NEWS
WHOLE – Research Centre on women’s health throughout the life course
WHOLE is a ten-year initiative to establish a research centre at Uppsala University in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet. The centre is funded by Forte together with the Swedish Research Council.
Research groups at WHOLE discussing research at the kick off in March 2026.
The ten-year WHOLE centre studies women’s health from a life-course perspective. The six different research groups will work together to expand knowledge, improve healthcare, and contribute to a more equitable society.
From adolescence to ageing
In research group 1, a national infrastructure for data on women’s health is being developed, including a new research study that will follow women over a ten-year period. By combining biological information, registry data, and knowledge about living conditions, researchers gain a comprehensive picture of women’s health.
Research group 4 aims to improve the long-term health of both mothers and children. The group studies risk factors for mental ill health and long-term pain in new mothers. By using advanced analytical methods, including AI, the researchers aim to identify at an early stage those who may need additional support.
The different disciplines within WHOLE are brought together by research group 6, which focuses on ensuring that knowledge reaches patients, healthcare services, decision-makers, and society at large. The group works in collaboration with women, patients, and other stakeholders, develops clear communication, builds capacity, and contributes to guidelines and policies that can improve women’s health in practice.
The different disciplines are brought together within the interdisciplinary approach.
Ingela Nyström
Professor i visualisering på institutionen för informationsteknologi vid Uppsala universitet
Hoping to cure a type of endometriosis
For research group 3, the focus is on menstruation-related conditions such as endometriosis and PMDD. The research aims to improve understanding of what happens in the body, while also leading to better diagnoses, prognoses, and treatments. The group also highlights how these conditions affect life more broadly, including relationships, work, culture, and mental well-being.
We hope that a type of endometriosis can be cured by normalising immune cells that are believed not to function properly.
Mia Phillipson
Professor i fysiologi vid Uppsala universitet
Focusing on menopause and young girls
Research group 2 focuses on adolescence and studies early gynaecological conditions, mental ill health, pain sensitivity, and social vulnerability among young people. The aim is to identify risks at an early stage, predict future ill health, and, together with young people, develop preventive support and interventions that are effective in their everyday lives.
Research group 5 examines how menopause and ageing are linked to mental health, memory, brain ageing, and working life. By combining medical, psychological, and cultural perspectives, the researchers aim to develop personalised support, including through new digital solutions.
We want to understand menopause not only from a medical perspective, but also in terms of its impact on relationships and working life.
Ulrika Dahl
Professor i genusvetenskap vid Uppsala universitet
Three new Research Centres on women’s health and diseases
Within the framework of the Centre Grants 2025 call, three research centres have been awarded long-term funding for research on women’s health and diseases.
- WHOLE External link. – an interdisciplinary centre for women’s health from a life‑course perspective, at the intersection of reproductive transitions, mental ill health, and pain, Uppsala University
- MAMA Research Hub – Multidisciplinary strategies for maternal health – towards person-centred care, evidence-based interventions, and integrated postpartum follow-up, Linköping University
- CIRCE External link. – Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Cancer and Equity in Women, Lund University
Lena Lindkvist
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