The ROI of Gender-Diverse Leadership in Early-Stage Neurodegenerative Research

Groundbreaking research has profoundly impacted neurology and benefited patients with neurodegenerative diseases. However, a closer look at the authorship is necessary to understand the impact of gender-diverse leadership in life sciences research labs. Women are underrepresented in this field despite their high-impact publications.

The Status of Gender-Diverse Leadership in Life Sciences Research Labs

Women have come a long way in the scientific community. Leaders like Rosalind Franklin, Katherine Johnson, and Marie Curie shattered barriers and impacted lives. However, the lack of representation presents challenges for the field in the future. While female authorship has increased, there’s more work to do.

A 2024 Journal of Informetrics study analyzed gendered scholarly contributions from 2003 to 2024, encompassing over 212 million authorships over the two-decade span. The analysis found gender equity increased, and the balance became even more significant in leadership. Researchers also noted the female authorship rates in developing countries, which may contradict general assumptions.¹

While gender diversity in leadership has improved in life science research labs, it has also faced obstacles. For instance, a 2022 Humanities and Social Sciences Communications article noted female authorship slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic despite progress in previous years. The researchers said authorship was overwhelmingly male in all fields, thus expanding the gender imbalance.²

How Diverse Is Neurology Research?

Gender diversity is critical in all fields and has improved in recent years. However, neuroscience and related fields have yet to achieve equity in leadership and authorship.

A 2023 eNeurologicalSci study highlighted the underrepresentation of women in high-impact neurology journals and found only 13% had female editors-in-chief and 35% female editorial staff. The data also found women constituted only 39% of first and 26% of last authors, emphasizing the need for more equity.³

“Women are significantly underrepresented in the field of neurological research in leadership positions as editors-in-chief, editorial board members, as well as first or senior authors in top neurology medical journals,” the study said. “With continued underrepresentation of women occupying leading publishing roles, parity with men is still a work in progress. Additional work is needed to identify and address barriers to academic advancement for women physicians in academic neurology.”

Determining Diversity in Neurological Niches

Women’s representation declines further when you consider more specific types of neurology. For example, a 2022 Journal of Neurosurgery found U.S. women only accounted for 8.3% of first authors and 5.8% of last authors in neurological and spine journals.⁴

The researchers said 7.2% of all authors were women, and the niches had wide variances. For instance, pediatrics had the highest proportion of female leadership, representing 13.7% of first and 12.4% of last authors. However, the numbers declined for the spine section, which had women in less than 5% of first and last authors.

How Gender Diversity Leads to Better Science in Neurodegenerative Research

When women lead research teams, they bring new perspectives and increase representation in necessary fields like neurology. These projects also help female patients, considering they have a higher risk for dementia in their lifetimes.⁵ Women have also been responsible for innovative research on sex-specific mechanisms affecting neurodegenerative diseases.

Understanding Tau Accumulation

Because of female leadership, researchers better understand critical treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. For example, a 2025 Science Advances study examined the association between hormone therapy use and tau protein accumulation in the brain. The women-led team found faster tau accumulation in women older than 70 who used menopausal hormone therapy.⁶

Tau protein is critical to bodily functions because it helps your axons maintain their structural integrity. However, it can become problematic if you develop conditions like Alzheimer’s. This disease can cause abnormal accumulation, or “tangles,” in the parts of your brain responsible for memory.⁷ Therefore, more research is necessary to understand the relationship with hormone therapy.

Addressing Female Underrepresentation in Clinical Trials 

Women are more likely to have neurodegenerative diseases, so their representation in clinical trials is essential. However, modern studies might not account for them in their crucial research. A female-led 2022 BMJ Neurology Open study examined whether dementia clinical trials fairly represented women.⁸

The analysis collected phase three and four dementia trials with at least 100 participants. Researchers found men and women generally had equal representation in these studies. However, female representation in the underlying dementia population was lower. Only 58% of the 110,469 patients were women, which is lower than the estimated global dementia population.⁸

Biases can make trials less impactful, so gender-diverse leadership in life sciences research labs is crucial. Women in neurology may focus on the gender disparity in Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Concentrating on these diseases in women can lead to more impactful studies, such as understanding tau accumulation.

Promoting Women-Specific Research Projects

Gender diversity is also vital for leading women-specific research and spreading knowledge worldwide. One of the best examples is the Women’s Brain Project, which advances research about sex and gender differences, accelerating innovation around brain diseases in women.

A 2023 Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience study detailed contributions from the project regarding Alzheimer’s disease. The leadership team works on four pillars of neurodegenerative research — digital biomarkers, basic science, clinical science, and socioeconomic health determinants. Each pillar has led to significant innovation from the Women’s Brain Project.⁹

For example, the researchers have used statistical models and advanced technologies to create novel digital biomarkers. Now, scientists can better understand how to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease at early stages. The Women’s Brain Project also focuses on policy research to help lawmakers address gender inequities.⁹

The Benefits of Gender-Diverse Leadership in Life Sciences Research Labs

Female leadership across life science disciplines is lacking. A 2023 study from the European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology, and Education determined that women are underrepresented in Public Library of Science publications. While female representation has increased, it remains inequitable in the 21st century.¹⁰

Despite women’s underrepresentation, evidence suggests gender diversity improves science outcomes. For example, Applied Clinical Experts says 56% of its data experts are women. Diverse leadership has boosted collaboration and creativity while making strategies more effective. Since then, their approaches to data analysis and clinical trials have become more thoughtful.¹¹

Introducing Diversity

Women may be more familiar with the lack of diversity in clinical trials. Therefore, female leadership teams in scientific research are more likely than their male counterparts to make their trials more inclusive. A 2022 study from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology discussed the gender representation of clinical trials based on the leadership groups.¹²

The researchers said women only comprised 10.1% of the leadership committees for cardiovascular clinical trials, and over half had no women on their leadership teams. In contrast, there was a more appropriate proportion of female representation when women led the research.

