Irene O Aninye

Dr. Irene O. Aninye is the Chief Science Officer for the Society for Women’s Health Research, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing women’s health through science, policy, and education. Aninye steers SWHR’s portfolio of scientific programs to increase awareness and investment in research on biological sex differences and health conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women. She convenes expert working groups and meetings to identify strategies that address persistent gaps in women’s health care and research, translating recommendations into science-based and patient-centered policy solutions. Dr. Aninye has led the development of white papers, health care roadmaps, patient toolkits, clinical education materials, and calls to action for women’s cardiovascular health, autoimmune diseases, menopause, Alzheimer’s disease, HPV, and endometriosis, among other areas. Prior to SWHR, Aninye worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, specializing in research capacity building and evaluating STEM research and training programs for universities and funding agencies. With a PhD in Molecular and Integrative Physiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Aninye’s research background is in endocrinology and metabolism – investigating sex steroid hormones and their receptor-mediated actions in development, reproduction, and disease. She has a passion to diversify the face of STEM and involvement of underrepresented groups in the sciences, providing scientific and leadership training across all career stages and serving on advisory boards for the National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society, National Health Council, and World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health.