We source, fund, govern, support, and incubate translational research in women's health.
We believe in a systems biology approach to research. However, to best evaluate the science we take a cohort approach to funding projects.
It's affected by many factors, including genetics, BMI, environmental factors, therapies and health conditions. Progress lies in doing research to get at the underlying causes of reproductive decline in women.
Understanding what factors cause menopause and the related health outcomes that come with it is a way into the future still
Despite oncology receiving most biomedical funding, gynecologic oncology has been left behind. Uterine, ovarian, cervical, and rare gynecologic cancers are usually diagnosed late, and survivors face infertility after current treatments.
We have only just scratched the surface of scientific research on endometriosis and PCOS - especially since these areas have been written in the context of other conditions.
Fertility research is a crucial endeavor aimed at unraveling the intricate factors that influence reproductive capacity in women that enables the development of personalized interventions.
Smooth muscle tumours that grow in the uterus from the muscle layers of the womb. Endometriosis can cause infertility and oocyte quality drop.
Dr. Mario Cordero, Principal Investigator at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla (UPO) is working on the Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is an overlooked issue that currently lacks effective treatment.
View Project
By harnessing the potential of the ISR pathway, we open doors to innovative interventions that could prolong ovarian function and reduce risks of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency.
View Project
In our third report, we spotlight a critical yet less-discussed reproductive health frontier: Gynecological Cancers.
Cancer remains the zenith of biomedical research investment, capturing people's collective empathy and concern worldwide.
Read our report to learn how gynecological cancers are the Mars of Oncology.
Check our previous reports:
- Vol I on Ovarian Aging
- Vol II on PCOS and Endometriosis
Terms vary on a case-by-case basis, depending on the maturity of your data, R&D plan, and team.
It depends on the funding terms, which are negotiated on a per project basis. In some cases AthenaDAO owns the intellectual property from the projects that it funds, either directly or in the form of an exclusive licence. In other cases the funded institution and other third parties can maintain partial or full ownership of IP.
$50-150K. Funding may be lower or higher, depending on the project, but we prioritize lower budgets.
1-2 years R&D, depending on project and funding size.
The funding can be used for reasonable R&D and Operations expenses, such as: researchers salaries, equipment and material cost, lab spaces, legal fees. University overhead rate for facilities and administration and other incidental costs shall be 15% at maximum.
All researchers are welcome to apply, including professors, post-docs, research scientists, and even students. We can also fund early stage biotech startups! There is no limitation to institution or country of origin and no Web3 knowledge is required.
We would prioritize translational projects or ones with translational potential down the line. If you’re not sure whether your project is a good fit for AthenaDAO funding, you can connect with the 👉 AthenaDAO discord community for guidance, or ✉️ contact us.
Research with translation potential in underfunded areas of female reproductive health is our focus. We particularly want to fund the projects that are ‘moonshots’ – potentially revolutionary. On occasion we will also fund more ‘basic’ research.
You apply with a grant-style application, our team of senior reviewers (professors, scientists, biotech operators, VC investors) will provide initial feedback. We will help you polish the project to comport with industry-standards for R&D, and then you submit a final application – following which we quickly provide feedback and next steps.
(Note: Existing biotech & femtech startups are also eligible for funding from AthenaDAO.
No, it’s not necessary to already own project IP.
After you fill out the application form, our internal team will do a preliminary assessment and get in touch if additional information is required. A panel of senior scientists will then assess the current project cohort. After projects are approved we will negotiate the deal terms with the appropriate institution. Depending on the project, funding could be provided in full or separated by milestones.
When funding is finalized we will ask for quarterly updates on the projects.
Yes. We are interested in all women's health research project. Please submit your project here.
The applications for Cohort 3's Call for Submissions, focusing on Gynecologic Oncology (Uterine, Ovarian, and Cervical cancers) are now closed. Please see previous question about applying for funding outside a cohort.
