Researcher / academic

Blood markers that change during menopause are linked to poorer memory and higher Alzheimer’s disease risk in older women, a study found. Researchers identified 16 molecules linked to brain health that shifted during the menopause transition. The changes were more closely associated with hormone levels than with age. The findings were correlational, meaning they do [...]

A urine and vaginal fluid test could help rule out womb cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding, potentially reducing invasive checks. In a study of 1,864 women with postmenopausal bleeding, the test identified 80 of 99 womb cancers and correctly gave a negative result for 93 per cent of women without the disease. Researchers said [...]

A targeted nanotherapy reduced endometriosis lesions and pain sensitivity after a single dose in mice, early research has found. The experimental treatment uses a nanoparticle to deliver an existing drug to immune cells associated with endometriosis. Researchers hope the approach could eventually lead to a treatment for people with the chronic condition, but it has [...]

Menopause is often absent from women's electronic health records, a study of nearly 396,000 women has found. Researchers found menopause appeared almost seven times more often in participant surveys than in electronic health records (EHRs). The findings suggest important reproductive health information, including age at menopause, may often be missing from health records used for [...]

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 [...]

A UK study will build a menstrual fluid biobank to help women get faster, better treatment for heavy periods. Thousands of participants will provide menstrual fluid samples over three cycles using specially designed period pads. They will also use a daily tracking app and complete detailed questionnaires. Researchers from the Universities of Exeter and Bristol [...]

A study is examining where delays occur in diagnosing endometriosis  - a condition that can take seven to twelve years to diagnose. Endometriosis affects an estimated 1.5 million women and people in the UK, but there is currently no consistent way of measuring where and why diagnostic delays happen. The research aims to develop the [...]

Pregnancy complications are linked to greater health-related social needs among Black and Latina women, a study has found. Adverse pregnancy outcomes include pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, low birth weight and preterm birth. These complications are associated with risks of further complications, chronic disease and cardiovascular disease, and disproportionately affect Black and Latina women. [...]

Glaucoma drugs could potentially be repurposed to treat aggressive breast cancer after researchers identified markers linked to response. Scientists found that several cancers, including breast cancer, melanoma and a type of blood cancer, rely on the same molecule to become aggressive and spread. Drugs that block the molecule are already used to treat glaucoma and [...]

Women living in socially vulnerable neighbourhoods had a 20 per cent higher risk of death after an ovarian cancer diagnosis, a study found. Black women also faced a 45 per cent higher risk of death than white women. Researchers said the combination of being Black and living in a highly vulnerable neighbourhood was linked to [...]