Congresswoman Diana DeGette recently toured labs, participated in a panel and received a glimpse of the diverse and multidisciplinary work taking place at the Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research that she said catches the national eye.
DeGette, a longtime advocate for women’s health and congresswoman from Denver, participated in the roundtable to learn more about women’s health and sex differences research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
“I think that CU Anschutz is getting more recognition at the highest levels of the NIH,” DeGette said of the National Institutes of Health, which provided $322.3 million in funding for campus research during fiscal year 2023. “The interdisciplinary research happening here is what we in Congress have been trying to encourage.”
The Ludeman Center highlighted that collaborative work and more about its mission for DeGette during her April 24 visit.
“It is wonderful to host Congresswoman DeGette and share the important work happening at the Ludeman Center,” said Judy Regensteiner, PhD, center director and distinguished professor of medicine. “We hope to be a resource for policymakers and ensure that women’s health is at the forefront of the discussion.”
Researchers focus on range of women’s health issues
The event showcased some of the many researchers the center funds who work across disciplines to improve women’s overall health, from cardiovascular health to mental wellbeing.
Neill Epperson, MD, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the CU School of Medicine and senior faculty member with the Ludeman Center, noted the scope of mental health issues for women, using surveys that suggest women experience often four or more adverse childhood experiences as one example.
“It takes only two of these experiences to increase the risk of depression at midlife,” Epperson said. “For women, these experiences have a profound effect on depression, anxiety and cognitive function.”
At CU Anschutz, where the value of big data mining to the future of healthcare innovation is known and invested in, related research brings opportunity for enhancing women’s health, said Laura Wiley, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics.
Wiley’s recent work focuses on finding correct data sets that accurately represent heart failure in women. Having access to accurate and detailed health information gives providers the tools to make better-informed decisions that focus on individual patients, she said.
Wiley is an Early-Career Faculty Research Development Award recipient at the Ludeman Center. She is one of more than 100 researchers funded by the Ludeman Center to research women’s health and sex differences in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and the intersection of mental and physical health.
Other CU researchers on the panel included:
- Jane Reusch, MD, associate director of the Ludeman Center and professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes
- Brisa Peña, PhD, assistant research professor in the Division of Cardiology
- Lyndsey DuBose, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine
- Kerrie Moreau, PhD, professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine
- Becky Scalzo, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes
- Thomas Flaig, MD, vice chancellor for research
- John J. Reilly, MD, dean of the School of Medicine
“The Ludeman Center is taking a leadership role in convening scientific leaders around the country,” Reilly said. “It is one of our flagship programs, and we are proud of the work they have done in the past 20 years.”
Congresswoman DeGette’s visit was planned by the Ludeman Center in partnership with CU System’s Office of Federal Relations.
Contributing writer: Devin Lynn is the communication program lead at the Ludeman Family Center for Women's Health Research.
