November 4, 2005

Women's health research event celebrates collaboration

In her Oct. 21 talk initiating a weeklong celebration of women's health research, Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH, (below left), described how trends in cardiovascular disease are diverging between men and women, with rates of death dropping significantly among men in recent years while remaining steady for women. Although understanding of the mechanisms behind heart disease has led to new therapeutic approaches, she noted, "We still need to know whether all treatment strategies work just as well for all patients." Ofili, who is associate dean of Clinical Research and chief of Cardiology at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, also commented on the impressive collaborative approach to research she witnessed during her day at the MGH.

Some of the fruits of those collaborations were visible in the 34 posters about women's health research projects that hung in the White, Bigelow and Ellison corridors during the following week. Information about the six posters honored with awards of merit is available here.

"The standing-room-only response to Dr. Ofili's talk and the participation of so many departments in the poster session is a tribute to the depth of women's health research at the MGH," says Anne Klibanski, MD, director of the MGH Neuroendocrine Unit and chair of the Women's Health Research Committee. "Given the number and enthusiasm of this year's participants, we hope to expand the scope and the involvement of our entire research community in next year's event."