“These problems are, unfortunately, cyclical in nature,” said Mary Walsh, MD, MACC, author of the study. “A lack of women in leadership positions on clinical trials results in fewer women participating in the trials.

“The fewer women participating in studies means that medications and other therapies aren’t ensured to be safe and effective for everyone. Fewer women leading clinical trials also means fewer women presenting pivotal, practice-changing trial results at scientific meetings.”

How to Make Life Science Research Labs More Diverse

Evidence suggests that gender diversity leads to better outcomes across disciplines. However, women remain underrepresented in neurodegenerative research and other life science fields. Here are five ways to increase equity in life science research labs.

1. Education

Education is crucial for diversification because it brings awareness. When healthcare employees see inclusion at work, they understand the benefits and may find inspiration to act. Human resource courses discuss the types of workplace diversity, including gender, age, and other critical aspects.¹³

2. Retention

A 2022 AMC Open Research study discovered women leave dementia academic research before reaching senior positions at higher rates than their male counterparts.¹⁴ Therefore, retention strategies are necessary to encourage female leadership. Address this issue through policy changes like flexible work arrangements, improved family leave policies, and mentorship programs.

3. Recruiting

Including more women in life science research means intentional policies in recruitment. Labs could advertise at conferences and publications catering to women who study neurology. Researchers could also invite women to speak at their labs and give seminars to increase visibility and help junior employees.

4. Early Support

While recruiting female professionals is imperative, labs should promote gender-diverse leadership in life sciences research at younger ages. A 2022 Frontiers in Psychology study said female students had more positive attitudes toward science than their male counterparts.¹⁵ The interest is there — it’s up to life science researchers to engage young women.

5. Addressing the Culture

Encouraging diversity in life science research starts from within. Your lab should have a culture where everyone feels valued and respected regardless of gender identity. If microaggressions arise, act quickly to minimize these incidents. Conversely, your workplace should regularly celebrate diversity through holidays and events.

Discovering How Gender Diversity Leads to Better Science

Women are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia because they generally live longer. Therefore, increasing female leadership in research teams is essential for better knowledge and treatment development.

Women have increased their first and last authorships in studies, though they’re still underrepresented. Female leadership benefits clinical trials through increased diversity and more effective research. Labs must employ targeted recruitment and retention strategies to accelerate female representation in life sciences research.

Sources:

1. Sánchez-Jiménez R, et al. Analysis of the distribution of authorship by gender in scientific output: A global perspective. Journal of Informetrics. 2024;18(3):101556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2024.101556
2. Son J, Bell M. Scientific authorship by gender: trends before and during a global pandemic. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 2022;9(348). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01365-4
3. Qaryouti D, et al. Gender parity in high impact neurology journals. eNeurologicalSci. 2023;33:100476. doi: 10.1016/j.ensci.2023.100476
4. Johnson G, et al. Representation of female neurosurgeons as abstract authors at neurological surgery conferences. Journal of Neurosurgery. 2022;137(4):1180-1186. doi: 10.3171/2022.1.JNS212096
5. Alzheimer’s Society. Why is dementia different for women?
6. Coughlan G, et al. Associations between hormone therapy use and tau accumulation in brain regions vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. ScienceAdvances. 2025;11(10). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adt1288
7. National Institute on Aging. What Happens to the Brain in Alzheimer’s Disease?
8. Pinho-Gomes, et al. Dementia clinical trials over the past decade: are women fairly represented? BMJ Neurology Open. 2022;4(2):e000261. doi: 10.1136/bmjno-2021-000261
9. Castro-Aldrete, et al. Sex and gender considerations in Alzheimer’s disease: The Women’s Brain Project contribution. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 2023;15.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1105620
10. Giannos P, et al. Female Dynamics in Authorship of Scientific Publications in the Public Library of Science: A 10-year Bibliometric Analysis of Biomedical Research. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education. 2023;13(2):228-237. doi: 10.3390/ejihpe13020018
11.  Applied Clinical Trials. It’s Time for the Life Sciences Industry to Accelerate Action for Gender Equality.
12.  Walsh M. Gender Diversity in Cardiovascular Clinical Trial Research Begins at the Top. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2022;79(9):929-932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.01.001
13. MediaLab. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Healthcare Workplace.
14. Andreou M, et al. The dementia research career pipeline: Gender disparities in publication authorships and grant funding outcomes at different career stages. AMC Open Research. 2022;4:18. doi: 10.12688/amrcopenres.13072.1
15. Lane C, et al. Fascinating or dull? Female students’ attitudes towards STEM subjects and careers. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;13:959972. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.959972