Women's health has long been overlooked in medical research, but recent efforts are seeking to correct these imbalances. The Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale), a major French public research organization, is playing a key role through its research programs and coordination of initiatives. Details of these efforts are outlined in the 2025 activity report of the institute. Endometriosis, a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, has only been the subject of serious research for about two decades. The disease can cause chronic pelvic pain and fertility problems, but its exact causes are still not well understood, and diagnosis remains challenging. Ludivine Doridot and her colleagues at the Institut Cochin in Paris are working on multiple fronts to improve understanding and treatment of endometriosis. One of their projects, called Multimendo, aims to identify biomarkers in menstrual blood that could lead to a low-cost diagnostic test. This research is part of the "Women's health, couples' health" priority research program, which is funded under the France 2030 strategic plan. The program brings together experts from various disciplines and plans to recruit several hundred women with endometriosis in cities like Nantes, Rennes, and Toulouse. The study will analyze tissue and microbiota samples using advanced techniques such as spatial transcriptomics and will also evaluate new treatments on endometrial organoids—miniature, simplified versions of human tissues used in research. The priority program also addresses the 2022 Report on the causes of infertility through the Infertil-Safe initiative. This project examines how environment and lifestyle impact fertility, while also aiming to improve assisted reproductive technologies. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of female infertility, is a particular focus. PCOS is linked to metabolic issues, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and mental health challenges. Paolo Giacobini, an Inserm research director, is working on predictive tools for infertility and exploring new treatments, including immunotherapy. His team has developed an immunotherapy treatment that has been patented through Inserm Transfert. Early results suggest this treatment could help correct androgen hormone levels, restore ovarian structure, and resume ovulation in an experimental model of PCOS. Inserm is also addressing major causes of female mortality, especially cancer. It is a co-founder of the Institut des cancers des femmes (Institute of Women's Cancers) at the Curie Institute, established in 2023 in partnership with the University of Paris Sciences et Lettres. One of the institute's goals is to create an "atlas" of female cancers, including breast cancer, which causes about 12,000 deaths annually in France. This multi-scale database will include molecular and clinical data, as well as information from human and social sciences, and is expected to include samples from more than 30,000 patients within ten years. Raphaël Ceccaldi, a 2025 winner of the Ruban Rose Avenir prize, is developing a new class of drugs for triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form that is resistant to treatment and affects younger women. François-Clément Bidard and his colleagues have identified cancer biomarkers in blood samples, including a gene mutation linked to resistance in breast cancer patients to certain hormone therapies. Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of death among women, yet the risks are often underestimated. Geneviève Plu-Bureau, head of the medical gynecology service at the Cochin - Port-Royal Hospital in Paris, highlights the need for better awareness and screening. Factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels, migraine patterns, reproductive history, miscarriages, and preeclampsia should be considered when assessing cardiovascular risk. Endometriosis has also been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular issues, according to a recent meta-analysis. Nabila Bouatia-Naji, an Inserm research director at the Paris cardiovascular research center, received the 2025 Science and Society-Opecst prize for her work in raising awareness about cardiovascular diseases that disproportionately affect women.