By Judy Carmack Bross
Friends of Prentice grant recipients
Possibly the most encouraging words at a time when medical research is facing significant funding cuts come from Friends of Prentice championing that we can make a difference now. Its Executive Director Kristen Field told us: “we are meeting this moment with unwavering dedication to advancing women’s health research.”
Kristen E. Field, Executive Director of Friends of Prentice
“By backing three new groundbreaking projects in addition to the continued impact of our long-term commitments, we are proving that innovation and perseverance can thrive together. Our work is possible because of the incredible generosity of our donors and the commitment of our board — together, we are creating the kind of lasting change that women deserve,” Field said.
Hearing her words of encouragement, we wanted to hear more of these research grants for women’s health and Friends of Prentice’s impact.
“Since our founding in 1985, Friends of Prentice has been a force for good in women’s health. While we are a partner of Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital, we are a separate non-profit and have worked tirelessly to raise more than $25 million to fund leading-edge research, education, and clinical care. Our supported areas are diverse, including gynecologic oncology, reproductive aging, fertility preservation, menopause, mental health, and disparities in access to care. We are a leader in supporting women’s health initiatives in Chicago, and our mission has always been to close the women’s health gap and ensure better care for generations to come,” Field told us.
Drs. Serdar Bulun, Ashley Turner, Dario Roque, and Amber Watter
CCM: What are examples of how you are funding women’s health?
KF: Friends of Prentice is stepping up to fill the void in women’s health funding. Our recently announced 2025 grants are a testament to our commitment to innovation and long-term impact. This year, we are awarding funds for three new research projects focused on assisted reproductive technology, overactive bladder, and barriers to contraceptive access. This fresh investment is paired with the culmination of a five-year, $250,000 grant to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network, a long-term initiative that has helped shape care for women and families nationwide. This dual approach allows us to fuel groundbreaking new ideas while sustaining projects that have already proven their ability to create lasting change.
CCM: Why is innovative research crucial right now?
KF: Federal funding cuts have created a challenging environment for many physician-researchers. As many of our grant recipients have shared, our organization is one of their only sources of funding for vital work at this time. This year, we received an unprecedented number of grant applications, a direct result of these funding cuts. Our goal is to propel pioneering research forward without interruption, specifically by supporting early-career scientists whose groundbreaking ideas need seed funding to move forward; high-potential research projects that might otherwise go unfunded.Ongoing research breakthroughs that span the full spectrum of a woman’s life.
CCM: How did you become involved with Friends of Prentice?
KF: I am a Chicago native, with a family deeply rooted in medicine and a career spanning non-profit and public service. I became Friends of Prentice’s first Executive Director in 2019, when a fellow board member connected me with the opportunity. Six years later, it has been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life to lead this organization, especially as we face daily challenges in women’s healthcare. I am inspired by our incredible board and their overwhelming generosity and dedication to closing the women’s health gap. It is a true pleasure to be the spark needed for these early-stage research studies that change lives.
Kristen E. Field, Executive Director of Friends of Prentice
CCM: Please share a story where the grants have made a great difference.
KF: The impact of our work is deeply personal. I am a patient of one of our grant recipients who works on ovarian aging and is solely funded by Friends of Prentice. As a reproductive endocrinologist specializing in ovarian aging research, she is helping me on my personal IVF journey. It has been fascinating to see the science play out in my own life—from labs and ultrasounds to the egg retrieval and testing. I have also seen her work with other colleagues and friends and witness the babies she has helped bring into the world. Her work is contributing to the larger study of reproductive longevity. My story is just one of many, as other board members have also received care at Prentice for issues ranging from cancer to endometriosis and NICU stays. The list goes on, and each story is a testament to the life-changing research we support.
CCM: Looking ahead, what does the future look like for funding women’s healthcare.
KF: What keeps me up at night are the continued attacks on women’s healthcare and the recent drastic cuts in federal funding. These challenges have prompted many to ask how we can meet this moment. My greatest hope comes from the community we have built at Friends of Prentice. We are a vital hub for those dedicated to addressing the urgent needs arising from these funding challenges. As we learned at a recent lecture series, private donors may be the sole source of grant funding for many physician-researchers for the foreseeable future. This gives me hope because I believe we will all meet this unprecedented moment with compassion and generosity. When you step away from the screen and see the people in our community, you realize the difference we are making, and that even small levels of support can get us there.
To learn more about how you can support this vital mission visit friendsofprentice.org.
