive in advancing discoveries in women’s health.”
Nearly 250 researchers, clinicians, trainees, industry leaders and community partners came together to advance women’s health through interdisciplinary collaboration and team science at the Women's Health Symposium.
As CORI continues to expand its efforts, the annual symposium has become a growing hub for scientific exchange and innovation in women’s health at UC San Diego. Created to drive transformative discoveries for the betterment of women’s lives, CORI is focused on advancing interdisciplinary team science and community partnerships to bridge longstanding gaps in women’s health care.
“When we developed CORI, it was from a desire to bring together our clinicians and researchers to provide the research infrastructure to answer some of the most important women's health questions,” said Gyamfi-Bannerman. “Under the leadership of Drs. Su and Laurent, and assisted by Dr. Thackray, we're working together not only to build collaborations but to help fund important projects and to provide the framework for investigational success.”
More information about CORI and future women’s health initiatives can be found on the department website. Presentations from the second annual Women’s Health Symposium can also be found on UCSDTV.
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