The Learning Institute at Women’s College Hospital (WCH), in partnership with the Gairdner Foundation, hosted the fourth annual Women of Gairdner event on October 22, 2025, featuring three world-renowned scientists and Gairdner Laureates: Iva Greenwald, Jennifer Stinson and Prativa Baral.
Designed to inspire the next generation of leaders in health sciences, the hybrid event welcomed more than 100 high school students and community members. Participants had the opportunity to hear directly from leading women in science, explore their groundbreaking research driving innovation and health equity, and network with experts from WCH and the University of Toronto.
Iva Greenwald is the da costa professor of Biology, Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. She has significantly contributed to our understanding of how cells communicate during development. Her work has revealed how these signals regulate cell fate and how their disruption can lead to developmental defects and cancer.
In her talk, she shared about her education pathways coincided with the “second wave” of feminism and how it shaped her scientific career, as well as her groundbreaking discovery in notch signaling and how to get started as a basic research scientist.
“The best part is the joy of making discoveries together with the people working with me,” said Iva Greenwald.
Jennifer Stinson is a senior scientist at SickKids Research Institute. She has contributed to international leadership in digital therapeutics and training initiatives aimed at childhood illness-related pain assessment and self-management for conditions such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, sickle cell disease, chronic pain, and cancer.
In her talk, she shared about her discoveries in pediatric chronic pain and using digital technologies, the journey in creating the iouch Pain Lab at SickKids, and training the next generation of pain researchers. She also talked about the rewards and challenges of embarking a career in research.
Each year, the Gairdner Laureates select five early career investigators to present their research alongside them during the Gairdner Science Week events and for the first time, Women of Gairdner welcomed an Early Career Investigator Award recipient, Prativa Baral, as a speaker!
Prativa Baral is an assistant professor (Research) in the Department of Global and Public Health at McGill University and deputy director of the Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab (PERL). She is an epidemiologist and a global health scholar committed to strengthening how societies prepare for and respond to crises.
In her talk, she shared her experiences growing up and how they shaped her career journey and highlighted the importance of finding purpose during times of uncertainty. She talked about the experiences of being an epidemiologist during the COVID-19 pandemic and the lessons learned along the way.
“For my whole early career, I was preparing for this event I didn’t realize was going to happen,” shared Prativa Baral.
Following the presentations, students participated in an engaging Q&A session with the Laureates, moderated by alumni of WCH’s Emily Stowe Summer Students Program (ESSP). Their thoughtful questions sparked insightful discussion about scientific discovery, career pathways, and the future of global health research.
Students then had the chance to network with healthcare professionals and scientists from Women’s College Hospital and the University of Toronto, representing a wide range of research specialties and clinical programs. This unique opportunity allowed the students to explore diverse career paths and build meaningful and invaluable connections.
Adding to the excitement, two students won tickets to attend the prestigious Canada Gairdner Awards. In a first-ever opportunity, one student earned a one-on-one virtual mentorship session with 2024 Gairdner Laureate Dr. Meghan Azad! The event closed with a guided tour of the MaRS Discovery District Labs.
Thank you to the Gairdner Laureates, community partners, parents, teachers, and most importantly, the students, whose energy and curiosity made Women of Gairdner 2025 truly special.