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2026 Mid-Career Women’s Health Research Award

PWHR Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award

The PWHR Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award recognizes mid-career research excellence in women’s health.

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FAQs

“Better health for all women, trans and non-binary people through research equity, excellence, and inclusion.”

ABOUT THE AWARDS

The PWHR Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award recognizes outstanding mid-career investigators who have made significant contributions to advancing women’s health research in any of the four Canadian Institutes of Health Research pillars :

  • Clinical research
  • Biomedical research
  • Health systems and services
  • Social, cultural, environmental and population health

This national award will recognize four recipients – one from each of our partner institutions – for their research excellence in women’s health. Awardees will be honoured at a PWHR event, where they will have the opportunity to present their research and engage with leading experts and peers. Additionally, recipients will be invited to showcase their work at their home research institute, further amplifying their contributions and impact.

RESOURCES

Application Package

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Cover Page/Checklist

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

Am I eligible to apply?

To be eligible for the PWHR Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award, you must:

  1. Dedicate yourself to research relevant for women’s health as your main area of specialization.
    • Women’s health refers to “physical, biological, reproductive, psychological, emotional, cultural, and spiritual health and wellness across the life-course in the context of the unique intersecting concerns related to our bodies, our roles, our social locations, and our identities.”
    • For this award, the definition of women’s health research includes research focused on/relevant to females, cis-women, transgender women, transgender men, as well as underrepresented gender identities, including but not limited to, Two-Spirit, non-binary, gender fluid, and agender people.
  2. Be a mid-career researcher (at the time of application, you must have assumed your independent research position 5-15 years ago).
  3. Be a member of one of PWHR’s partner institutions:
What is the deadline to apply?

March 31, 2026, by 12 AM (midnight) Pacific Standard Time

How do I submit my application?
  • Submit your application via email to tkendall@pwhr.org as a single PDF or multiple PDF files.
  • Be sure to include the cover page/checklist.
How many letters of support are needed?

Two (2) letters of support:

  • One letter must come from a member of the applicant’s “home” research institute (internal reference).
  • One letter must come from a women’s health researcher or decision-maker in the field of women’s health who is from outside the applicant’s institution (external reference).
Who can provide letters of support?
  • A member of the applicant’s “home” research institute
  • A women’s health researcher or decision-maker who exercises influence in the field of women’s health, is qualified to comment on the applicant’s work, and is external, i.e., comesfrom outside the applicant’s “home” institution (e.g., from a different university, hospital, provincial or federal government department, or a member of a non-governmental organization).
How many awards will be given?
When will the award winners be notified?

June 30, 2026.

How will the award winners be recognized?

  • Each award winner will be invited to give a research talk as part of PWHR’s national women’s health research seminar series.
  • PWHR and the researcher’s “home” research institute will profile and recognize the awardee and their research through internal and external communication.

These FAQs will be updated periodically. Please visit pwhr.org under the Events & Opportunities tab.

For additional questions, please contact tkendall@pwhr.org.

meet the 2025 winners

Dr. Nichole Fairbrother

Clinical Associate Professor, University of British Columbia

Dr. Stephanie Montesanti

Professor,
University of Alberta

Dr. Lihi Eder

Associate Professor,
University of Toronto

Dr. Natalie Rosen

Professor,
Dalhousie University

The Partnership for Women’s Health Research Canada uses the term women to refer to all people who identify as women. We use trans and non-binary as umbrella terms to refer to people with a wide range of gender identities that are different from the gender they were assigned at birth.
This is a living document and we welcome feedback. For more information or to provide input, please contact communications@pwhr.org

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