Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium

Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium graphic identifier

The Vivian W. Pinn Symposium honors the first full-time Director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), Vivian W. Pinn, M.D, in recognition of National Women’s Health Week. In line with ORWH’s mission to put science to work for the health of women, this event serves as a critical forum for experts across sectors to communicate and collaborate for the advancement of women’s health. 

About Vivian W. Pinn., M.D.  

Dr. Vivian Pinn headshot

Vivian W. Pinn, M.D., was the first full-time director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health from 1991 and Associate Director of NIH for Women’s Health Research from 1994 until her retirement in 2011 when she was named Senior Scientist Emerita at the NIH Fogarty International Center. Under her leadership, the office led the implementation of NIH inclusion policies for women and minorities in clinical research, developed the first and several subsequent strategic plans for women’s health research, and established new research initiatives and career development programs in collaboration with NIH Institutes and Centers. She established and co-chaired the NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers with the NIH Director.

Learn more about Dr. Pinn.  

My exposure to the full breadth of human diseases and human and scientific concepts, and my experience as a basic science researcher as well as a clinical researcher has contributed to what my conception of women's health should be, and hopefully has had a positive impact on just how we have developed programs.” - Vivian W. Pinn, M.D.


Highlights from the 7th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium

Menopause and Optimizing Midlife Health of Women
May 16, 2023

Keynote Address: Menopausal Hormone Therapy: 30 Years of Lessons from the Women’s Health Initiative

Keynote Speaker: JoAnn Manson, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., MACP
Professor of Medicine and the Michael and Lee Bell Professor of Women’s Health, Harvard Medical School 
Chief of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Symposium Meeting Summary 

Graphic Notes (below) represents key messages from the symposium, including the keynote address and the Patient Advocacy Perspective panel. 

7th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium - Symposium Key Message Graphic Note

7th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium Keynote address key messages Graphic notes

7th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium Patient Advocacy Perspective Panel key message graphic note

Videocast

Events

Menopause and Optimizing Midlife Health of Women
May 16, 2023

The 2023 symposium will discuss the menopausal transition, the accumulation of morbidity after menopause, menopause in special populations, the influence of social determinants of health on the experience of menopause, the use of menopausal hormonal therapy, and interventions to promote healthy aging. Providing the keynote address, “Menopausal Hormone Therapy: 30 Years of Lessons from the Women’s Health Initiative,” is JoAnn Manson, M.D., Dr.P.H., M.P.H., MACP, Professor of Medicine and the Bell Professor of Women's Health, Harvard Medical School, Chief of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston. A patient advocacy panel will discuss the patient perspective of menopause. 

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Careers of Women Scientists
May 12, 2022

The 2022 symposium focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the careers of women scientists. Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., the Newman Family Professor and Deputy Chair in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine at the University of Michigan, provided the keynote address on “Promoting Equity for Women in Medicine: Seizing a Disruptive Opportunity.” NIH panelist discussed on lessons learned in the recent past, such as interventions to cope with increased family caregiving demands.  

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Integrating Sex and Gender into Biomedical Research as a Path for Better Science and Innovation 
May 11-12, 2021

The 2021 symposium, presented in collaboration with the Foundation for the NIH (FNIH), illustrated the scientific, societal, and economic opportunities of integrating sex and gender into biomedical research. The two-day event featured a series of panels and interactive breakout sessions with experts across diverse sectors of academia, industry, non-profits, private funding, and government to generate discussion of system-wide solutions. Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania’s 4th District, provided the keynote address.  

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Improving Maternal Health: Behind the Numbers 
May 15, 2019 

During the 2019 symposium, leading clinicians and researchers provided updates on maternal health, including a review of current statistics and health services research, and an overview of relevant programs sponsored by the Federal Government. In addition, speakers discussed new approaches to improve maternal health before, during, and after pregnancy, as well as throughout a woman’s life course. Lisa M. Hollier, M.D., president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, provided the keynote address. 

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Leveraging the Network to Advance Women in Science 
May 16, 2018 

The 2018 symposium featured a panel of distinguished speakers who discussed their experience and insight on mentoring women and supporting their career progression. The goals of this symposium were to hear the voices of distinguished women and men in science, to identify elements for the success of women in science, to provide a platform for mentors to share their experiences in supporting women in various settings within biomedical careers, and to provide networking opportunities.  

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Health Women Make Healthy Communities: Women as Makers 
May 17, 2017 

The 2017 event featured guest panelists that addressed multiple domains that influence the health of women in the United States, draw relationships to larger contexts of families and communities, and highlighted issues related to the experiences that affect women’s health. Davene B. McCarthy White, RN, M.P.H. NNP received an ORWH Director’s Award for her extraordinary contributions to caregiving in the nursing field.  

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May 10, 2016 

The inaugural event of the Vivian W. Pinn Seminar featured a keynote address by Lauren V. Wood, M.D., on the value of translational research to women and the National Cancer Institute.