Friends of Prentice Awards More Than $350,000 to Grant Recipients

The non-profit will help fund essential, cutting-edge research in the areas of heart disease, health equity, ovarian and uterine cancer and gynecologic and obstetric care

CHICAGO, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Friends of Prentice (FOP), a non-profit organization that works with Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's Hospital to fund the future of women's healthcare, announces today their annual grant recipients. These five critical research projects are focused on heart disease, health equity, ovarian and uterine cancer and gynecologic and obstetric care. The funds given from FOP will help push this essential research forward.

"A focus on women's health has never been more important and at Friends of Prentice we are committed to continuing to raise money for innovative healthcare research," said Kristen Field, Executive Director, Friends of Prentice. "This life changing research will continue our mission at Friends of Prentice to improve the overall health of women at all ages and stages of their life."

The five projects chosen represent a variety of disciplines and serve a wide range of women. Recipients include:

• Metabolomic Signatures and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes:
  Pregnancy represents a state of significant psychosocial and metabolic stress, which can contribute to preterm birth, preeclampsia, and other issues. Exposed to multiple acute and chronic stressors, pregnant persons of low socioeconomic status experience significant disparities in these clinical outcomes. Metabolomics may provide new insight into biological mechanisms that link stress with these adverse outcomes, reveal biomarkers for their prediction and early detection, and identify key nodes for improving our approach to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant persons at greatest risk. Principal investigators include Stephanie Fisher, MD, MPH and Lynn M Yee, MD, MPH.
  
  
• Post-Surgery Intermittent Fasting for Chemotherapy Patients: Standard of care treatment for uterine and ovarian cancers is toxic with the potential for devastating side effects. At-home chemotherapy medications are often given to combat symptoms, but there are limited interventions available to help patients further. Preliminary studies in cancer patients who underwent energy restriction during the time of chemotherapy suggest diet modification may positively impact side effects and toxicity, but the effect of alternate day fasting after front-line chemotherapy has never been tested. This study will focus on the impact of intermittent fasting in patients undergoing treatment for advanced uterine and ovarian cancers. The principal investigator is Jenna Z. Marcus, MD.
  
  
• Mobile Interventions to Prevent Heart Disease After Pregnancy: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States. Individuals who newly develop high blood pressure (BP) during pregnancy have a higher risk of heart problems, as well as abnormal heart ultrasounds in the first year postpartum. Solutions are needed to enhance postpartum monitoring of cardiovascular health and optimize heart-healthy behaviors in these high-risk individuals. This study will test two complementary digital health interventions in women with a history of high BP during pregnancy – a Bluetooth-enabled remote monitoring program and a mobile health lifestyle change application – with the goal to improve BPs and heart ultrasounds at one year postpartum. The principal investigator is Priya M. Freaney, MD.
  
  
• Uterine Evacuation Curriculum to Improve Dilation and Curettage: Surgical uterine evacuation is a pillar of standard gynecologic and obstetric care. A large proportion of this skill acquisition occurs through abortion training. Currently, the state of access to safe abortion care in the United States is being debated. This FOP grant will fund the development of enhancements to the training of Ob/Gyn residents in uterine evacuations so that physicians are better equipped to deliver safe and equitable healthcare to women. Principal investigators include Kerry Caputo, MD, Resident and Ashley Turner, MD.
  
  
• Impact of Chemotherapy on Ovarian Cancer DNA Damage & Repair: Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer, affecting nearly 20,000 women yearly in the United States. Standard treatment is grueling, involving harsh chemotherapy, surgery, and more chemotherapy, with a high rate of recurrence. Often, when the cancer recurs, it has developed resistance to chemotherapy. This study will investigate the ways in which tumors develop this resistance in order to develop methods to overcome it or alter the treatment plan. Understanding the molecular changes that occur in ovarian cancer cells as a result of chemotherapy may identify new treatment strategies and improve outcomes and quality of life for women afflicted with this deadly disease. The principal investigator is Dario Roque, MD.

Since 1983, Friends of Prentice has raised over $20 million and awarded annual grants to more than 100 innovative researchers and clinical programs. Projects have involved women-focused areas such as gynecologic oncology, mental health, heart disease, disparities in access to care, diabetes, HIV, uterine and pelvic medicine, genetic biomarker research, home health care outreach and more. Recipients have applied funding toward research, education and patient care programs as they continue their quest to improve women's healthcare across all socio-economic, racial and gender identity backgrounds.

For more information about Friends of Prentice or how to get involved or support the organization, please visit www.friendsofprentice.org 

Media Contacts:
Megan Richards Martin
773-517-1826
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Natalie Stanichuk
312-420-2225
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SOURCE Friends of Prentice