Fund Her Research: Support Science Powered by Women
Today’s emerging women scientists could become tomorrow’s Nobel laureates — with the philanthropic support to keep pushing discovery forward.
A young scientist at the bench at ISB. © 2025 Institute for Systems Biology.
Dr. Rupa Selva Immanuel at the bench at ISB. ©2025 Institute for Systems Biology
Elevating Women in Systems Science
In the 125-year history of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, only 14 women have received the honor — just 6 percent of all laureates.
Today, that gap risks widening even further. Recent NIH budget cuts and funding instability are disproportionately impacting early-career women scientists, threatening to derail promising careers and delay critical discoveries before they have the chance to take shape.
Inspired by ISB’s own female Nobel laureate, the Mary E. Brunkow Fund was created to help close these growing funding gaps. The fund provides vital support for women scientists at pivotal stages in their careers — offering funding, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities that allow emerging researchers to continue their work when traditional funding sources fall short.
Your gift helps ensure that talented women scientists are not forced to pause, scale back, or abandon innovative research because of funding uncertainty. Instead, you provide the stability and support they need to pursue bold ideas, advance human health, and make discoveries that could change the world.
“Scientific careers are built not only on talent and hard work, but also on opportunities, mentorship, and support at critical moments. This fund will help ensure that promising women scientists have the resources and encouragement they need to pursue bold ideas, overcome obstacles, and make discoveries that benefit us all.”
— Mary E. Brunkow, PhD, ISB Distinguished Investigator and 2025 Nobel Laureate
