When Dr. Molly Hyer began her career in a lab focused on maternal health, she assumed everyone in medicine cared deeply about women’s health. Over time, she discovered something else — despite the crucial role that sex-based differences play in health outcomes, much of the medical field still lacks a comprehensive understanding of how these differences materialize.

Now the director of Research Development and Innovation at the VCU Institute for Women’s Health, Hyer is working to change that. She designs interdisciplinary programs that address women’s health holistically, bringing together scientists, clinicians and community partners to serve women navigating a system that has historically overlooked them.

The imbalance in research is remarkable and historically, based mostly on men. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) didn’t require the inclusion of women in clinical research until 1993, and female animals were only required in preclinical studies as recently as 2016. One study found that, as of 2019, women made up only about 40% of participants in clinical trials for cancer, cardiovascular disease and psychiatric disorders — three of the conditions that most affect women — despite representing 51% of the U.S. population. Representation drops even further for women of color.

Not accounting for diversity in research has serious consequences. Health issues and outcomes observably differ based on things like sex, race and ethnicity, economic status and even experiences with trauma. Failing to explore these differences means missed opportunities for breakthroughs and, in some cases, real harm — from unanticipated side effects to ineffective treatments.

Hyer’s approach is rooted in translating research into community engagement and practical application. She works with organizations like Birth in Color, a nonprofit that pairs doulas with women of color during and after pregnancy, and Project Belong, which supports young people reentering society after time in the juvenile justice system, keeping in mind the different needs of young women and men. Each initiative reflects her belief that research should turn into action that meets people’s unique needs.

“The long game question is: How do you change a whole mindset around equity, and how do you develop a pipeline to keep that going by training the next generation?” she says. “You have to appreciate the complexities of the human condition, and keep in mind how much everything intersects. That makes for stronger researchers, stronger scientists, a stronger society.”

With each project, Hyer often acts as a translator — bridging the gap between researchers and community practitioners. “This niche of being able to help people communicate with each other made me feel like I could have a much bigger impact on direct health outcomes by helping to advance these interdisciplinary programs,” she says.

That talent for translation also lends itself to the critical task of securing resources. Over the past five years, Hyer has helped secure $36 million in funding for women’s health initiatives. One of her latest projects is the creation of the Clinical Center of Excellence in Women’s Midlife Health. The center will focus on women aged 40–64, who are often navigating perimenopause and menopause — life stages that have historically received little attention in medicine. With menopause research gaining new traction, Hyer saw an opportunity to connect experts across disciplines to address how this transition affects the brain and body.

Having built strong networks across the VCU system, Hyer quickly assembled a team to work on the center’s development. This represents the essence of her work: turning cutting-edge research into tangible, high-quality care.

“What that’s doing is bringing together all of these clinicians from different fields that all serve women under one roof,” she says, which lines up with the overall mission of the VCU Health system, “combining incredible healthcare with cutting-edge research, which leads to innovative strategies for patients. We want it to be a model for the rest of the country on how to provide healthcare for women.”

At its core, Hyer’s mission is to make sure women are not an afterthought in science or medicine, but the starting point. Through her work, the field is moving closer.

“Women are the primary care decision makers for their families,” she says. “If you invest in women’s health, you’re making everyone healthier.”