Mount Sinai Joins Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network, Expanding Global Collaboration in Women’s Health Research

December 15, 2025 — New York, NY — The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has been named an official member of the Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network, a global collaborative initiative focused on advancing research, innovation, and investment in women’s health. The announcement marks a significant step forward in efforts to bridge persistent gaps in women’s health research, clinical care, and public policy.

A Growing Global Collaborative in Women’s Health

The Women’s Health Network, led by the Milken Institute, is a coalition of more than 100 academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, health systems, industry leaders, and advocacy groups committed to accelerating progress in women’s health across the lifespan. The initiative is chaired by Dr. Jill Biden, EdD, former First Lady of the United States, whose involvement brings national leadership experience on women’s health issues.

According to the Milken Institute, the Women’s Health Network aims to foster collaboration across sectors, promote data sharing, coordinate investment, and develop policy frameworks that reflect the specific health needs of women worldwide. The network also highlights the need for greater research investment, innovation infrastructure, and solutions tailored to women’s health challenges that have historically been underfunded or overlooked.

Mount Sinai’s Commitment to Women’s Health

Mount Sinai’s inclusion in the network reflects its longstanding dedication to women’s health research, clinical excellence, and comprehensive care. In its official announcement, the institution emphasized that it will contribute expertise from a broad spectrum of specialties — including obstetrics and gynecology, reproductive sciences, cardiology, psychiatry, and oncology — to support the network’s multidisciplinary objectives.

Dr. Joanne L. Stone, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science at Mount Sinai, stated that innovation in health care has historically advanced without significant involvement of women, underscoring the importance of collaborative approaches to close longstanding gender gaps in research and clinical care.

Mount Sinai also highlighted its Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute as a central contributor to the network, leveraging its work in conditions that affect women — from reproductive health and cardiometabolic disease to pregnancy outcomes and beyond.

A Holistic Vision for Women’s Health

The Women’s Health Network is designed to support not only scientific discovery but also the development of integrated care models, coordinated investments, and evidence-based policy recommendations that prioritize women’s health throughout the life course. This includes areas such as reproductive health, maternal care, chronic disease prevention, mental health, and aging.

Mount Sinai’s participation comes at a time when the United States continues to grapple with disparities in women’s health outcomes. For example, national data highlight the country’s relatively high maternal mortality rate compared with peer nations, as well as ongoing inequities related to race, socioeconomic status, and access to care. This broader context underscores the urgency for collaborative, cross-sector solutions that the Women’s Health Network aims to enable.

Looking ahead, Mount Sinai plans to expand its clinical care infrastructure for women with the opening of the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women’s Health and Wellness in 2026. The center is expected to integrate traditional medical specialties with holistic and integrative health practices, creating personalized care pathways that better meet women’s diverse needs.

Driving Impact Through Collaboration

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai joins a growing roster of global partners in the Women’s Health Network — each bringing unique strengths in research, clinical innovation, policy development, and investment strategy. By aligning institutional resources with this collaborative framework, Mount Sinai aims to expand its impact beyond local communities to influence broader public health priorities and equitable access to quality care.

“We are honored to be part of the Women’s Health Network,” said Dr. Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Our participation enables us to broaden our impact and contribute to policy, practice, and innovation that will translate into real, measurable action on women’s health — both here in the communities we serve and around the world.”

A Broader Movement for Women’s Health Equity

The announcement comes amid growing national and global efforts to address inequities in women’s health research and outcomes. Multiple stakeholder groups — including academic institutions, health systems, policymakers, and nonprofit organizations — have underscored the need for increased research funding, improved data collection, and integrated care models that reflect the full spectrum of women’s health needs.

By bringing together diverse perspectives and resources, the Women’s Health Network seeks to catalyze systemic change that can accelerate innovation, expand access to care, and ultimately improve health outcomes for women across populations and geographies.

Mount Sinai’s membership in the Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network represents a strategic alignment with a global effort to transform women’s health research, innovation, and clinical care. With contributions from academia, health systems, industry, and public policy, this collaboration aims to help bridge historical gaps in research investment and care delivery — ultimately advancing health equity for women around the world.