Women in Science - Gastroenterology 2026

Gastroenterology is a rapidly evolving field in which women make important contributions to clinical care, biomedical research, education, public health, innovation, and healthcare leadership. Although the number of women entering gastroenterology training and practice has increased, persistent disparities remain in senior academic appointments, leadership positions, research funding, publication impact, invited lectures, editorial representation, professional recognition, compensation, and access to procedural training and career advancement.These challenges may be intensified by intersecting factors such as race and ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic background, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, caregiving responsibilities, parental status, and career stage. Recent studies and professional reports through 2025 continue to describe unequal access to mentorship, sponsorship, professional networks, institutional resources, flexible working arrangements, and leadership opportunities. Women may also face specialty-specific barriers related to procedural practice, endoscopy training, clinical productivity expectations, pregnancy and parental leave, workplace culture, harassment, and the demands of balancing clinical care with research and education.At the same time, women have made important contributions across gastroenterology, including advances in inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal oncology, endoscopy, pancreatic diseases, motility, nutrition, microbiome research, paediatric gastroenterology, and population health. Efforts to address inequities include transparent promotion criteria, equity-focused policies, mentorship and sponsorship programmes, leadership development, family-supportive practices, flexible career pathways, improved parental leave, pay-equity initiatives, and more consistent monitoring of demographic and career outcomes. However, evidence remains uneven across regions, institutions, career stages, and gastroenterology subspecialties. Further research is needed to identify effective interventions, understand the experiences of underrepresented groups, and ensure that progress is measurable and sustainable.This Research Topic aims to showcase the contributions of women in gastroenterology and examine the factors that influence their participation, recognition, advancement, and leadership across clinical, academic, research, educational, industry, and policy settings. It will explore how institutional structures, professional cultures, training systems, funding mechanisms, procedural expectations, and social determinants shape career trajectories and opportunities.The Research Topic will also consider strategies for reducing inequities, strengthening inclusive professional environments, supporting work–life integration, improving access to training and leadership, and increasing the visibility and impact of women’s scientific and clinical contributions. Contributions may address current evidence, lived experiences, innovative interventions, policy evaluation, workforce research, educational approaches, or theoretical perspectives relevant to gender equity and inclusion in gastroenterology.To gather further insights into the participation, advancement, and leadership of women in gastroenterology across global and diverse professional contexts, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Women’s representation in gastroenterology education, training, clinical practice, research, and leadership- Academic promotion, career progression, retention, and institutional decision-making- Gender disparities in research funding, publication, authorship, citations, invited lectures, and scientific recognition- Representation on editorial boards, conference programmes, guideline panels, examination committees, and professional societies- Access to endoscopy, advanced procedural training, subspecialty fellowships, and technical leadership opportunities- Mentorship, sponsorship, networking, peer support, and leadership-development programmes- Work–life integration, caregiving, parental leave, flexible working, career interruptions, and return-to-work pathways- Intersectionality involving race, ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and career stage- Women’s contributions to inflammatory bowel disease, hepatology, gastrointestinal oncology, endoscopy, pancreatic and biliary diseases, motility, nutrition, microbiome research, pediatric gastroenterology, and other subspecialties- Women’s roles in gastroenterology innovation, entrepreneurship, digital health, artificial intelligence, medical devices, and industry collaboration- Gender-sensitive gastroenterology research and inclusive clinical trials- Patient representation, sex- and gender-informed care, and health disparities in gastrointestinal disease- Bias, discrimination, harassment, bullying, psychological safety, and institutional accountability- Gender differences in clinical workload, procedural volume, productivity measures, compensation, and promotion- Policies and interventions that promote equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and fairness in gastroenterology- Global perspectives on women’s participation and leadership in gastroenterology- Evaluation of workforce, mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership initiatives- The experiences of early-career, mid-career, senior, international, and underrepresented women in gastroenterology Topic editors: Stefania Chetcuti Zammit, Carmen Peralta Uroz Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86312/women-in-science---gastroenterology-2026