The Health Equity Action Lab, a majority female team headed by Elizabeth Brickley, Professor of Epidemiology & Planetary Health, and part of the Centre for Epidemic Preparedness and Response at LSHTM, is a shining example of accelerating action towards gender equality - this year’s theme for International Women’s Day.  

We asked the team what “accelerating action” means to them and how their work is contributing to the team’s mission of achieving health equity.

What type of research does the HEAL team do? How does it help “accelerate action” towards health equity for women and girls in communities?

A significant part of the team’s research focuses on addressing the needs of women and girls in disease outbreaks which are often overlooked by the scientific research community. 

Isabela McDonald, an MSc in Public Health student at LSHTM says: “HEAL advances health equity for women and girls through a diverse range of research initiatives that directly engage and support communities. 

“One example is the team’s work on Zika. Through the LIFE Zika (Long-term Impacts for Families affected by the Epidemic of Zika) Study, the team not only aims to support girls affected by Congenital Zika Syndrome but also recognises the often-overlooked burden on their caregivers - who are most often women. 

“By prioritising policy change and knowledge-sharing, HEAL helps empower these women, acknowledge their sacrifices, and strengthen support systems for families navigating complex health challenges.”

The team is also working to address the current gendered inequities in vaccine trials, as pregnant and breastfeeding individuals are often excluded from vaccine trials for infectious diseases. 

Nuria Sanchez Clemente, an Assistant Professor in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology at LSHTM says: “I am working with local scientists and clinicians to promote the inclusion of pregnant and lactating individuals, and children in vaccine studies and rollouts for infectious diseases like Ebola, mpox and Marburg.”

Rocio Lopez Cavestany, a DrPH student in the HEAL team says: “I conduct clinical and epidemiological research investigating polio vaccines across different settings and population groups including pregnant women. We are also interested in vaccine confidence and hesitancy particularly amongst mothers as the main healthcare decision-makers across many cultures. My research work aims to inform global policy and product development to accelerate poliovirus eradication.”

Looking beyond the pathogen, the team is also working to understand the interactions between climate change and other infectious diseases. 

Naomi Miall, an MRC LID PhD student in the HEAL team explains: “I have recently started a PhD to explore the impact of extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, on infectious disease in Brazil. The aim is to evaluate whether social protection policies, such as conditional cash transfers, are an effective mitigation strategy.” 

But how do the team make sure their work affects those who need help the most?

Nuria says: “Another major strength of our group is our longstanding expertise in Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement. 

“Our commitment to engagement and communication of our research has resulted in tangible positive repercussions and brought us closer to the communities we focus on in our research. From igniting a conversation about decolonising global health while celebrating individuals traditionally overlooked in research during the Bloomsbury Festival, to our engagement with Latin American migrant women in London and with mothers of children affected by Congenital Zika Syndrome in Recife, Brazil.”

What impacts do disease outbreaks like oropouche and Zika have on women? What needs to be done to address these?

The team stress that women, especially pregnant women, are vulnerable during disease outbreaks for several reasons.

Naomi points out that existing gender norms can have an impact, she says: "Division of labour within the household means that the burden of preventing infectious diseases, such as taking children for vaccinations, and caring for unwell family members frequently falls upon women. 

“Other gender-related barriers to accessing healthcare include restrictions on women’s decision-making or economic autonomy, differing access to health information due to inequalities in education, or stigmatisation of sexual and reproductive health services, to name a few.”

Jhulia dos Santos, a Research Assistant and PhD student in the HEAL team goes further, adding that existing societal inequalities also play a role as not all women are affected equally. She explains: “The chances of being infected increases for those with more precarious living conditions, which people of colour and low-income women in low- and middle-income countries disproportionately face.”

To solve these issues, Naomi points to projects and programmes that encompass the entire family. She notes: “There is exciting ongoing work to break down barriers (e.g. to engage fathers in childhood vaccinations) and importantly to evaluate these programmes to identify what works and can be scaled up. Partnering with women's groups in the design of these programmes and strategies is the first step." 

Jhulia also notes that community participation and long-term funding are key to making lasting change. She stresses: “Community participation in policy development and in the research process is key to addressing the gendered impacts of disease outbreaks.

“Attention and funding to issues like oropouche, dengue and Zika need to be sustained overtime and not just in moments of crisis. 

“For research and policy to have a real-life impact, they must advocate for improving living conditions, continuous social and health support for women and strengthening outbreak prevention through vaccine development and its fair distribution.”

What are the barriers facing research and public health policies focused on women?

Elizabeth and Nuria highlight that women have been underrepresented in biomedical research, particularly in clinical trials for new treatments and vaccines. This results in a “female data gap” where women and female-specific health conditions are little studied by scientists. 

This bias has a huge impact on the effectiveness of public health policies, points out Elizabeth. She notes: “Public health policies and clinical care practices have often been grounded in the flawed assumption that findings from epidemiological studies predominantly involving men are directly applicable to women. 

