Science journalist receives ERC FRONTIERS grant to investigate how research at Erasmus MC addresses the women’s health gap

March 5, 2026 From preclinical research in animal models to cell culture systems and early-phase clinical trials, male subjects and male-derived materials have historically dominated medical study design. While men and women share many biological similarities, emerging research increasingly demonstrates important biological and socio-cultural differences that influence disease manifestation, epidemiology, and pathophysiology. Yet, despite growing scientific evidence, sex-specific approaches in healthcare remain limited.

To explore how fundamental research is addressing this structural imbalance, Slovenian scientist and science journalist Nika Žibrat Kalanj has been awarded a prestigious ERC-funded FRONTIERS Science Journalism Grant for a five-month residency at Erasmus MC.

From fundamental biology to health equity

According to the World Health Organization, the women’s health gap results in approximately 75 million years of life lost annually due to disability or premature death. Bridging this gap requires more than awareness, but rather a methodological transformation of the fundamental scientific approaches. The Netherlands Women’s Health Research and Innovation Center represents a growing ecosystem of institutions committed to addressing sex and gender gaps in medical research. Its work spans fundamental mechanistic studies to clinical implementation, aiming to improve diagnostics, treatment strategies, and health equity. The center just celebrated its first anniversary.

Investigating bias in biomedical research

Her project, “Beyond bias: Challenging assumptions in medicine”, focuses on how cutting-edge research is uncovering the biological mechanisms behind sex differences in disease. By embedding within the Netherlands Women’s Health Research and Innovation Center at Erasmus MC, she will examine how researchers are rethinking experimental design, accounting for sex as a biological variable, and challenging traditional paradigms in medicine.

Through close collaboration with researchers across disciplines at Erasmus MC, Žibrat Kalanj will translate complex biomedical research into accessible, compelling narratives. By highlighting innovative methodologies and scientific breakthroughs, her work aims to foster broader societal understanding of how fundamental research can reshape clinical practice and ultimately improve women’s health outcomes.

The FRONTIERS programme, funded by the European Research Council, supports independent science journalism residencies within research institutions across Europe. By placing journalists inside leading research environments, the initiative strengthens dialogue between science and society and promotes critical engagement with frontier research.