News
SiS London: new speaker lineup unveiled – meet the innovators leading the charge in women’s health
As the countdown to SiS London continues, the SiS: Women’s Health team is scouting the most inspiring case studies in the industry.
SiS London is curating an agenda that’s not just informative, but truly impactful—packed with actionable insights, personal stories, and valuable lessons from some of the brightest minds in women’s health.
This event is all about guiding start-ups through their entire journey, from securing seed funding to scaling and achieving successful exits.
Today, we’re thrilled to introduce five new speakers who are driving innovation in women’s health. These leaders are ready to share their experiences, challenge the status quo, and empower our community.
Meet the new speakers:
Peony Li, founder and CEO, Jude
Peony is a fearless entrepreneur who took on the notorious BBC Dragons who’ll be sharing her exceptional story. Unveiling how she built a thriving company in Jude, with over $1.4M in revenue and 13,000 customers in just 17 months. Her passion for destigmatizing conversations around women’s health will be front and centre during the Seed Panel at 9:00 AM.
Navneet Kaur, founder and CEO, FemTech India
Navneet is a trailblazer in the women’s health space, particularly in emerging markets. She has been instrumental in advancing innovations across the Indian subcontinent. Her insights on navigating complex markets where others have failed will be a highlight of the Market Expansion Panel at 1:45 PM, where she’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities of scaling businesses in diverse regions.
Nishant Varma, founder, OBG Access
Nishant brings a wealth of experience in guiding startups through successful exits. His journey from startup founder in 2015 to exit via acquisition by Cooper Surgical in 2021 makes him a valuable voice on our Mergers & Acquisitions Panel at 4:20 PM. This talk is your chance to gain crucial knowledge on how to build towards a successful acquisition.
Elena Rueda Carrasco, co-founder and CEO, Dama Health
Elena is breaking barriers in personalized women’s healthcare. Join her on the Market Expansion Panel at 3:00 PM to hear how she’s navigating the complexities of expanding into the US market. Elena will share her strategies for choosing pilot regions, earning trust with healthcare providers, and adapting to diverse regulations—key insights for anyone looking to make their mark in this competitive landscape.
Deirdre O’Neill, co-founder and chief commercial officer, Hertility
Deirdre is a co-founder and the driving force behind Hertility, a company that’s revolutionizing reproductive healthcare with innovative at-home diagnostic testing. At 10:00 AM, she will join the Growth Panel to share her experiences on Hertility’s remarkable evolution, including how the company balances rapid growth with rigorous clinical standards and leverages both direct-to-consumer and B2B strategies. Her story is a must-hear for any entrepreneur navigating growth in a competitive market.
Why you can’t miss this
SiS London is bringing together the most influential voices in women’s health to discuss the strategies that drive success in this rapidly evolving industry. These newly announced speakers add even more depth and diversity to an agenda already packed with valuable content.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or industry leader, this event offers a unique opportunity to learn from those who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in women’s health.
Secure your spot—limited tickets available
With this exciting new lineup, tickets for SiS London are selling fast.
Register now to secure your seat and gain exclusive access to a event filled with opportunity, connections and talks that will shape the future of women’s health innovation.
SiS London – October 9, Electric Cinema, Notting Hill London.
Small bowel microbiome differences between women and men may help explain why some conditions are more common in women, a study suggests.
The small bowel microbiome is the community of microorganisms living in this part of the digestive tract, where they play vital roles in immune function, metabolism and hormonal regulation.
Researchers found differences between women and men in the composition and organisation of these microbial communities. One bacterial community containing Granulicatella was found only in women.
The study was conducted by investigators at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University.
Ruchi Mathur, director of clinical research and clinical operations for the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) Program at Cedars-Sinai and corresponding author of the study, said: “One intriguing finding was a bacterial community containing Granulicatella, which we found only in women.
“Bacteria in this community appear at increased levels in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome.”
The researchers also identified differences between women and men in how microbes in the small bowel produce fructans, complex carbohydrates known to trigger digestive symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS is far more common in women than men.
Mathur, who is also a professor of medicine, said: “Our findings show that biological sex is a critical variable in the small bowel microbiome.
“We must consider it as we move toward more personalised approaches to understanding and treating disease.”
