Welcome to the Research Center for Gender-Based Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University! I truly believe that gender-based medicine is the new frontier in patient-designed health care, and I am very excited to introduce you to the opportunities that our Center offers to new and seasoned investigators in this emerging field of exploration.

During my postdoctoral studies at Johns Hopkins, I wondered why my experimental models of brain injury were all in male animals and whether I might get different answers to my questions if I studied females. This simple curiosity led me to an innovative and vital research focus. I had chosen a research career because I was driven to find solutions to the devastating outcomes of stroke and traumatic brain injury - a battle so many of my patients had fought and lost. At that time, no stroke research had been conducted at the cellular level; women were not included in clinical trials; and male and female cells were not cultured and studied independently. The field of gender-based studies has progressed considerably in recent years; that is, we've come far enough to recognize the potential and the distance we have yet to go.

The OHSU Research Center for Gender-Based Medicine is a one-of-a-kind virtual center. We provide shared professional resources and facilities so that you can successfully pursue your particular area of interest related to how men and women respond uniquely to disease. The Center is prepared to facilitate your journey from study concept, through preliminary data collection and interpretation, to writing and submitting a successful grant application to fund your special project. We have clinical and basic science researchers, a biostatistician, and a scientific writer on board to help you. To enrich your knowledge base and research expertise, I will help you identify a mentor that is experienced in your field of interest.

I am convinced that groundbreaking discoveries in patient care are founded on continuous crosstalk and collaboration between clinician-scientists and basic scientists. Therefore, I urge clinicians to take advantage of this opportunity to import your patient observations into laboratory-based studies; and I encourage basic scientists to pursue a course that will translate your findings into clinical trials.

Please look around our web site and find out how we can help you make a difference in this cutting-edge field of medical science. I look forward to meeting you and working with you!

I would like to extend a special thanks to the Center's External Advisory Board.