It’s been one of the hardest years on record for public health, and women have had to shoulder much of the burden.
“The pandemic exacerbated long-standing and systemic problems, especially for women’s health, and it emphasized the importance of science and smart policies for supporting health and saving lives,” says Laura Helmuth, editor-in-chief of Scientific American.
Helmuth will be the keynote speaker at the Magee Prize Dinner on Nov. 17. It’s the headline event of the 2021 Magee-Womens Summit, taking place Nov. 17-18 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Conference attendees will select the winner of the $1 million Magee Prize, which recognizes innovation in research on women’s and reproductive health.
“We have a lot to talk about at the conference, and I’m looking forward to learning more about the latest discoveries and innovations,” Helmuth says.
The Magee Prize was founded in 2018 by the Richard King Mellon Foundation and is “designed to propel discovery in women’s health and, by extension, the health of humankind.” UPMC-Magee Womens Hospital and the Magee-Womens Research Institute in Oakland have long been world leaders in women’s health-related fields.
An external committee will pick the three finalists who will present their research during the conference.
Experts in women’s health from around the world will gather to discuss topics such as Healthy Beginnings (such as maternal health), Shaping Metabolism (metabolic underpinnings of obesity, aging and reproductive disorders) and Transforming Clinical Outcomes (which includes telehealth and digital engagement).
On Nov. 16, there will be an Advocacy Session at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center to address racial disparities in healthcare.
“The Summit is predicated on the principle that women’s health is human health,” says Yoel Sadovsky, executive director of the Magee-Womens Research Institute. “By harnessing thought leaders from a wide spectrum of disciplines, we will help forge new pathways to knowledge creation —which, in turn, will elevate the human condition, not just now, but also for future generations.”