BioGrad’s research into women’s health could lead to life-changing discoveries, uncovering treatments and cures for conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, menopause and certain types of cancers.
Laboratory testing specialist, BioGrad, has made history with the opening of Europe’s first private women’s health research tissue bank, a 10,000 sq ft facility committed to advancing and understanding conditions impacting women as part of a £25m investment.
With its first-to-market approach, BioGrad’s ethically approved research tissue bank is a gateway to revolutionising women’s health. Collections are underway in the Liverpool City Region, and BioGrad is calling on more women across the area to take part in this vital, life-changing research.
Focused on the collection and storage of menstrual blood, peripheral blood, umbilical cord tissue, and umbilical cord blood, BioGrad is calling on females of all backgrounds aged 13 and above to donate. The aim is to uncover potential cures or treatments for conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, menopause, and certain cancers.
Menstrual blood donors will receive a convenient at-home collection kit, while peripheral blood and placenta donors can schedule an appointment through BioGrad’s dedicated online portal. Placenta donations must be pre-arranged before labour and are contingent upon a health assessment, and cord tissue samples will be collected upon delivery. However, the collection process is dependent on the type of sample you provide. For certain samples, home collection services are available.
Participants will receive compensation of £15 to £80 for each successful sample donation with the ultimate goal of driving stem cell and immunotherapy research, investigating the ‘why and how’ behind these debilitating conditions and paving the way for breakthrough treatments and potential cures aiming to improve quality of life.
BioGrad has established strong relationships with hospitals including Liverpool Women’s Hospital, and other leading hospitals in the Liverpool City Region, ensuring a seamless and dignified collection process.
Historically, women’s health research has been underfunded. This has led to an underrepresentation of women in scientific research meaning women’s diseases have been notably neglected or misdiagnosed. In the case of more general diseases that impact both men and women, men are also more likely to receive more advanced diagnosis, with women also experiencing significantly longer diagnostic delays compared to men.
The all-female team of experts, led by Dr. Sherin Pojar, includes Dr. Yetunde Esther Adegbite, Dr. Oluwatosin Adesina, Dr. Temitope Fasanya, Ms. Desiree Marquardt, Ms. Claudia Walsh, and Ms. Nur Izzaty Abd Wahab, along with nurse Hannah McGowan and midwife Claire Allerton.
BioGrad’s mission is closely aligned with The Women’s Health Strategy 2024 which highlights these disparities. Former Health and Social Care Secretary, The Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP, prioritised women’s health research as a government focus, stating, “We are breaking historical barriers that prevent women getting the care they need, building greater understanding of women’s healthcare issues and ensuring their voices and choices are listened to.”
This sentiment was later echoed in the Labour government’s manifesto, which declared, “never again will women’s health be neglected.” Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, also emphasised the issue of women’s health inequalities, highlighting the importance of ensuring women are no longer “treated like an alien species with rare conditions when they turn up with things like menopause, PCOS and endometriosis.”
The opening of Europe’s first private women’s health research tissue bank positions BioGrad at the forefront of tackling some of the most challenging and under-researched conditions affecting women today. It signals a major step forward in addressing inequalities in healthcare and unlocking the potential for groundbreaking medical discoveries.
Dr Natalie Kenny, CEO, BioGrad, said:
“For far too long women’s health has been an afterthought in scientific research. At BioGrad, we are proud to be leading the charge in changing this narrative. By opening Europe’s first dedicated private women’s health research tissue bank, we are not only addressing a critical gap in medical research but also empowering women to play a direct role in advancing healthcare and patient outcomes.
“For many, women’s health is an enigma – it is a complex maze articulating the difficulties women encounter in communicating and confirming their pain as well as understanding the intricacies of illness such as endometriosis and PCOS, and often the institutional disregard for health issues that directly affect women. Our mission is to challenge this, creating research that improves health outcomes for women, closing the gender gap and establishing the UK as a global superpower in science and technology by 2030”.
Lynn Greenhalgh, Medical Director, Liverpool’s Women’s Hospital, said:
“Liverpool Women’s Hospital is delighted to support BioGrad in the creation of the Women’s Health Research Tissue Bank. The tissue bank will create a resource for the North of England for researchers in Women’s health which will allow quicker access to samples for research. This will enable more women to benefit from a greater understanding and potentially new treatments for women’s health problems that affect such a large part of the population.”