Dr. Erin Brennand is a gynecologist, health researcher, Associate Professor, and Department Head of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine. Her research interests broadly include gynecologic and female reproductive health, including pelvic floor disorders (incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse), health services research, contraception and family planning, as well as menopause. Dr. Brennand is also co-lead of the national GROWW Training Program, which aims to improve women’s health through developing the next generation of medical trainees as thought leaders and innovators. As a physician-scientist, advocate, and leader in women’s health, Dr. Brennand’s research program is informed by the stories of countless women she has cared for through her practice, and a tireless pursuit to improve women’s health care.

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A born and raised Albertan, I’ve always felt a deep commitment to improve the health of people in our province. My professional interest in women’s health was shaped by my medical training in Obstetrics & Gynecology and witnessing firsthand how gaps in care have impacted women. As a mother to young daughters, I’m driven by the desire to improve health research, education and care in Alberta so that it will be able to meet their needs and those of future generations. I believe that “women’s health” isn’t just a women’s issue – it affects entire families, communities and our province. 

My goal is to generate vital information about the health of women in Alberta, and create new knowledge regarding women’s health across their lifespan. Scientific knowledge should directly benefit women, empowering them with a deeper understanding of their own health. By bridging the gap between research and practical application, I hope that the work of our hub will not only enhance healthcare for women in Alberta, but also inform and influence health systems, health care, and decision making worldwide.

I wish more people understood that women’s health is critically underfunded and under-researched, leading to significant delays in diagnosing and treating female-specific diseases, and conditions that disproportionately affect women. A major gap exists in diagnosing common conditions because the healthcare system is largely designed for men. Additionally, much of the limited research funding for women’s health focuses on pregnancy, leaving the health needs of younger and older women underserved. This funding shortfall also makes it difficult to attract talent to the field, worsening the issue. It is essential for people to recognize these disparities and advocate for better resources, as closing these gaps is crucial for achieving true health equity for women.

International Women’s Day, on March 8^th 2025, marked the Alberta Sex, Gender, and Women’s Health Research Hub (SGWH*)’s inaugural public event, a Women’s Health Symposium. It was hosted by Calgary Central Library, in collaboration with the University of Calgary’s O’Brien Institute for Public Health and the Calgary Health Foundation. Dr. Erin Brennand, the SGWH*’s founder and Department Head of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Calgary, welcomed hundreds of visitors for a packed schedule of women’s health talks, audience Q&As, and an exclusive screening of the documentary Below the Belt, all emceed by Calgary’s Global News reporter Lesley Horton, plus a women’s health resource fair and art exhibition. 

Over the summer of 2024, between July 25^th and August 16^th, we were engaging with our community by inviting women living in Alberta to share their experiences with health, the health system, and being a woman, by answering the question: ‘What do we need to know so that we can do better by women moving forward in terms of healthcare and research in Alberta?’

On July 25^th and 26^th, members of the public were invited to attend an interactive research event at the Calgary Central Library, where they could voice record answers, or write their stories and responses on cards, and following that, a digital link was available for women to continue sharing online.

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Brennand EA, Scime NV, Huang B, McDonagh Hull P. Education level is associated with the occurrence and timing of hysterectomy: A cohort study of Canadian women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14959

Alan Santinele Martino, PhD – Assistant Professor in the Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies program in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary.

Amity Quinn, PhD – Health economist and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Community Health Sciences in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.

Amy Johnston, PhD – Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary, with a professional Certification in Public Health and expertise in Health Services Research and Biomedical Technology.

Amy Metcalfe, PhD – Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medicine, and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, and Maternal and Child Health Program Director at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. 

Brenda Leung, PhD – Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge.

Bukola Salami, RN, PhD – Professor in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary; and Scientific Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute.

Cindy Kalenga – Medical student enrolled in a joint M.D./Ph.D. program in the Leaders in Medicine Program at the University of Calgary.

Elizabeth Oddone Paolucci – Professor, jointly appointed to the Department of Community Health Sciences and Department of Surgery, at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, and Director of Education and Training at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI) and Lead for the Transdisciplinary Training Accelerator, One Child Every Child (OCEC).

Erin Nelson, PhD – Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta. 

Gerlinde Metz, PhD – Professor of Neuroscience and a Tier 1 Board of Governors Research Chair (Healthy Futures) at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, and Adjunct Professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, at the University of Alberta.

Gina-Marie Cerantola – Pelvic health physiotherapist in Calgary.

Jadine Paw, MD, PhD – Obstetrician & Gynecologist in Calgary, Clinical Associate Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, and the Deputy Head of Education for the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Calgary.

Jamie Benham, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, and an Endocrinologist at Alberta Health Services – Calgary Zone.

Katrina Milaney, PhD – Associate Vice President (Research) and a professor in the Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies program in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary.

Kirsten Fiest, PhD– Associate Professor in the Departments of Critical Care Medicine, Community Health Sciences, and Psychiatry at the University of Calgary; and Scientific Director of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health.

Kristopher Wells, PhD – Associate Professor and the Canada Research Chair (Tier II) for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth at MacEwan University; also founding director for the MacEwan Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity.

Kristin Black, MD – Gynecologic Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Oncology in the Cumming School of Medicine. Member of the Otipemisiwak Métis Nation within Alberta.

Lauren Walker, PhD, RPsych – Adjunct Associate Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Psychology at the University of Calgary. A registered psychologist and clinical sex therapist in Alberta.

Melissa Scott, MA – Indigenous health researcher and educator; Research Associate in the Department of Family Medicine in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary; also teaches Counselling with Indigenous Women and Aboriginal Women in Canada courses at Athabasca University.

Mruganka Kale, MD – Obstetrician gynecologist at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary, Alberta.

Natalie Scime, PhD – Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Health & Society at the University of Toronto Scarborough and in the Life Stage Research Program at ICES. 

Pamela Roach, PhD – Assistant Professor in the Cumming School of Medicine and Research Director for Indigenous Engagement in the VPR Office at the University of Calgary. Deputy Director for Population Health in the O’Brien Institute for Public Health.

Shannon Ruzycki, MD –  General internist and assistant professor in the Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine. 

Shazma Mithani, MD – Emergency physician at the Royal Alexandra and Stollery Children’s Hospitals in Edmonton.