Bring On The Glow

Founding director of the Global Centre for Asian Women’s Health, Professor Cuilin Zhang shares why more should be invested in women’s health.

- JASMINE ALIMIN

For decades, the cornerstone of medical research has largely been built on data collected from men. And it isn’t down to a dearth of brilliant female minds in science, but rather a stark reality: Women, often the cornerstones of families and careers, have historically lacked the time or resources to participate in extensive clinical trials. The consequences? A healthcare landscape that doesn’t fully account for the unique biological and social factors impacting women’s health.

Thankfully, the tide is turning. Here in Singapore, researchers within the Dean’s Office at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine have launched Global Centre for Asian Women’s Health (GloW), an academic facility dedicated to building an international platform for transdisciplinary endeavours to address women’s major health concerns across the lifespan. This is a future where women’s health is not just considered, but truly understood and prioritised.

Located on National University of Singapore’s campus, GloW is headed by Professor Cuilin Zhang, a clinical epidemiologist and respected physician-scientist with over 20 years of experience in the field of child and maternal health. “Our mission is to develop a population health programme that will shift women’s health from sick care to preventive care,” describes Zhang who joined the University following her tenure in the US at National Institutes of Health (NIH).