Savita Dhanvantari PhD: Advancing Science and Gender Equity in Healthcare

More women are reshaping the health care field in leadership and research roles and breaking down barriers. But there is more work to do.  

At the current rate of progress, full gender parity won’t be achieved for another five generations according to the World Economic Forum. That’s why this year’s International Women’s Day theme on March 8, ‘Accelerate Action’ highlights the urgency for swift, decisive steps to achieve gender equality.

To mark the day, St. Joseph’s Health Care is profiling two staff members - a nurse practitioner and researcher - who have made significant contributions to health care.

Progress starts with reflections of today, breaking the status quo and pushing for change.

Savita Dhanvantari PhD. is a scientist at heart and one of Canada’s most accomplished women in science. After earning her PhD at the University of Toronto in 1997, she conducted postdoctoral research at the U.S National Institutes of Health before joining Lawson Research Institute. She specializes in diabetes research and imaging, developing advanced microscopy techniques to peer inside cells that regulate blood sugar. Her goal is to uncover what happens inside cells during diabetes to improve blood sugar control.

The theme this year for International Women’s Day is ‘Accelerate Action.’ What does this mean to you?

To me, “accelerate action” means to speed up progress on actionable policies to achieve gender equity at all levels of research, but especially for scientists at mid-career, senior levels and in leadership. The good news is women are making up a larger percentage of researchers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and medical fields. However, the bad news is the data show women leave academia at the mid-career and senior levels and are still not promoted at the same rate as men into leadership positions. This results in a documented gender gap and at this rate, it will take another 150 years to achieve full equity. So to “accelerate action” means to intentionally develop and act on policies to hire, retain and promote women so that gender equity will be achieved before the year 2175! That is too long, and women will not wait. How about 2035? That’s the year I turn 70 and I hope to see gender equity achieved in my lifetime.

What women or feminist ideas inspired you to choose a career in science or healthcare/science?

As a girl growing up in a small Southwestern Ontario town in the 1970s, I had no female role models in science – my science teachers were all men.  My inspiration was my father, who nurtured my sense of curiosity about the world. Looking back on it, he raised me and my siblings with feminist ideals of career and financial independence. With his quiet encouragement, I collected weeds, leaves, insects and soil for identification. I helped him plant a vegetable garden and learned how a seed became an entire plant. I had the privilege of being in a family that valued education for girls, and having a father who steered me toward a passion for science. As I progressed through my graduate and postgraduate training, I intentionally sought out female mentors who taught me about striving for excellence in science, mentoring, and developing a supportive network.

What changes have you noticed throughout your career when it comes to science/ health care?

First, there is starting to be more of a critical mass of younger women who want change in the way academia operates. It is because of this change that we have initiatives such as EDI, and programs within our federal granting agencies that promote and advance a more inclusive and diverse culture. Data show that having more diversity and gender equity in science improves the quality of science by making it more representative of society.  Second, in my own field of islet biology, there is an overwhelming acceptance of conducting research in both female and male animals, and a realization, based on data, that pancreatic islets from the different sexes actually have different biologies. This kind of data-driven approach now extends to clinical trials funded by the large granting agencies, with mandatory sex equity in clinical research and clinical trials. Third, there is an increase in recognition and funding for women’s health research.  The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada has acknowledged that it has failed women by studying heart disease only in men. We are seeing research on the uterus and placenta, endometriosis, period pain, and menopause gaining traction and being funded. My hope is in 10 or 20 years, girls and women will be empowered by science-based knowledge about their bodies. And finally, I have seen my scientific societies move away from exclusivity and become more inclusive and welcoming. By embracing diversity, they have enriched the exchange of ideas at conferences, leading to broader and higher-quality research discussions.

How do you encourage or uplift women who are aspiring to work in health care/science?

Empowering women in health care benefits everyone. I belong to a wonderful organization called Women in Molecular Imaging Network, part of the World Molecular Imaging Society. I’ve organized several events and workshops at conferences to create opportunities for women for mentorship, networking and leadership development. Interestingly, both men and women, senior and junior faculty and students attend creating an environment to learn and grow professionally. As a senior faculty member myself, I actively sponsor women in WIMIN by sending job postings and encouraging them to apply, writing letters recommending promotion, citing their publications and amplifying social postings.

What steps have you taken to reduce barriers for women in health care/science?

I am really proud to have been involved in Women in Cell Biology (WICB), of the American Society for Cell Biology, when I was a postdoctoral researcher in the late 1990s. At that time, we asked the Society to implement gender equity, and especially consider younger women, into their invited speaker selection policy. We received a lot of pushback, claiming it would “compromise the quality of the science”. Of course, this was not based on any evidence. Now there is a speaker referral list from which invited speakers are chosen in an unbiased manner, and younger female and male scientists are now giving invited talks to everyone’s benefit. Closer to home, I am part of the Ontario Hospitals Association Research and Innovation Anti-Racism and EDI Advisory Group, which advises all Ontario hospital-based research institutes on strategies for diversity and inclusion, and we have established policies to reduce gender bias in hiring scientists. My own lab has a Code of Conduct outlining the expectations of my students and my responsibilities as a supervisor. In this way, I educate everyone on the “hidden curriculum” in academia, which empowers them, and I find the female students especially benefit from this type of mentoring.  

How do you balance work, personal life and self-care in such a demanding profession?

When I’m not in the lab, I’m in the swimming pool, training and competing as a Masters swimmer. Being part of a Masters team is all about “fun, fitness and friendship” and there is a lot of joy, camaraderie and inspiration in the collective pursuit of fast swimming. I’m also in the gym lifting weights.  I firmly believe that every woman should be physically strong and liberate themselves from societal expectations of what an appropriate body image should be. As I approach the age of 60, I am amazed at how fast I can swim and how much weight I can lift. We are all stronger than we know!