The Femtech World Awards is proud to reveal the shortlist for Research Project of the Year as part of the third annual global celebration of innovation, impact and leadership across women’s health.

From fertility science and perimenopause research to regional ecosystem analysis, the shortlisted projects reflect the breadth and growing influence of femtech research worldwide.

The category is sponsored by OncoGenomX, with the winner to be selected by a representative from the organisation.

OncoGenomX is dedicated to offering solutions and providing comprehensive support services that empower Drug Developers, Clinical Researchers, Oncologists,NextGenSeq Diagnostics Laboratories, NextGenSeq Service Organisations, Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Companies to achieve their ambitious goals

The shortlisted entries for Research Project of the Year are:

Women’s health remains significantly underserved in South-East Asia, with persistent gaps in access, awareness, and quality of care carrying substantial social and economic costs.

This report examines the femtech landscape in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, highlighting market trends, emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, and the evolving support ecosystem.

It identifies key challenges facing femtech founders, including limited access to finance, low awareness and persistent stigma, marketing constraints linked to content moderation, and gaps in tailored ecosystem support.

Led by Stephanie Willson, MD, of the IVI RMA Global Research Alliance, the study explored whether embryos that show certain chromosome abnormalities during genetic testing may still have the potential to result in a healthy pregnancy and live birth.

The research analysed more than 7,600 frozen embryo transfers and found that some embryos previously considered unlikely to succeed were still capable of leading to successful pregnancies, although at lower rates than embryos without abnormalities.

The findings could help fertility clinics and patients make more informed decisions during IVF treatment, particularly in cases where there are limited embryos available.

Rather than automatically discarding these embryos, the research supports a more evidence-based and personalised approach to fertility care.

For many women, perimenopause can feel confusing and unpredictable, with limited research explaining what is happening in their bodies.

Natural Cycles set out to change that by leading one of the largest studies ever conducted on menstrual and ovulatory patterns, uncovering new insights into how ovulation behaves as women approach menopause.

Conducted in collaboration with researchers from George Washington University, Seattle Clinical Research Center, Gennev and the University of California San Diego, the study analysed nearly one million menstrual cycles from more than 197,000 women aged 18–52 across more than 140 countries.

The scale of this dataset made it possible to explore menstrual patterns and ovulation in far greater detail than has traditionally been possible in women’s health research.

The Femtech World Awards celebrates the innovators, researchers and organisations driving meaningful progress in women’s health.

What happens next

Winners across all categories will be revealed during the virtual ceremony on June 19, with winners receiving a trophy and an interview with a Femtech World journalist.

Osteoporosis may raise the risk of death in postmenopausal women by up to 47 per cent, a new study suggests.

The findings point to an inverse relationship between femoral bone mineral density and mortality risk, especially within certain ranges.

Femoral bone mineral density is the amount of mineral in the thigh bone, which is often measured to assess bone strength and osteoporosis risk.

Dr Monica Christmas is associate medical director for The Menopause Society.

She said: “Osteoporosis often remains a silent threat after menopause, despite its profound effect on women’s lives—from loss of height, poor balance, and reduced mobility to disfigurement, pain, and even premature death.

“Early screening and preventive measures, including a calcium-rich diet (preferably from food sources), regular weight-bearing exercise, and hormone therapy when appropriate, can significantly improve bone health and reduce risks not only of fractures but also cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and dementia.

“It’s time we bring this conversation to the forefront.”

In the  study involving nearly 3,000 postmenopausal women, bone mineral density at four femoral sites was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, a scan commonly used to measure bone strength and fracture risk.

The analysis found that mortality risk was significantly higher when femoral bone mineral density reached the osteoporotic threshold or when osteoporotic fractures were present.

After full adjustment, osteoporosis was associated with a 47 per cent increased risk of mortality.

A stronger inverse association between increased bone mineral density and mortality risk was seen within specific ranges, suggesting bone mineral density could serve as a prognostic marker of wider health.

The relationship appeared especially notable within the range of 0.46 to 0.71 g/cm² for total femur bone mineral density.

Previous research has shown that postmenopausal women face a significantly higher risk of death within one year of hip or vertebral fractures.