WHIRL
Women's Health Innovation, Research and Leadership Summer School
London, UK
1-3 July, 2026
Why WHIRL?
(aka the first interdisciplinary women's health summer school)
For decades, women’s health has been under-researched, under-funded, and under-represented across biomedical research, clinical trials, and health innovation.
Historically:
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Women were excluded from clinical trials until the 1990s
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Sex-specific data gaps persist across disease areas
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Women’s health innovation has lagged behind broader healthcare innovation
At the same time, there is growing recognition that closing the women’s health gap is not only a scientific and clinical necessity, but also a social and economic imperative. Despite this momentum, training opportunities that bridge research, clinical practice, and innovation in women’s health remain rare.
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WHIRL was created to address that gap.
WHIRL's mission
Our mission is to empower the next generation of women’s health leaders by providing interdisciplinary training at the intersection of:
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Scientific research
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Clinical insight
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Innovation and entrepreneurship
We aim to foster:
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Evidence-based approaches to women’s health
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Cross-disciplinary collaboration
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Translational thinking from bench to bedside to market
Above all, we aim to build a global, supportive community committed to advancing women’s health.
What exactly is WHIRL?
WHIRL 2026 is a three-day immersive summer school combining expert-led lectures, interdisciplinary teamwork, and hands-on innovation in women’s health. WHIRL designed for early career researchers, clinicians, and industry members who want to deepen their understanding of women’s health challenges and develop solutions with real-world impact.
How it works
MORNINGS: EXPERT-LED LECTURES
Participants attend interactive expert lectures introducing state-of-the-art research and clinical practice, alongside key unmet needs in women’s health.
2026 Themes
As women's health is an incredibly broad field, for the morning lectures of our first edition we are focussing on 3 themes:
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Day 1 – MATERNAL & FETAL HEALTH
with a focus on the Global South
Day 2 – CHRONIC REPRODUCTIVE CONDITIONS
Day 2 – SEX- and GENDER-SENSITIVE MEDICINE
Speakers & mentors
WHIRL 2026 will feature leading women's health experts from academia, clinical practice, entrepreneurship and investment.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER - MATERNAL & FETAL HEALTH
JANE
HIRST
Chair of Global Women's Health Imperial College London
KEYNOTE SPEAKER - CHRONIC REPRODUCTIVE CONDITIONS
ANDREW
HORNE
Professor of Gynaecology; Director of Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh &
President of World Endometriosis Society
KEYNOTE SPEAKER -
SEX- and GENDER-SENSITIVE MEDICINE
SABINE
OERTELT-PRIGIONE
Professor of sex- and gender-sensitive medicine at Radboudumc and Universität Bielefeld
MENTOR
MARIA TERESA PEREZ ZABALLOS
CEO and co-founder of EndoGene.Bio
MENTOR
CRISTINA FERNANDEZ MOLINA
Head of Science at EndoGene.Bio
MENTOR
SARAH
ANNAHAC
Postdoctoral researcher & Co-founder of Isala
The organising team
MAGDA MARECKOVA
VALENTINA LORENZI
LESLEY FARRAH
DANIELLE PERRO
WHIRL's supporters
We are proud to be supported by organisations committed to advancing women’s health research and innovation.
To ensure WHIRL is accessible to participants from a wide range of backgrounds, we are seeking support to help cover programme delivery costs and keep participation fees affordable. If you are interested in supporting equitable access to women’s health education and innovation, please get in touch using the form below!