Newly formed board of leading experts will guide Ovum’s mission to close the gender health gap and deliver cutting-edge, AI-powered health insights for women worldwide.
Ovum, a comprehensive health partner designed specifically for women, today announced the formation of its Advisory Board to address the trillion-dollar gender health gap. The advisory board brings together a diverse and accomplished group of experts across medicine, business, nutrition, and technology.
The newly appointed Advisory Board will provide strategic guidance, expert insights, and ongoing support to ensure Ovum remains at the forefront of innovation in women’s health.
Ovum is powered by the Ovum Brain, an AI engine purpose-built to help women understand their body and advocate for it. It draws from female-centric medical literature to understand and learn from a wide range of health factors. Ovum identifies patterns over time and provides timely, intuitive reminders to women when attention is needed.
Dr Ariella Heffernan-Marks, Founder and CEO of Ovum, said: “Ovum’s mission to close the gender health gap and provide women with a trusted health partner is deeply personal to me and important for women around the world. For too long, women’s health has been underfunded and undervalued, leading to misdiagnosis and lifelong frustration.”
“That’s why we’ve assembled an Advisory Board of leaders who share our vision and bring a wealth of expertise. Their guidance ensures Ovum continues to deliver the most relevant, specialised, and up-to-date medical and technological knowledge to our users in an intuitive, accessible and supportive way.”
Professor Michael Chapman, one of Australia’s most respected fertility specialists, expressed his enthusiasm for joining the board: “In addition to being a senior clinician who has personally delivered over 3,000 babies and been involved in infertility treatments for the last 35 years which has resulted in over 3,500 babies conceived through IVF under my care, I have a very firm belief that education of our patients must be a primary objective.”
“The use of new technology to enhance patient and doctor access to the latest best treatments. It’s a major step forward that Ovum offers. I am extremely pleased to be involved as an advisor to this project.”
Dr Sue Haupt, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine at The George Institute said: “The global gender health gap not only impacts the quality of women’s lives but their families, communities and the next generation of girls and women seeking answers to their often dismissed health questions. The serious neglect of women’s health intersects with income and employment, education, and overall wellbeing. I enthusiastically join Dr Heffernan-Marks and her team shaping a better future for the health of women across the globe.”
Dr. Catherine Keating, Ex-Head of Medibank Preventative Health said: “I’m delighted to join Dr Heffernan-Marks and Ovum as an advisor supporting their mission to close the gender health gap. The platform is also building a longitudinal women’s health dataset — a critical step toward closing the gender data gap in research and innovation. Change is coming — and it’s long overdue.”
“The use of new technology to enhance patient and doctor access to the latest best treatments. It’s a major step forward that Ovum offers. I am extremely pleased to be involved as an advisor to this project.”
With the support of its expert Advisory Board, Ovum is poised to become a global leader in femtech. The app is set to launch next month and users can sign up now for early access to be among the first to experience its innovative approach to women’s health.
The Advisory Board includes leading clinicians, researchers, nutritionists, and technologists:
Medical & Research Advisors:
- Professor Michael Chapman - Clinical Advisor
- Dr Talat Uppal - Clinical Advisor, Gynaecologist, Women's Health Road
- Professor Amanda Henry - Clinical & Research Supervisor
- Professor Rebecca Dean - Clinical & Research Supervisor
- Dr. Sue Haupt - Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in
Health and Medicine at The George Institute
- Dr Manjri Raval - Clinical Advisor, Endocrinologist & General Internal Medicine Physician
Nutrition & Health Experts:
- Sheryl Carrol - Integrative Health Practitioner and Women's Wellness Coach
- Dr Megan Gow - Senior Research Fellow & Dietitian
- Melanie White - Health & Behavioural Coach/Advisor & Biologist Business, Tech & Strategy Advisors:
- Dr. Catherine Keating - Former Senior Executive Member Health / Head of Preventative Health, Medibank
- Emma MacKenzie - Former Chief of Staff & Head of Communications, Clue
- Andy Timms & Benjamin Bray - Founding Partners at Nakatomi
- Casey Cosh - Medical B2B Sales
- Dr. Nick Engerer - B2C & Tech Advisor
- Rachel Delaney - Commercial & Data Privacy Lawyer