10 Trailblazing Women in Health, Medicine, and Science

Over the last decade, Jennifer Doudna has seen the use of CRISPR, the groundbreaking gene-editing technology for which she was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, advance at remarkable speed. History was made in 2024 when the first FDA-approved CRISPR-based therapy became available to sickle cell patients—and there are high hopes for other applications in medicine, as well as in agriculture and climate science. The pioneering researcher and Founder of UC Berkeley's Innovative Genomics Institute joined Alice Park of TIME to reflect on this new era of genome editing and the ethical and regulatory questions that come along with it.

Caregivers don’t have the recognition, rights, or compensation they deserve and families can’t find, provide, or afford help for their youngest, oldest, and sickest members. The invisible and indispensable nature of caregiving came into sharp focus during the pandemic, but responsive policies still aren’t in place. Organizing the charge for change is Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations. Last summer, she joined Bertha Coombs of CNBC on our stage to discuss the new systems of care needed to reduce burnout, provide financial and emotional support, and acknowledge caregiving as a shared societal responsibility. 

How do we improve the public's understanding of science? That's a question Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, the first Black women to serve as the Editor in Chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and JAMA Network, keeps in the forefront as she leads the renowned research publication. Bringing her expertise in biostatistics, population health, and health equity to the role, she is encouraging the use of modern communication channels to bring trusted health information to new audiences in new ways. During Aspen Ideas: Health 2024, she joined industry leaders to discuss the state of trust in health, medicine, and science and the actions needed to rebuild it.

Menopause is still a black box to most doctors, leaving patients in the dark as they struggle with symptoms ranging from hot flashes to insomnia. But new research is expanding our understanding of this stage of life and its impact on the body beyond the ovaries. Leading the way is Lisa Mosconi, Director of the Women's Brain Initiative and Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine, who is researching the neurological consequences of declining estrogen levels. She discussed the latest science, therapies, and lifestyle changes that can help women thrive during this phase of life with Jennifer Ashton, CEO of Ajenda.

From medical clinics to workplaces to the halls of government, the topic of fertility has come to the forefront. The science around IVF and IVG has the potential to make pregnancy possible in remarkable new ways. But as innovative treatments evolve, so do the surrounding questions about access and affordability. That's why Tammy Sun co-founded Carrot Fertility, a family-building platform that has helped bring fertility benefits to millions. During Aspen Ideas: Health 2024, the CEO joined Amander Clark of UCLA and Natalie Crawford of Fora Fertility to discuss the future of fertility with Savannah Sellers of NBC News.

Real self-care doesn't involve crystals, cleanses, or bubble-baths, says psychiatrist and author Pooja Lakshmin. Her New York Times op/ed, "This Isn't Burnout, It's Betrayal", went viral for calling out the systems and structures that are failing women. By focusing on boundaries, compassion, values, and power, she believes we can shift our individual and collective mindsets to better support mothers. She joined Cristina Gamboa, Christy Turlington Burns, and Chiquita Brooks-LaSure for a deep dive into the state of motherhood and the changes needed to improve the health and well-being of moms today.

Few physicians have been trained to recognize the serious health consequences of climate change – but Malama Tafuna'i is working to change that in the Pacific Islands. Her interest in academia arose from working with rural communities in Samoa and New Zealand, which have been disproportionally impacted by environmental threats. As a clinician and senior professional practice fellow at Va'a o Tautai, she's working to train the next generation of providers to meet the unique health needs of the populations they serve. During Aspen Ideas: Health, she joined fellow "Climate Doctors" to discuss how medical schools and health systems are incorporating climate change into their training to help providers recognize unexpected disease patterns and respond appropriately.

In December 2020, Sandra Lindsay rolled up her sleeve and became the first American to receive the COVID-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials. Thanks to her leadership, for which she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, over 270 million Americans have now been vaccinated and she continues to be a prominent advocate for public health, vaccine equity, and mental health for healthcare workers. During Aspen Ideas: Health 2022, she shared a message for the next generation of nurses and physicians: “We need your passion. We need your care. We need your energy. We need your stamina. We need everything you have to join us in this fight to heal this nation and provide a stable healthcare system.”

Globally, almost 300,000 women die annually from complications linked to pregnancy. Determined to drive change, Ancient Song CEO Chanel Porchia-Albert is working to shift maternal healthcare experiences and outcomes within Black and Latinx communities. Her passion and expertise has helped drive reforms– from birthing rooms to institutional systems– that address implicit bias and racism in medicine. During Aspen Ideas: Health 2023, she joined Chelsea Clinton for a conversation about the fight for reproductive health justice.

19 year-old Gitanjali Rao is on a mission to use the power of science to solve social problems. And she's well on her way! The aspiring scientist and STEM advocate received an EPA Presidential award for her invention of a lead contamination detection tool and she is also the inventor of “Epione,” a genetic engineering device for early diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction, and "Kindly," an anti-cyberbullying service using AI and Natural Language processing. During Aspen Ideas: Health, Gitanjali and fellow Gen Z innovators shared their vision for a healthier future with former NIH Director Francis Collins and an inspired audience.