Community leaders and representatives from healthcare, technology, and higher education institutions gathered Tuesday to celebrate the launch of the Women’s Health Innovation Network (WHIN). The network aims to leverage technology and innovation to improve women’s health outcomes. Key partners in this initiative include Mayor Donna Deegan, Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds, GuideWell/Florida Blue, Jacksonville University, the Mayo Clinic in Florida, and the University of North Florida.
WHIN will launch a “collaboratory,” a collaborative laboratory that will house an incubator and accelerator. This space will support innovators developing products and services to address health issues that specifically, disproportionately, or differently affect women. Mentorship from early-stage startup formulators and experts in technology, medicine, health sciences, and education will be available in a state-of-the-art space on the GuideWell/Florida Blue Deerwood campus.
“Research tells us that 93% of the most underfunded health conditions affect mainly women, and that closing the women’s health gap could add $1 trillion to the global economy each year,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. “Here in Jacksonville, we are fortunate to have some of the best healthcare institutions in the country with the talent and resources to create and grow startups. WHIN will foster the cutting-edge research discoveries, products, and services that improve the health of our community and contribute to our local economy at the same time.”
“At GuideWell and Florida Blue, we believe innovation and collaboration are key to improving the health and well-being of our communities,” stated Pat Geraghty, president and CEO of GuideWell and Florida Blue. “The Women’s Health Innovation Network represents a powerful opportunity to bring together diverse talents and expertise to tackle pressing health challenges facing women. We’re proud to be a part of this initiative and look forward to seeing its transformative impact.”
WHIN will guide individuals from diverse backgrounds through the phases of innovation. This includes ideation, problem-solving, entrepreneurial training, partnership development, startup funding, and commercialization of products and services. The initiative is led by Jane Muir and Dr. Christine Sapienza.
Muir launched the University of Florida’s innovation hub and Dr. Sapienza is a longtime Jacksonville University healthcare sciences educator, researcher, and co-inventor. Muir, the founding Executive Director of WHIN, said, “There exists an unprecedented opportunity to apply today’s technological advancements – such as 3D printing for organ transplant, robotics for assistive surgeries, artificial intelligence to quickly analyze datasets and correlate them for personalized medicine – to conditions that impact the health and well-being of women everywhere.” She added, “We have a tremendous opportunity to help build companies that will employ local talent in the industries of the future, translate research discoveries into new products and services.”
Jacksonville University President Tim Cost ’81, noted that the “nexus of talent, our region’s medical and higher education ecosystems, and technology and healthcare expertise make Northeast Florida the ideal place to launch a collaborative like WHIN.” Similarly, UNF President Moez Limayem said, “Together, we will help create environments where women can prioritize their health, allowing them to flourish in every aspect of life.”
In August, WHIN partnered with the Mayo Clinic in Florida and other entities to submit a grant proposal to the National Science Foundation. The grant would catalyze research and innovation, incorporating space medicine to study accelerated cell growth. Incorporating sex as a biological variable in this research – taking into account differences in women’s bodies – will help drive transformative and equitable advancements in healthcare. Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, Director of Research for the Mayo Clinic in Florida, said, “We are so excited about our future and our partnership with WHIN – our community is primed to change the world.”
WHIN has a series of events coming up in the next few months, including WHIN Huddles, a collaboratory space, and startup programs. For more details, visit whin.live.
