Innovation in Women's Health Research (NIH SBIR/STTR Omnibus Solicitation)

Innovation in Women's Health Research (NIH SBIR/STTR Omnibus Solicitation) is sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH). NIH is increasing its investment in small business innovations focused on women's health research through its SBIR and STTR programs.

Innovation in Women’s Health Research at NIH Welcome to the Innovation in Women's Health Research page at the NIH ORWH. Here, ORWH showcases groundbreaking advancements and transformative initiatives aimed at improving women's health. ORWH’s mission is to foster innovative research that addresses the unique health needs of women across their lifespans.

Major Initiatives and Programs Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program NIH’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs, managed by the Small Business Education and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED) Office , aim to support research and development in small businesses.

These programs seek to drive technological innovation and translate scientific discoveries into health improvements. The SBIR and STTR programs were reauthorized on April 13, 2026. Currently, NIH has no active SBIR or STTR Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs).

Future NOFOs are forecasted at Grants. gov prior to opening for applications. The next standard receipt date is September 5, 2026.

Centralized Resource for Women’s Health DiscoverWHR is a novel centralized resource developed by ORWH and NLM to enhance access to women’s health research and information to close research gaps.

This comprehensive resource includes the latest data and information on NIH-supported research, clinical trials, literature from PubMed, and patient-friendly summaries on topics such as menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome, and autoimmune diseases.

Smart and Connected Health NIH and NSF have collaborated on the Smart Health funding opportunity (NOT-OD-23-165) to support high-impact, transformative, interdisciplinary research leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data science to address key biomedical and public health challenges.

Since FY 2023, ORWH has supported applications that apply innovative AI and data science approaches to improve health outcomes, address health disparities, and meet the unmet health needs of women across the life course.

An example of a Smart Health project supported by ORWH seeks to enhance early detection and diagnostic precision in breast cancer screening by developing advanced AI-Computer-aided Detection (CAD) systems using deep learning, longitudinal imaging comparisons, and clinical risk factors.

Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge In 2022, NIH launched the Connecting the Community for Maternal Health (CCMH) Challenge through its Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative, co-chaired by the ORWH director.

This innovative, multi-phase funding mechanism was designed to recognize the unique expertise of community-based organizations (CBOs), equipping them with the tools and support needed to conduct impactful maternal health research and enhance their competitiveness for federal funding.

By the conclusion of the challenge, eight CBOs presented their significant research projects and were well-positioned to advance meaningful change within their communities and beyond. The NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health hosts the annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium to honor its inaugural director, Dr. Vivian W.

Pinn, and to highlight emerging issues and innovations in women’s health research.

Held each year during National Women’s Health Week, the 2025 symposium, "Advancing Data-Driven Innovation for the Health of Women," focused on building capacity for interdisciplinary, community-centered research through data science—highlighting federal data resources, promoting data literacy, showcasing real-world applications, and addressing data privacy and accessibility.

The Intersection of Regenerative Medicine and Women’s Health On October 1, 2024, Dr. Vivian Ota Wang, former Deputy Director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, championed a transformative "whole person health" model during her keynote at the National Academies’ workshop on regenerative medicine and women’s health.

She emphasized the integration of biological, social, and psychological determinants across a woman’s lifespan—from pre-conception through menopause—to address persistent gaps in women’s health research. This innovative framework aims to reduce diagnostic delays—often up to a decade—for chronic conditions that disproportionately affect women.

By advancing sex-based and life course research, Dr. Ota Wang’s efforts support the development of more personalized regenerative therapies, ultimately improving women’s health outcomes. Innovation Success Stories Discover academic innovators and small businesses supported by NIH that have developed innovative technologies that have improved health and saved lives.

SBIR spotlight: Bloomer Tech Caring for the Caretakers: Addressing First Responder Burnout with an Online Toolkit Handheld Ultrasound Device Guides Epidural Placement Academic Discovery Leads to Promising Treatment for Aggressive Form of Breast Cancer Woman-Owned Business Designs Games that Empower Youth For more information about ORWH’s efforts in women’s health innovation, please contact ORWHInnovation@od. nih. gov .

Page Last Updated on April 27, 2026 Women's Health Mission Areas Women's Health Mission Areas NIH Inclusion Outreach Toolkit Clinical Research and Trials Including Women and Minorities in Clinical Research Related ORWH Programs & Initiatives Maternal Morbidity and Mortality (MMM) Web Portal Innovation in Women’s Health Research at NIH Chronic Conditions in Women: A Practical Guide for Healthcare Providers and Patients Women’s Health Research Roundtable