skip to content

School of the Biological Sciences

 

 

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of women's biology is essential to improving lifelong health, benefiting women and supporting intergenerational health outcomes. Women remain underrepresented in many clinical trials, and much laboratory research still relies predominantly on male model organisms and systems. This ongoing gap limits our understanding of sex-specific biology and its influence on disease.

 

The Cambridge Ecosystem

Cambridge researchers are addressing this imbalance by investigating how biological systems across genetics, cell biology, reproductive biology, endocrinology, immunology, neuroscience and psychology can intersect to shape health and disease in women. With exceptional depth in biological sciences and working closely with partners, stakeholders and lived experience experts, Cambridge is well-positioned to make a lasting and global impact on women's health.

 

Recent Highlights

#Research

Putting women's health in the spotlight

Cambridge researchers are working to undo a longstanding male bias in health research, to help drive more effective healthcare for all.

Read the article

 

#Research

‘Exhausted’ immune cells in healthy women could be target for breast cancer prevention

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have created the world’s largest catalogue of human breast cells, which has revealed early cell changes in healthy carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.

Read the article

 

#Research

‘Mini-placentas’ help scientists understand the causes of pre-eclampsia and pregnancy disorders

Scientists have grown ‘mini-placentas’ in the lab and used them to shed light on how the placenta develops and interacts with the inner lining of the womb – findings that could help scientists better understand and, in future, potentially treat pre-eclampsia.

Read the article

Academic Leads

Contributing Researchers

Catherine Aiken, Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Irving Aye, Obstetrics and Gynaecology

David Bulmer, Pharmacology

Steve Charnock-Jones, Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Emma Davenport, Wellcome Sanger Institute

Felix Day, MRC Epidemiology Unit

John Doorbar, Pathology

Francesca Gaccioli, Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Dino Giussani, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Courtney Hanna, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Richard Hayward, Pathology

Allan Herbison, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Melissa Hines, Psychology

Nerea Irigoyen, Pathology

Walid Khaled, Pharmacology and Cambridge Stem Cell Institute

Madeline Lancaster, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Adria Le Boeuf, Zoology

Naomi McGovern, Pathology

Amy Milton, Psychology

Ashley Moffett, Pathology

Kathy Niakan, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Emma Pomeroy, Archaeology

Emma Poole, Pathology

Eleanor Raffan, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Alberto Rosello-Diez, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Christina Rozeik, Cambridge Reproduction

Ritwick Sawarkar, MRC Toxicology Unit

Claire Senner, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Andrew Sharkey, Pathology

Ben Steventon, Genetics

Alex Tsompanidis, Psychiatry

Alecia-Jane Twigger, Biochemistry

Roser Vento-Tormo, Wellcome Sanger Institute

Work with us

We welcome opportunities to collaborate with industry partners, policy makers and academics. If you are interested in working with us, please contact Dr Abi Herrmann, Research Strategy Manager.