In 2019 the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recognized the need for the establishment of a Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) aimed at improving understanding and knowledge translation in relation to key problems in women’s reproductive health – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, infertility and early menopause. This research program, led by Professor Helena Teede, was funded for the duration of five years, and the Centre for Research Excellence in Women’s Health in Reproductive Life (CRE WHiRL) came into being.

CRE-WHIRL leverages off a unique, world leading women’s health network, established under the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (2014 – 2019). Engaging 3500 health professionals and consumers internationally, the CRE in PCOS delivered on a vision to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and health outcomes for women with PCOS. This program successfully advanced new knowledge with 278 publications in 4 years, leveraged $10M in funding and generated the first international PCOS guidelines [NHMRC approved, WHO adopted]1across the areas of screening; diagnostic assessment; risk assessment; life-stage; prevalence, diagnostic assessment and treatment of emotional wellbeing; lifestyle; pharmacological treatment for non-fertility indications and assessment and treatment of infertility. This unprecedented international collaboration in women’s health formally engaged 38 societies, patient advocacy groups and government agencies from 71 countries and six continents in an international PCOS network. Our multi-disciplinary leadership and PCOS network has now generated a strategic, consumer-driven, global PCOS research road map, poised to address remaining internationally prioritised knowledge gaps in PCOS.

CRE- WHIRL has four inter-related research streams focused on guidelines, translation resources, benchmarking of care, monitoring alignment with guidelines and effective evidence translation for patients, practitioners and policy makers.

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome research gaps
• Infertility
• Early Menopause
• Improving translation for patients, practitioners and policy makers

CRE-WHIRL provides a unique international prospect for large scale, visionary and meaningful health impact. It will achieve this by addressing key gaps and broadening this successful collaboration network to common, neglected women’s reproductive health priorities currently causing increasing health and financial burden. CRE WHiRL aligns with Australian policy and WHO priorities and seeks to provide the evidence, research translation workforce development, collaboration and expertise to deliver measurable health benefits.