To close the gap between women’s health research and other scientific disciplines, Ward and Mari Walstrom of Harbor Springs have made a $1 million gift to bolster education and research in the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.
The Walstrom Family Endowed Women’s Health Research Fund is creating an early-career training program to increase the number of scientists and clinicians pursuing a lifelong career focused on women’s health care and research.
The program pairs medical and graduate students with research teams and will support independent research projects. Four College of Human Medicine early-career graduate students, including one third-year medical student, were recently selected and awarded the endowed funds; each will utilize the philanthropic funds to push forward current research projects, which would not have been otherwise possible.
Three Spartans describe the impact the gift will have on women’s health. Dr. Richard Leach is professor and chair of the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health. Shannon Harkins is a PhD candidate and Walstrom fund recipient. And Roksolana Sudyk is a future Spartan MD and Walstrom fund recipient.
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