Innovations

* Bath published the first scientific paper showing the higher prevalence of blindness among Blacks. * She also found that African American people had eight times higher prevalence of glaucoma as a cause of blindness. * Based on her research, Bath pioneered the discipline of community ophthalmology in 1976 after observations of epidemic rates of preventable blindness among under-served populations in urban areas in the US as well as under-served populations in third-world countries. * Community ophthalmology was described as a new discipline in medicine promoting eye health and blindness prevention through programs of public health, community medicine and ophthalmology to bring necessary eye care to under-served populations.

* In her role as investigator for the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN) Edwards reviews data that focus on population-based surveillance and data collection on the use and impact of vaccines and the impact of vaccine policies. * Since 2006, NVSN sites have conducted active, population-based surveillance for hospitalizations and outpatient visits associated with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and acute respiratory illness (ARI). * NVSN sites conduct studies relevant to vaccines and vaccine recommendations. Study topics include rotavirus and influenza vaccine effectiveness, the cost-benefit of vaccine programs, coverage of new childhood vaccines, and feasibility studies of new vaccine implementation recommendations.

* Breckinridge was the driving force behind rural health care & development of nurse midwives in rural America. * In 1925 she founded ‘Kentucky committee for Mothers & Babies’, which later became Frontier Nursing Service (FNS). This service drastically reduced infant & maternal mortality in Appalachia at a comparatively low cost. * In 1939 she established her own training school for midwives (Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery). * Breckinridge is credited with building the 1st modern comprehensive health care system in the US that focused on all aspects of a patient's wellbeing, as well as establishing professionalization programs for nursing care & midwifery.

* Finkel lent her name to the Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins or FBJ virus after she was able to isolate the murine osteogenic sarcoma virus * Her research led to discoveries in viral-induced tumors and resulted in the molecular biological tool, the FOS gene * Contributor to the understanding of the biological effects of radiation * Helped form the foundation for many of the health standards (i.e. permissible levels of internal radionuclide exposure) in use today.

* Braunwald designed & fabricated the 1st artificial mitral valve prostheses (1959) & led the team that implanted it in a human (1960). * She developed a cloth covered mechanical valve known as the Braunwald-Cutter Valve and the stented aortic hemograft (a graft of human tissue) for mitral valve replacement. She specialized in surgical treatment of chronic thromboembolic disease, & pioneering techniques for the use of tissue cultures to discourage the formation of clots when prosthetic valves & circulatory assist devices are used. * She helped design a cardiopulmonary bypass machine and developed a pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass pump.

* Brown was the first female surgeon of African American ancestry who practiced in Nashville, Tennessee. * As an elected member of the Tennessee General Assembly, she unsuccessfully championed the expansion of abortion rights to include cases of rape or incest. * Brown also worked to expand the already existing legally permitted abortions in cases when the "mother's life was in danger".

Croteau is co-inventor of the CPR doll named Actar 911, together with Richard Brault & Jonathan Vinden. Her CPR mannequin is light weight, compact and inexpensive, it features artificial lungs that can be pushed down to stimulate a real life emergency & has a target for hand placement. In 1992 Croteau released infant model of Actar 911.

Together with Jim Okamoto & Don Helman, Hamilton designed manufactured & sold Quickie Wheelchair a lightweight manueverable athletic wheelchair. This is one of a range of disabled sports have been developed for disabled athletes, including basketball, rugby, tennis, racing and dancing. The wheelchairs used for each sport have evolved to suit the specific needs of that sport and often no longer resemble their everyday cousins. They are usually non-folding (in order to increase rigidity), with a pronounced negative camber for the wheels (which provides stability and is helpful for making sharp turns), and often are made of composite, lightweight materials.

* Collette’s research focused on hypertension in animals, often using "white mice, guinea pigs, dogs, rabbits and other animals" in her research. * Later in her career, she was a professor at Howard University.

* In the Jim Crow era, Chinn provided care for Black patients in her private clinic who would not otherwise receive treatment in white facilities. * She was also a strong advocate of early cancer screening & cancer research.

* Grier graduated from the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1897 * First African American woman to hold a medical license in Georgia. * Set up a private practice in Atlanta, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.

* Pinn is strong advocate for ensuring that federally funded medical studies include female patients * known for her advocacy of women's health issues and concerns * Developed a re-entry program for trained scientists to re-establish themselves after interruptions of their careers due to family responsibilities.

* Rodriguez-Trias supported abolishment of forced sterilization & providing neonatal care to underserved women * Established the 1st center for newborn care in Puerto Rico, decreasing infant mortality by 50% within 3 years * Founded Latino Commission on AIDS * In 1979 helped write federal guidelines for sterilization, including need for patient consent & writing in language the patient can understand * Believed that social & economic inequality shaped health of individuals

* Chen’s research focuses on the development of sex specific treatments for depression, anxiety and PTSD. * Her work has shown that women are twice as likely as men to develop depression, often exhibiting different symptoms. * Worked on creating the first female-specific antidepressant. * While at MIT, Chen worked with Dr. Steve Ramirez on memory manipulation for the treatment of PTSD and depression.

* Fejzo led the team that discovered the gene GDFI5, likely responsible for morning sickness by producing a hormone, also labeled GDF15.. * In 2022, Fejzo published a study on a mutation in GDF15 associated with its extreme form hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). * She has identified other genes associated with developing potentially painful uterine growths known as fibroids. * Has published peer-reviewed scientific articles on many diseases of women, including ovarian cancer, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis.

* McKinney-Steward co-founded the Brooklyn Women's Homeopathic Hospital & Dispensary (later The Memorial Hospital for Women & Children). * Also active at the Brooklyn Home for Aged Colored People (now Brooklyn Home for the Aged). * He medical career focused on prenatal care and childhood disease.

* King was the first to show breast cancer can be inherited due to mutations in the gene she called BRCA1. * King's group demonstrated that a single gene on chromosome 17 could be linked to many breast and ovarian cancers. * 1996 with social worker Joan Marks and support from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation began the NY Breast Cancer Study which definitively determined the incidence of breast cancer & ovarian cancer was linked to inherited mutations of genes BRCA1 & BRCA2.

* The Blackwell sisters Elizabeth and Emily founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1857. * They began giving lectures to female audiences on the importance of educating girls. * The sisters played a significant role during the American Civil War by organizing nurses. * The Infirmary developed a medical school program for women, providing substantial work with patients (clinical education). * Returning to England, Elizabeth Blackwell helped found the London School of Medicine for Women in 1874.

* Crumpler published A Book of Medical Discourses in 1883. The book has two parts that cover the prevention and cure of infantile bowel complaints, and the life and growth of human beings. * Dedicated to nurses and mothers, it focuses on maternal and pediatric medical care and was among the first publications written by an African American on the subject of medicine. * Crumpler first practiced medicine in Boston and primarily cared for poor African-American women and children. * After the end of the American Civil War (1861–1865), she moved to Richmond, Virginia, believing it to be an ideal way to provide missionary service, as well as to gain more experience learning about diseases that affected women and children. * Her house is now on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail.

* Dickens opened a clinic at Penn that was devoted and specialized to helping and supporting teen parents. *The clinic offered services such as group counseling, therapy, education, and prenatal care.

* Dickens worked to provide pap tests for Black women in Philadelphia through clinics and workshops at Black churches. * In later years, Dickens even provided free pap tests out of a mobile unit, parking an American Cancer Society van in church parking lots.