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Jill Biden visits Imperial on women’s health and AMR mission
Former US first lady Dr Jill Biden visited Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London to explore work on women’s health and antimicrobial resistance.
The visit was hosted by professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, who chairs the Fleming Initiative and directs Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation.
Dr Biden, chair of the Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network, spoke about the impact scientists, clinicians, innovators and investors can have on improving women’s healthcare.
Dr Biden stressed the importance of “collaboration, prevention and education” in improving women’s health globally.
At the museum, Dr Biden and Esther Krofah, executive vice-president of health at the Milken Institute, heard about the worldwide significance of the discovery and the contribution of women who, during wartime Britain, grew penicillin in bedpans to support early experimentation.
The discussion also explored how AMR is a key women’s health issue, with women disproportionately affected in low and middle-income countries, and in high-income settings where women are more likely than men to be prescribed antibiotics.
Dr Biden was shown an architectural model of the Fleming Centre in Paddington, which will bring together research, policy and public engagement to address AMR worldwide.
The second part of the visit brought together Imperial clinicians, researchers and innovators for a roundtable on women’s health priorities, including improving diagnosis, equity in maternity care and support during the menopause transition.
Participants highlighted wide variation in the quality of care for conditions affecting women and called for fairer access to services, with the postcode lottery named as a priority to address.
Professor Tom Bourne, consultant gynaecologist and chair in gynaecology at Imperial’s Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, described how AI could improve diagnostic accuracy for conditions such as endometriosis.
Equity emerged as a central theme.
Professor Alison Holmes, professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College London and director of the Fleming Initiative, highlighted persistent gaps in women’s representation in clinical trials, including antibiotic studies, which limits the ability to optimise care and treatments.
Dr Christine Ekechi, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, drew on national maternity investigations to underline the importance of valid data, meaningful engagement with affected communities and rebuilding trust.
Menopause and midlife health were also identified as priorities for clinical research.
Professor Waljit Dhillo, consultant endocrinologist and professor of endocrinology and metabolism in Imperial’s Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, described a new treatment for hot flushes, including for women unable to take hormone replacement therapy, such as those with a history of breast cancer.
The discussion then turned to bringing innovation into health systems. Innovators shared how data and technology are being used to close gaps in women’s health, while noting challenges in accessing funding to grow and scale.
Dr Helen O’Neill and Dr Deidre O’Neill, co-founders of Hertility Health, described predictive algorithms using self-reported data to help diagnose gynaecological conditions at scale.
Embedded into clinical workflows, the technology could reduce waiting times, identify conditions earlier and improve outcomes. They noted how “we have cures for the rarest genetic conditions but don’t even have the answers to common women’s health issues.”
Dr Lydia Mapstone, Dr Tara O’Driscoll and Dr Sioned Jones, co-founders of BoobyBiome, outlined work creating products that harness beneficial bacteria found in breast milk to support infant health.
By isolating and characterising key microbial strains, BoobyBiome has created synbiotics, combinations of beneficial bacteria and the food that nourishes them, to make these benefits accessible to all babies.
Speakers throughout the visit stressed the need to reduce variation in care quality and outcomes for women, strengthen prevention and education, and address power and equity in women’s health.
Professor the Lord Ara Darzi said: “It was a privilege to welcome Dr Biden and the Milken Institute to Imperial to meet some of the outstanding researchers, clinicians and innovators advancing women’s health.
“Imperial’s unique combination of clinical excellence and world-leading research positions us at the forefront of tackling the biggest health challenges facing society and the UK’s ambition for innovation demands nothing less.
“For too long, the health needs of women and girls across their life course have not received the attention they deserve.
“By working together across borders and disciplines, we can transform equitable access to care, accelerate the detection and treatment of disease, and ultimately improve health outcomes for millions of women in the UK and around the world.”
We are excited to reveal the winners of the third annual Femtech World Awards.
The winners were announced at a virtual event this afternoon attended by shortlisted companies, along with sponsors and judges.
The event welcomed guests from the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
Thank you to all 174 entries, as well as the sponsors for making the event possible.
See you in 2027!
Femtech World Awards 2026 Winners
Winner:
Shortlisted:
IVI RMA x Juno Genetics
Natural Cycles
Winner:
Highly commended:
U-Ploid
Shortlisted:
Hello Inside
Winner:
WISE HF, led by Prof. Mary Ryder
Highly commended:
Cardiac College for Women
Shortlisted:
Hyvelle Ferguson-Davis
CognitiveCare
Winner:
Highly commended:
Youterus
Shortlisted:
ŌURA
Winner:
Shortlisted:
LeanShield by ParrotPal Group
Perigen
Winner:
Shortlisted:
Body Moody
Looop
Winner:
Shortlisted:
Owning Your Menopause
Womeno
Winner:
Shortlisted:
The Blue Box
Celbrea
Winner:
Shortlisted:
HealCycle
Mor
Winner:
Shortlisted:
HRC Fertility
Mira
Pregnant women’s expectations about postpartum sleep may predict sleep quality after birth, outweighing prior sleep and psychiatric history, a study suggests.
