Millions of Women Go Through Menopause. Research Hasn’t Kept Up.

Winona launches national research initiative offering funding, mentorship, data support, and publication opportunities for emerging women’s health researchers

Austin, Texas — June 1, 2026  — (PR Newswire) — Menopause affects millions of women every year, yet research into menopause and women’s health remains significantly underfunded. To help address that gap, Winona, a physician-led telehealth company focused on menopause and perimenopause care, today announced the launch of the Winona Research Initiative, a national program designed to make menopause and women’s health research more accessible to early-career clinicians, medical students, residents, fellows, and early faculty.

The initiative provides selected Winona Scholars with funding, mentorship, data support, publication opportunities, media visibility, and professional resources to conduct rapid-cycle research focused on menopause and women’s health. Applications are now open on a rolling basis at https://bywinona.com/winona-research-initiative.

Winona created this program in response to a persistent funding gap in women’s health research. A National Academies analysis found that only 8.8% of NIH grant spending from fiscal years 2013 to 2023 focused on women’s health research, even as funding for women’s health research declined as a share of total NIH grant spending over that period. The same report noted that women-specific life stages, including menopause, are not clearly prioritized within the current NIH structure.

“Menopause affects millions of women, but the research infrastructure around it has not matched the scale of the need,” said Dr. Michael Green, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Winona. “The Winona Research Initiative is about investing directly in the next generation of clinicians and researchers who can help improve how menopause is understood, studied, and treated.”

The Winona Research Initiative welcomes pre-med and medical students, OB-GYN residents, fellows, and early faculty with an interest in women’s health research, particularly menopause. Applicants should be currently enrolled in, affiliated with, or recently graduated from a U.S. undergraduate, medical school, residency, fellowship, or early faculty program and have five to ten hours per week available for a six-to-eight-week rapid-cycle research project.

Accepted Winona Scholars receive:

• A $3,000 scholarship stipend

• Additional financial support for conferences

• Mentorship and publication support

• Published research opportunities

• Media visibility and networking opportunities

“Women deserve better health answers during perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause,” said Dr. Cathleen M. Brown, DO, Medical Director at Winona. “That starts with better research. By supporting early-career scholars, we can help build a stronger foundation for future care.”

The Winona Research Initiative is designed to help scholars pursue medical research that may otherwise be difficult to access early in their careers. Through mentorship, data support, and publication guidance, the program aims to help emerging researchers contribute to a stronger evidence base for menopause care.

For Winona, the initiative reflects a broader commitment to improving how menopause is understood by patients, clinicians, researchers, and the public.

“As a menopause care provider, Winona sees firsthand how much work remains to be done,” said Dr. Michael Green, Chief Medical Officer at Winona. “The research gap is not abstract. It affects how women understand their symptoms, how clinicians guide treatment decisions, and how the healthcare system supports women through hormone changes over time.”

Rolling applications are currently being accepted for the Winona Research Initiative. Applicants will be contacted with a decision within two to four weeks of application. Accepted scholars are expected to begin within four to six weeks of acceptance.

Interested applicants can learn more and apply at https://bywinona.com/winona-research-initiative.

Universities, medical schools, and prospective partners can contact partnerships@winona.com. Press inquiries can be directed to press@bywinona.com.

*This announcement was also covered by MedCity News.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, A New Vision for Women’s Health Research
https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/to-advance-womens-health-research-nih-should-form-new-institute-and-congress-should-appropriate-new-funding-says-report