The Baker Reilly Award for Powering Women in Research
The new Baker Reilly Award for Powering Women in Research recognizes women-led innovation in medicine and health equity.
At St. Michael's Hospital, research turns our mission into real-world impact. Our teams work side by side in the hospital and the lab,ensuring breakthrough discoveries quickly improve care for people who need it most—here in our communities and around the world.
However, women researchers in Canada continue to receive less funding than their male counterparts. Supporting women in research isn’t just about equity, it’s about accelerating breakthroughs that improve lives globally. That’s why this award is so critical: it provides vital support and visibility for women driving transformative medical research, backed by women who believe in their work.
On February 4th, 2026 Women’s Power Circle members awarded $150,000 to the winning team and $10,000 to each runner-up.
Past Winners
The Baker Reilly Award for Powering Women in Research
Blush Now, Thank Yourself Later: Women’s Cancer Screening
Dr. Ann Burchell and Dr. Tina Fahim
The Challenge: The risk of anal cancer is 20 to 100 times higher among peoplewith immune-compromising conditions or a history of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers compared to the general population. Like cervical cancers, most anal cancers develop from persistent HPV infection, and new evidence suggests that anal cancer can be prevented through screening and treatment of early disease. New guidelines now recommend screening for high-risk groups: individuals living with HIV, women with a history of HPV-related vulvar disease, and women who have undergone a solid organ transplant. However, anal cancer screening is not yet standard practice for these groups.