“However, growing evidence now demonstrates that this assumption is often wrong; sex and gender differences play a crucial role in shaping the risks, clinical manifestations, and social impacts of diseases. 

“Within the global public health community, it is important that we continue to advocate for research that disaggregates data by sex and gender, including studies that explore gender disparities in the context of epidemic preparedness and response.”

For vaccine research specifically, Nuria emphasises: “Although statements that promote the inclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding individuals in vaccine research have increasingly appeared in scientific publications, little concrete progress has been made in this field.

“We have a moral and ethical imperative to ensure that recommendations regarding vaccination against emerging pathogens during pregnancy and breastfeeding are evidence-based, and that affected populations contribute to the design and communication around vaccine research.”

What about barriers for researchers themselves?

Barriers don’t just affect women’s health; they also affect the scientists trying to research the topic too. Nuria says: “As female researchers whose focus is maternal and child health; we face a two-fold challenge when applying for funding not only for our research projects but also to continue to fund our research time.” 

This is re-iterated by Elizabeth who points to the scarcity of women in positions of power in scientific research: “In UK higher education, women hold less than one-third of all professorships, and the sector continues to experience a 9% gender pay gap. This inequality is unacceptable. We must challenge our institutions and funding bodies to implement policies that will create environments that will enable more women to thrive and advance in their scientific and leadership careers.”

What changes would you like to see to in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to “accelerate action” towards gender equality?

Michelle Del Carretto, a Research Assistant in the HEAL team, points out that STEM can often be seen as an individual research speciality. This approach, she argues, isn’t the best at finding solutions to complex real-world problems. She says: “I think STEM, social sciences and humanities should not be seen as separate entities. Integrating social science perspectives into STEM teams and research can provide important insights, particularly when addressing complex societal challenges like gender inequality. 

“LSHTM offers a strong foundation for interdisciplinary exchange, but greater awareness is needed to highlight the benefits and encourage its adoption more widely.”

Elizabeth also gives her view on what “accelerating action” should look like in practice, from public speaking and media engagement to career progression. She affirms: “To begin with, we must increase the visibility of women in STEM and amplify their voices. I would like to see more women delivering keynote speeches, participating in expert panels, and sharing their knowledge with the public through media interviews. 

“We also need more women scientists in leadership and decision-making positions. To make this a reality, we must invest in our early- and mid-career researchers and implement policies that eliminate barriers to women's career advancement, many of which manifest in the so-called 'motherhood penalty’.”

Shahida Chowdhury, an MPhil student in the HEAL team adds: “Although there is increasing support for inclusive policies, continued efforts are needed to ensure equal opportunities, fair recognition, and long-term career growth for women in STEM fields. This could be done through transparent hiring practices where women are actively recruited, retained and promoted in STEM. With regards to the research, it would be nice to see more men engage and advocate for women’s health and vice versa.”

What’s it like to be in a majority female STEM research team?

HEAL strives to foster an inclusive community where researchers from all backgrounds can find purpose and joy in working as a team to deliver rigorous and impactful science that advances global health equity.

Michelle says: I have always perceived STEM to be more male-dominated and promoting those more 'masculine' traits. Finding myself in a majority female team has been a breath of fresh air - our empathy and supportive collaboration styles are invaluable for this team's work on health equity. I'm delighted to work in such an uplifting environment.”

Isabela notes: “I have witnessed how majority-female STEM research teams tackling global health challenges, particularly those affecting vulnerable populations, inherently approach their work with empathy. HEAL staff are driven not only by scientific rigor but also by a strong commitment to ethical research practices and impactful dissemination, ensuring that their findings translate into meaningful change.”

Lamin Leigh, the Project Coordinator in the HEAL team adds: “Working as one of the few men in a female dominated team has taught me how strong and supportive women are. I’ve been inspired by the knowledge, enthusiasm and drive among the members of the HEAL team to contribute to Public and Global Health initiatives.”

But perhaps, Maxine Pepper, a Research Assistant and PhD student in the HEAL team, summarises the sentiment in the round: “Society can sometimes make women feel like they shouldn’t be too ambitious. 

“However, in this team, I have witnessed women being strategic about career progression, advocating for themselves, and leading teams with confidence. As an early-career researcher, these experiences have empowered me to express my own goals more openly. 

“Beyond career insights, there is real beauty in building relationships across generations - fostering mentorship, support and a strong sense of belonging.”

About the Health Equity Action Lab

The HEAL team has the shared mission of conducting policy-relevant, community-engaged research to improve global health equity. Comprised of 13 scientists from eight different countries who bring together academic expertise in epidemiology, public health, clinical practice, medical statistics, immunology, and the social sciences, the team prizes its diverse professional and lived experiences.  

The team’s solutions-oriented research spans a diverse range of topics including:

• Preparing for epidemics
• Optimizing vaccination strategies
• Promoting maternal-child health
• Addressing the social determinants of health
• Strengthening climate resilience

The HEAL team has particular expertise in studying women’s health and a large part of their research focuses on mitigating risks associated with exposure to infectious and environmental stressors during pregnancy and early life.