Stony Brook to Host Inaugural Women's Health Research Conference March 25

Stony Brook’s Renaissance School of Medicine will host the inaugural Stony Brook Women’s Health Research Conference on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, running 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the MART Building at Stony Brook University Hospital, the university announced Feb. 25, 2026. Registration is free but limited; organizers urge attendees to register online and note that breakfast and lunch will be provided by the Department of OB/GYN and the Office of Research & Innovation.

SBU News described the gathering as “a celebration of science, art and community in women’s health” and said it will “feature cutting-edge research from Stony Brook faculty and teams and opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration.” The Renaissance School of Medicine’s event page echoes that framing: “Join us for a full-day interdisciplinary event spotlighting the groundbreaking research taking place at Stony Brook University to improve healthcare for women.”

Program organizers say the conference aims to break down silos between research teams and explore a longer-term institutional commitment. Stony Brook materials state the meeting is intended to “start a discussion to explore the possibility of establishing a Women’s Health Research Center” and to showcase work across clinical departments including Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine; Psychiatry; Medicine; and Family and Preventative Medicine, as well as programs in Public Health, Social Welfare, engineering, and the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Renaissance site notes an earlier call for abstracts and art closed Dec. 15, 2025, with “Decisions will be announced the week of February 9.” A downloadable conference program is listed as coming soon on the event page; a conference agenda PDF is referenced but not reproduced on the public listing.

Attendees with questions or access needs can contact the Renaissance School of Medicine at 101 Nicolls Road, Health Sciences Center, Level 4, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8434, call general information at (631) 689-8333, or email the conference team at obgyn.sbresearch@stonybrookmedicine.edu. The event page displays an image described in alt text as a “multigenerational, diverse group of women, including a pregnant woman, an elderly woman with a cane, and one in a wheelchair, smiling indoors,” reflecting the conference’s stated focus on diversity across sex- and gender-related health mechanisms.

Organizers emphasize topics that are understudied or female-specific — pregnancy, ovarian cancer, and polycystic ovarian syndrome — as well as conditions that disproportionately affect women such as Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune disorders, and depression, and conditions that affect sexes differently like heart disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Conference leaders say the March 25 program is intended to spark cross-departmental partnerships that could shape research and care for women across Suffolk County and beyond.