Uterine leiomyomata and keloids fibrosis origins: a mini-review of fibroproliferative diseases.

Diseases such as uterine leiomyomata (fibroids and benign tumors of the uterus) and keloids (raised scars) may share common etiology. Fibroids and keloids can co-occur in individuals, and both are highly heritable, suggesting they may share common genetic risk factors. Fibroproliferative diseases are common and characterized by scarring and overgrowth of connective tissue, impacting multiple organ systems. These conditions both have racial disparities in prevalence, with the highest prevalence observed among individuals of African ancestry. Several fibroproliferative diseases are more severe and common in populations of sub-Saharan Africa. This mini-review aims to provide a broad overview of the current knowledge of the evolutionary origins and causes of fibroproliferative diseases. We also discuss current hypotheses proposing that the increased prevalence of these diseases in African-derived populations is due to the selection for profibrotic alleles that are protective against helminth infections and provide examples from knowledge of uterine fibroid and keloid research.

Challenges and Opportunities for Data Science in Women's Health.

The intersection of women's health and data science is a field of research that has historically trailed other fields, but more recently it has gained momentum. This growth is being driven not only by new investigators who are moving into this area but also by the significant opportunities that have emerged in new methodologies, resources, and technologies in data science. Here, we describe some of the resources and methods being used by women's health researchers today to meet challenges in biomedical data science. We also describe the opportunities and limitations of applying these approaches to advance women's health outcomes and the future of the field, with emphasis on repurposing existing methodologies for women's health.