Newswise — PITTSBURGH, March 15, 2018Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI), the largest independent research institute in the U.S. devoted exclusively to women’s health, is accepting applications for the $1 million Magee Prize that will be awarded to a team of top scientists at the inaugural Magee-Womens Research Summit, taking place Oct. 9 to 10, 2018, in Pittsburgh. The Prize will fund a collaborative team whose groundbreaking research in reproductive sciences and women’s health will improve lives globally.

Magee Prize Application
Applications for the Magee Prize are due June 1, 2018. Proposals may come from any relevant biological discipline and should include a component of early human development, and/or a longitudinal, lifespan approach to any project within the reproductive sciences and women’s health, as described in an initial letter of intent. Novelty may be conceptual or methodological, involve new models or drugs, and ideally based on high-risk and high-reward approach. Preliminary data are encouraged but not required. The application must be distinct from projects currently pursued by the investigators, designed to lead to innovative investigations that may not fit a traditional National Institutes of Health funding mechanism. Applications must be submitted by a collaborative team, of which one researcher is a faculty member of MWRI in Pittsburgh. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The prize will be awarded over 2 to 3 years to one group of two or more collaborating investigators. Full criteria can be found on the Summit’s website at http://mageesummit.org/prize/

Magee-Womens Research Summit
The concept behind the summit is simple, yet profound: To chart a course for tomorrow’s medical research innovations that will lead to a healthier, longer lifespan for humankind. It will serve as the foundation for launching a coordinated global strategy to accelerate the pace of discovery and establish new benchmarks to improve the lives of women, infants and communities globally. 

Speakers will include nationally and world-renowned scientists and thought leaders in precision medicine, scientific wellness, aging and women’s health, notably: 

  • Diana Bianchi, M.D., director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: The winner of three separate lifetime achievement awards, Bianchi is a widely recognized leader in the areas of noninvasive prenatal DNA screening and diagnosis, as well as the development of new therapies that can be given prenatally to treat genetic disorders.

 

  • Lee Hood, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and chief strategy officer, Institute for Systems Biology; SVP and CSO, Providence St. Joseph Health: Hood is a world-renowned scientist, inventor, entrepreneur and visionary. His discoveries have permanently changed the course of biology and revolutionized the understanding of genetics, life and human health.

 

  • Jennifer Howse, Ph.D., former president, March of Dimes Foundation: A nationally known expert in maternal and child health, science, and philanthropy, Howse served as president of the March of Dimes Foundation for more than two decades, overseeing successful public health and advocacy campaigns in birth defects testing and prevention.

 

  • Dennis Lo, M.D., Ph.D., associate dean (research), Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine; director, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences: Lo’s discovery of fetal DNA in a mother’s plasma helped pioneer noninvasive prenatal testing for genetic diseases. His group also has created a genetic map of the fetus by analyzing tiny fragments of DNA floating in the blood of prenatal women.

 

  • Clay Marsh, M.D., vice president & executive dean for health sciences, West Virginia University: Marsh is a national leader in personalized medicine and in pulmonary and critical care medicine. He has concentrated his efforts in determining how to help individuals stay healthy and how to create ecosystems to make this easy. His research has focused on defining the underlying mechanisms that determine health and disease.

 

  • Marcia Stefanic, Ph.D., professor of medicine, Stanford Prevention Research Center; director, Stanford Women and Sex Differences in Medicine: Stefanic’s research focuses on chronic disease prevention in both men and women through physical activity, diet and weight control. Diseases include heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and dementia.

 

  • Michelle Williams, Sc.D., dean of the faculty, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University: An expert in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology, Williams’ research has deepened science’s understanding of placental abruption, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

 

All sessions will include ample networking opportunities for participants to interact with speakers.

Meeting Link: Magee-Womens Research Summit