About Us
We conduct independent research to generate knowledge to promote health and well-being, minimize suffering, and maximize efficient use of health and healthcare resources with a focus on women across the life course. We decipher the mechanisms through which conditions and interventions outside the body – like policies, economic factors, material factors, environmental conditions – affect health and health care. We also study cancer iatrogenesis – like abrupt menopause, pain and loss of breast function after mastectomy – and its effects on sexual function, health and quality of life for women and their partners.
Principal Investigator
Stacy Tessler Lindau, MD, MAPP, FACOG is the Catherine Lindsay Dobson Professor in the Departments of Ob/Gyn and Professor of Medicine-Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the University of Chicago. She is also Senior Advisor to the Provost, leading projects in the provost’s highest priority strategic domains and working closely with the vice provosts and the provost’s chief of staff as well as other administrative and faculty leaders. At the University of Chicago, Dr. Lindau founded and directs the Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine for Women and Girls with Cancer (PRISM), the Bionic Breast Project, CommunityRx, Woman Lab, and Feed1st.
A proven social entrepreneur, Dr. Lindau has advanced several of her discoveries from research lab to real life, including NowPow, LLC (acquired in 2021 by Unite USA, Inc.), MAPSCorps, 501c3 (joined Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy in 2023 and led to STEAMe, LLC) and the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer, 501c3 (inaugural chairperson). Dr. Lindau’s work has been published in the highest impact scientific literature including NEJM, JAMA, BMJ, and Health Affairs and has been featured in a wide range of print and other media outlets including the New York Times, National Public Radio, and the National Book Review. Dr. Lindau has patents pending related to the Bionic Breast Project.
Dr. Lindau is a dedicated and rigorous mentor. MAPSCorps has employed and trained more than 3,500 youth in Chicago, New York City, rural eastern North Carolina and other geographies. She also takes great pleasure and pride in mentoring early career college, medical student and physician scientists across disciplines and has been honored for her mentorship activities including with trainee awards named for her by MAPSCorps and the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer. Dr. Lindau was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar, an Aspen Institute Health Innovator Fellow and is an elected member of the American Academy of Physicians. She has received several awards and honors for her innovation and community activities. She is a 2023 Chicago Moth Story Slam winner and was recognized in 2024 by Forbes 50 Over 50 in Innovation.
Featured Research and Programs
Bionic Breast
The Bionic Breast Project is an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional effort to create a neuroprosthetic solution to the negative sensory sequelae of mastectomy using bionics.
WomanLab
WomanLab is a virtual platform where every woman – and everyone who loves and cares for women – can learn truths about sex.
CommunityRx
CommunityRx is a health information technology system that operationalizes the connection between health care and the assets of a community to improve patient outcomes.
Feed1st
Feed1st is a system of open access, self-serve, no questions asked, 24/7/365 food pantries at UChicago Medicine.