What does WHx stand for?

While the "W" stands for Women and the "H" stands for Health. Here, "x" represents an exponential opportunity and the unknown opportunity that is Women’s Health.  It also presents our teams’ exploration, excellence, experience, expansion, experimentation, and the fact that the WHx will exceed all previous attempts to trailblaze in the fields related to Women’s Health.

Program pillars

The WHx Program is grounded in three key pillars that guide our approach:

1. Research
   Advancing foundational and applied research into women's unique health challenges, spanning biomechanics, neuroscience, and digital health.
2. Education
   Training the next generation of health innovators through a structured fellowship, mentorship, and translational research opportunities.
3. Translation
   Bridging research and real-world applications by transforming findings into impactful, accessible solutions.

Research focus 

WHx research addresses four critical areas in women's health:

• Sex-based differences in disease
  Explores how sex influences disease progression and treatment, focusing on conditions like autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancers that affect women disproportionately.
• Reproductive health and technologies
  Studies women’s reproductive health across life stages, including fertility treatments, menstrual disorders, maternal health, and innovative technologies.
• Mental health in women
  Focuses on women’s higher risks for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, driven by hormonal and physiological factors, to develop tailored interventions.
• Aging and women’s health
  Targets aging-related challenges in women, such as menopause, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline, aiming to improve prevention and treatment strategies.

Get involved

Support the WHx Fund

The WHx Women’s Health Innovation Fund supports the WHx Program. The Fund provides funding to encourage groundbreaking cross-lab and external collaborations across MIT and beyond, catalyzing interdisciplinary projects that address critical health disparities affecting women globally.

Under the guidance of the Media Lab Director and the lead faculty member for Women’s Health, funding is directed toward:

• New Research Directions: Supporting pioneering studies that expand the boundaries of women’s health research.
• Educational Programs: Enabling the development of courses, workshops, and public outreach efforts to prepare the next generation of health innovators.
• Fellowship Opportunities: Providing essential support for fellowship programs, which offer emerging researchers hands-on experience and mentorship in women’s health.
• Endowed Faculty Chairs: Creating opportunities to establish named, endowed faculty positions dedicated to ongoing innovation and interdisciplinary research in women’s health.

Additionally, the Fund supports public seminars, talks, and exhibitions to share research outcomes widely, fostering greater awareness and public engagement. By empowering researchers, students, and advocates to reimagine what’s possible for women’s health, the Fund seeks to drive systemic change and improve quality of life for women everywhere.

WHx Leadership + Council

WHx leadership is comprised of leading health researchers, executives, and philanthropists, who bring a profound diversity of expertise to advancing women’s health. Together, these leaders exemplify a multifaceted approach, combining cutting-edge technology, policy advocacy, and strategic innovation to create a more inclusive and supportive healthcare ecosystem.

Researchers:

WHx Council

The WHx Program and Fund is overseen by a Council led by an Executive Committee of committed individuals passionate about transforming women's health. The Executive Committee drives fundraising, and provides input on research agenda and recommendations proposed by the Women’s Health Faculty Lead.

Executive committee:

WHx Council Members

The WHx Program is a key element of work being done within the Media Lab's Connected Mind + Body Research Theme which aims to transform mental and physical wellbeing through digital technologies, AI, and bionics, enhancing health monitoring, intervention, and human capability​​.