An experimental cancer drug reduced bone loss and body fat in mice modelling post-menopausal changes, early research suggests.
The compound, CADD522, appeared to strengthen bones and help the animals stay leaner after surgery designed to mimic hormonal changes seen after menopause.
The treatment remains at an early experimental stage and has so far only been tested in animals.
The study, led by the University of East Anglia, investigated CADD522, which was originally developed to block a protein involved in the growth and spread of several cancers.
Mice treated with the compound for eight weeks showed significant improvements in bone health. Scans found increased bone volume and better preservation of the honeycomb-like structures inside bones that are crucial for strength and resilience.
Blood tests suggested the treatment stimulated new bone growth without interfering with the body’s normal process of breaking down and rebuilding bone.
Dr Darrell Green, lead researcher from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Osteoporosis affects around one in three women over the age of 50, leaving sufferers vulnerable to painful fractures that can seriously impact quality of life.
“Current treatments exist, but many are plagued by side effects, safety concerns or inconvenient dosing schedules that make long-term use difficult.”
The researchers also found that mice receiving CADD522 weighed less than untreated mice despite eating the same amount of food.
They had less body fat and fewer fat deposits in their bone marrow, a process commonly seen after menopause and linked to declining bone health.
The team also examined brain tissue and found that the drug appeared to reverse several menopause-related changes in fatty acids.
Levels of omega-3 fats including DHA remained largely intact, while several other lipid abnormalities shifted back towards healthier patterns.
Green said: “We didn’t directly test for memory or thinking ability, but our work raises questions about whether this drug could one day help address wider menopause-related health problems.”
Safety experiments in mice, rats and dogs found that CADD522 could be taken orally and was well tolerated.
The compound also appeared to be metabolised more slowly in human tissue than in rodents, potentially improving its performance in people.
“This is still in the early stages and has so far only been tested in animals but we hope that the benefits will translate to humans to ultimately reduce fracture rates,” added Green.
The research was led by UEA in collaboration with the University of Maryland, the Scintillon Research Institute in San Diego and the University of Stirling.
Safety testing was funded by The Sir William Coxen Trust as part of the development of CADD522 as a childhood cancer treatment.
Weight loss surgery was linked to more regular periods and fewer polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) symptoms in women aged 18 to 45 living with obesity in a recent study.
The researchers recommend that women undergoing the procedure have access to preconception care and reproductive counselling to support their reproductive health.
Researchers at the University of Surrey analysed data over 24 months from 84 women who underwent bariatric surgery and 18 women living with obesity who did not have surgery.
Of those who underwent surgery, 49 had gastric bypass procedures and 35 had gastric sleeve surgery.
Women who underwent metabolic bariatric surgery lost more than 30kg on average at 12 and 24 months after the procedure.
Among women with polycystic ovaries, the condition persisted in only 10 per cent after 24 months.
Women also reported a resolution of clinical hirsutism, or excess body hair, by 12 months.
Women who had previously experienced irregular periods reported more regular menstrual cycles after surgery.
Professor Martin Whyte, co-author of the study and professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Surrey, said: “A large proportion of those undergoing bariatric surgery are women of reproductive age, who may be planning a pregnancy in the coming years.
“So much remains unknown about the impact of this type of surgery on women who are planning to have children.
“This raises the question of when the ideal time after surgery is to conceive.”
Women have a higher prevalence of obesity than men, with 57 per cent of women in the UK classified as overweight and 27 per cent living with obesity, which can affect fertility and the health of an unborn baby.
The researchers said 17 women had healthy pregnancies following surgery.
Although this was not specifically examined in the study, no difference in birth weight was observed between babies conceived within or after the first year.
Dr Kathryn Hart, co-author of the study and associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Surrey, said: “What we have found is that bariatric surgery positively affects the reproductive health of women living with obesity and can improve the likelihood of them having a healthy pregnancy after surgery.
“Dysregulated hormone levels, irregular periods and conditions such as polycystic ovaries are affected by obesity.
“By reducing this, what we have seen is that it can lead to improvements without the need for medication.
“We would suggest that clinicians consider medical intervention for obesity to treat irregularities in the menstrual cycle and issues with fertility.”
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