The findings suggest attitudes and beliefs about sleep during pregnancy could be a modifiable risk factor for postpartum sleep concerns.
They also indicate that, among women expecting the poorest sleep, higher postpartum anxiety may further worsen sleep quality.
Sammy Dhaliwal, lead author is clinical health psychologist and research fellow in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dhaliwal said: “Most pregnant women in our sample anticipated poor postpartum sleep before it occurred, and it was striking that those expectations predicted worse sleep outcomes even after accounting for factors such as prior sleep disorders, psychiatric history, and number of previous births.
“This suggests that attitudes and beliefs about sleep during pregnancy may represent a modifiable target for early intervention before postpartum sleep problems emerge.”
Sleep disturbance affects an estimated 60 to 80 per cent of postpartum women and is linked to a higher risk of depression and anxiety.
Researchers said it is often regarded as an expected part of life after childbirth rather than a health issue that may be addressed earlier.
The study enrolled 432 pregnant women at about 24 weeks of gestation, meaning around 24 weeks into pregnancy.
Participants completed measures of their expectations about postpartum sleep, current sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and mood using validated depression and anxiety scales.
Assessments were repeated at six, 12 and 24 weeks postpartum.
A subset of 49 women also wore wrist actigraphy devices at six to eight weeks postpartum.
Actigraphy uses a wearable device, similar to a watch, to estimate sleep and wake patterns based on movement.
The results showed that 70 per cent of pregnant women, or 301 of 432 participants, expected poor sleep in the postpartum period.
Researchers found that predicted sleep disruption during pregnancy was a significant predictor of postpartum sleep concerns.
Among first-time pregnant women without prior health concerns, those who expected greater sleep disturbance had significantly more disrupted sleep after birth, measured by both actigraphy and self-report.
Among women who expected the worst sleep quality, higher postpartum anxiety significantly worsened both measured sleep and self-reported sleep, independent of anxiety levels during pregnancy.
Dhaliwal said the findings point to two possible areas for intervention: addressing sleep-related beliefs during pregnancy and treating postpartum anxiety.
Dhaliwal said: “Postpartum sleep disruption is often treated only after problems develop, but our findings suggest there may be an opportunity to intervene earlier during pregnancy.
“Addressing sleep-related beliefs and postpartum anxiety during prenatal and postpartum care may help improve sleep and emotional well-being in new mothers.”
A weight loss jab may improve fertility outcomes in women with PMOS, early findings from an ongoing clinical trial suggest.
The proof-of-concept analysis found that injectable semaglutide may offer reproductive benefits while also addressing obesity and metabolic dysfunction.
It is the first report to examine how injectable semaglutide may improve reproductive outcomes in women with PMOS while also addressing obesity and metabolic dysfunction.
The work forms part of the ongoing RESTORE clinical trial.
Melanie Cree, professor at CU Anschutz and first author of the report, said: “Women with PMOS frequently face a frustrating choice between treatments that target reproductive symptoms and those that address metabolic health.
“Our early findings suggest injectable semaglutide may have the potential to improve both, offering a more comprehensive approach to care.
“This medication is incredibly promising when someone responds with 10 per cent weight loss.”
The trial is examining whether semaglutide can restore ovulation and improve reproductive health in adolescents and adults with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, known as PMOS.
PMOS, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS, is a hormone and metabolic condition linked to irregular periods, raised testosterone levels, infertility risk, obesity and increased cardiometabolic disease.
Cardiometabolic disease refers to conditions linked to the heart and metabolism, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Existing treatments, including metformin and hormonal contraceptives, often do not fully address reproductive and metabolic complications at the same time.
The analysis focused on participants aged 12 to 35 who lost at least 10 per cent of their body weight during treatment.
Researchers said reproductive improvements appeared earlier than expected, prompting them to report preliminary findings while the wider study continues.
Cree is also a paediatric endocrinologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Endocrinologists are doctors who specialise in hormones and hormone-related conditions.
Cree said: “What makes this work particularly important is that it focuses specifically on women with PMOS receiving injectable semaglutide.
“Although GLP-1 medications have transformed obesity treatment, there remains a significant need for rigorous data examining how these therapies affect fertility and reproductive function in this population.”
The RESTORE study is evaluating semaglutide treatment in girls and women with PMOS and obesity.
Its broader aim is to determine whether weight loss and metabolic improvements can restore ovulation and improve reproductive outcomes.
Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovary, a key part of the menstrual cycle and fertility.
The authors said the findings are from an early proof-of-concept analysis and that larger, longer-term studies will be needed to confirm whether the reproductive benefits last.
The findings suggest injectable semaglutide may become a treatment option for women with PMOS seeking improvements in both metabolic and reproductive health, if future studies confirm the results.
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