WHAT’S NEW AND TRANSFORMATIONAL

Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation is at the forefront of the health concerns facing women today.

Reducing Infant Mortality

A partnership with the Richard King Mellon Foundation

The Richard King Mellon Foundation has invested more than $24 million in our cutting edge research and advanced patient care. Most recently, they have partnered with us in our effort to combat infant mortality in Allegheny County, and beyond, by supporting providers in the development and implementation of technologies and interventions to reduce risks of infant mortality in prenatal and postnatal care.

Advancing The Scientific Understanding Of Maternal And Infant Health

Steve N. Caritis Magee Obstetric Maternal & Infant Database and Biobank (MOMI)

The MOMI Database is one of the largest pregnancy databases of its kind, containing more than 300 variables for approximately 190,000 deliveries at UPMC MageeWomens Hospital since 1995. The MOMI Database and Biobank are used for research of normal and abnormal pregnancies—creating knowledge that will improve the health of women and future generations. Researchers use the MOMI Database and Biobank to address everything from the causes and prevention of premature birth to the effectiveness and safety of taking medications during pregnancy.

COVID-19 NASAL SPRAY A Novel Form of Prevention

A development lab at MWRI is working with the University of Louisville on a nasal spray that will protect the user from being infected with COVID-19. The product will be key to protecting frontline medical personnel and immunocompromised individuals from the disease. The nasal spray is being funded in part, by a one year, $8.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Defense and is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial.

HIV PREVENTION Putting Prevention in Women’s Hands

Our infectious disease researchers envision a day when any young woman, whether she lives in the U.S. or Sub-Saharan Africa, can easily buy a product that protects her from sexually transmitted diseases. That’s why we’re continually developing new therapies to protect against HIV—everything from a vaginal ring to a dissolving strip of film that administers both contraceptives and HIV-fighting microbicides in a single product. Through our partnerships, we’re making headway in the global fight against HIV. In Africa —where infection rates are the highest—we’ve stopped the spread of HIV by 30 percent.