Women's Health Research at Yale

Biomedical Research Saves Human Lives
The last half of the 20th century saw a sea change in our capacity to fight disease and improve health. The bedrock for this development was the consistent support for biomedical research, and the nation has benefited from scientific discoveries that have been translated into treatments for previously untreatable conditions. Since our inception in 1998, Women’s Health Research at Yale (WHRY) has initiated and supported such research on health conditions that directly affect communities all over the country. In particular, we have focused on advancing our understanding of women’s health and on sex differences in health and disease that inform our understanding and treatment of disorders in women and men.
30 Jun 2025
Depression’s Disproportionate Impact on Women
Depression is a common disorder, and the lifetime prevalence of depression is twice as great in women than men. As one of the greatest causes of disability for women worldwide, the symptoms of depression can include prolonged feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities that were once engaging and enjoyable. In March, Hadine Joffe, MD, MSc, delivered a Grand Rounds presentation hosted by Yale’s Department of Psychiatry’s Division of Women’s Behavioral Health directed by Carolyn M. Mazure, PhD.
30 Jun 2025
Differences in Experiences Must Influence Interventions
Marc Potenza, PhD, MD, the Steven M. Southwick Professor of Psychiatry, leads the Women and Addictive Disorders Core at Women’s Health Research at Yale. His contributions to addiction psychiatry, as evidenced by his more than 600 publications, are vast and foundational for physicians and psychologists in the United States and around the world.
30 Jun 2025
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Yale School of Medicine Curriculum
Since its founding in 1810, Yale School of Medicine has been committed to training physicians and physician-scientists to lead their fields in addressing our nation’s health challenges. Today, Women’s Health Research at Yale (WHRY) is working to integrate contemporary data-driven information about women’s health and the influence of sex as a biological variable (SABV) on health that was not previously available in the Yale School of Medicine curriculum.
30 Jun 2025
Celebrate the Women in Your Life
This spring marks my first year leading Women’s Health Research at Yale’s philanthropy efforts, alongside my fellow Council Member Barbara Riley at first, and more recently as philanthropy chair. It has been both inspiring and rewarding to be part of this community, fueling and forwarding women’s health research.
30 Jun 2025
Insights from My Year with Women’s Health Research at Yale
Through the Women’s Health Research at Yale Undergraduate Fellowship, students have the opportunity to be mentored by faculty from many different departments and obtain first-hand experience in clinical and research settings. We also offer the opportunity to learn how to write about science with our Communications Officer Sara Luciano and contribute to our student-led blog, “Why Didn’t I Know This.” Kira Berman (’25) took on science writing with Sara this academic year and explored topics ranging from cardiovascular health to menopause to autoimmune disorders. Below is an excerpt from her final piece.
30 Jun 2025
From Our Director: In Remembrance of Carol Frost Ross
Carol Ross was an extraordinary person. She will be greatly missed and remembered with great fondness. A long-time advisor to our center and chair of our Advisory Council for two terms, we all came to know Carol as smart, thoughtful, and forward-looking. When she ceded the Advisory Council Chair to Susanna Krenz, Carol reflected, “After I joined the Advisory Council, I quickly found this was where I belonged because I could be a voice for women.” Carol was an active and contributing member of our center until the time of her death.
30 Jun 2025
On the Record
Over the course of May 2025, Dr. Carolyn M. Mazure delivered several talks and received a multitude of honors across the nation.
30 Jun 2025
Leaving a Legacy
Building Women’s Health Research at Yale to improve the lives of women and advance our knowledge of human health has been a privilege and a great joy in my life. It has allowed me to meet and work with many wonderful people – at Yale, across the nation, and within the extraordinary community here at home. As I leave the center, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of Women’s Health Research at Yale and share this reflection of what we have accomplished together. Click to explore our gallery - Just a Few Snapshots: 1998 - 2025.
30 Jun 2025