Women in Global Health Research Initiative
Now accepting applications for the May 2025 course
Infectious Diseases Across a Woman's Lifespan Course
At a glance...
What is it?
A unique, intensive four-day in-person course on sex differences in global infectious diseases, host immunology across the woman's lifespan, treatment, prevention, and social determinants that contribute to poorer health outcomes for women
Who should attend?
Motivated early career investigators focused on global infectious diseases in women
Course objectives:
To provide high-impact didactic and interactive instruction by world-renowned researchers, offer practical tools to conduct research in women's health across the lifespan, and provide networking opportunities with peers and senior leaders in women’s health research
Apply for the 2025 in-person course
*Apply early! A limited number of stipends are available to support travel and lodging.
Course Structure: Four main sections, in detail
1. Pathogens 
The seminar will focus on sex differences in one of the major infectious pathogens: HIV, M. tuberculosis, respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, and Plasmodia species. We aim to train early career investigators on sex differences in the epidemiology, clinical presentation, management and prevention of the disease caused by each pathogen. 
3. Treatment and Prevention
​Discuss how physiologic changes that occur across a woman’s lifespan can affect drug disposition and dosing (drug interactions with oral and injectable contraceptives). Discuss pharmacokinetic considerations and the urgent need for inclusion of pregnant people in drug trials for infectious diseases and discuss the specific consideration of vaccine development and efficacy during pregnancy.
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2. Host-Immune Response to Pathogens
Lectures in this series will focus on host-pathogen interactions in women compared to men, including changes in immunology and physiology across a woman’s lifespan (highlighting adolescence, pregnancy/reproductive age and menopause as key life stages) and how changes impact risk, diagnosis, management, and prevention of global infectious diseases. Some topics include:
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placental immunology
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genital mucosal immunology
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breast milk in maternal-child immunology
4. Special Considerations
​ Social determinants of health, such as poverty and race, can also profoundly affect the way women access care, which leads to sex-specific disparities in the epidemiology and clinical management of global infectious diseases. Topics include sex-differences in the sequelae of infectious diseases, such as HIV and non-communicable diseases in postmenopausal women.
Course Structure: Additional portions
The afternoon sessions include Methodological Workshops to provide practical training on conducting women’s health research. All courses and workshops are taught by the MPIs, Core, or Collaborating Faculty, who are established leaders in this field and have collaborated through the WGHRI. Course attendees will have opportunities to network with MPIs, Core, and Collaborating Faculty through small-group sessions, including lunches and methodology workshops.
Sample Schedule for Course Day
Note: activities, timing, and course titles may be subject to change
8:45 AM
Pathology: "Sex Differences in Respiratory Viruses"
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9:45 AM
Host-Pathogen Immunology: "Placental Immunology and Infectious Disease"
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10:45 AM
Coffee Break
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11:15 AM
Special Considerations: "Poverty-related Social Determinants of Women's Health"
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12:15 PM
Treatment and Prevention: "Clinical Drug Trials in Pregnancy"
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1:15 PM
Lunch: Meet the Experts
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2:00 PM
Methodological Workshop: Ethics and Consent
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3:00 PM
Coffee and Cookie Break
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3:30 PM
Pathology: Malaria in Women
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4:30 PM
Questions and Answers: Group Discussion
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