As a Trainee Patent Attorney in Potter Clarkson's Biotech team, I work with innovators developing technologies across a wide range of healthcare fields. My route into intellectual property, however, began in academic research.
I completed my PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Cambridge, where my research focused on placental development during early pregnancy. Using stem cell and organoid models of the human placenta, I investigated how metabolic processes influence epigenetic modifications and how these changes can direct cell differentiation during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Following my PhD, I continued at Cambridge as a postdoctoral researcher. Alongside my research, I joined a team of early-career researchers comprising Dr Priscilla Day-Walsh, Dr Francesca Gaccioli, Dr Dafina Angelova, Jemima Bittor, Jasmine Kiley and myself, working in collaboration with Dr Gioia Canciani, Consultant Gynaecologist at Cambridge University Hospital.
Together, we developed an initiative focused on addressing inequalities in the screening, diagnosis and management of uterine fibroids.
Addressing inequalities in uterine fibroid care
Uterine fibroids are one of the most common gynaecological conditions, affecting between 70 and 80% of women globally by the age of 50. Yet many patients experience delays in diagnosis, difficulties accessing appropriate treatment and a lack of reliable information about the condition.
These challenges disproportionately affect some communities. For Black women, incidence is between 80 and 90%, with much more severe symptoms including infertility, miscarriage, anaemia and chronic pain. This makes fibroids not only a women's health issue, but also an important health equity issue. A 2024 NHS study estimated that workplace absenteeism associated with uterine fibroid symptoms costs the UK economy approximately £11 million each year.
One of our first major milestones was organising the symposium Breaking the Silence about Uterine Fibroids: Confronting Inequalities in Women's Health in 2024. The event brought together experts from healthcare, academia, patient advocacy and policy to examine the barriers faced by women living with fibroids.
Four persistent challenges emerged from these discussions: insufficient education and awareness, delays in diagnosis, inequalities in access to treatment, and the need for more culturally competent care.
From research to policy change
The findings from the symposium were subsequently presented in Parliament at Reproductive Equity and the Fibroids Crisis, a session organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Black Health and hosted by MP Paulette Hamilton. The project also attracted international interest, leading to engagement with the Office of Congresswoman Yvette Clarke in Washington, DC.
Building on this momentum, the team organised a second event in 2026, Breaking the Silence about Uterine Fibroids: A Pathway to Legislative Change, in collaboration with the APPG on Black Health and supported by funding from the Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP).
The meeting brought together representatives from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of General Practitioners and leading national and international voices in women's health, including Professor Hilary Critchley, Sateria Venable, CEO of The Fibroid Foundation, US, Samira Rafaela, former MEP and author of Let's Talk About Our Bodies, and Professor Dame Lesley Regan, the UK's Women's Health Ambassador.
Building awareness of uterine fibroids
Alongside these policy initiatives, the team has developed educational resources for undergraduate medical students, GPs and patients in collaboration with partners including NICE, Fibroids Forum UK and Homerton College.
The aim has been to improve awareness of uterine fibroids among healthcare professionals and the wider public, while exploring opportunities to strengthen women's health education more broadly. The longer-term ambition is to explore opportunities to extend appropriate women's health education into the secondary school curriculum, addressing gaps in awareness much earlier in the life course.
The work has also been shared through a range of academic, professional and public engagement events, including the Menstruation Research Network Annual Conference, the Norwich Research Park Black Health Conference, the Cambridge Wellness Festival and AI for Women's Health policy events.
To consolidate these activities and provide a platform for future growth, we formally established the FibroidsFree Initiative, creating a dedicated network to continue advancing research, education, public engagement and policy discussions around uterine fibroids.
My experience with FibroidsFree demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when researchers, clinicians, patients and policymakers work together towards a common goal. It is a perspective I continue to bring to my work today, where innovation, collaboration and real-world impact remain at the heart of what we do.
Giulia and the FibroidsFree team will be attending the Physiological Society's Parliamentary event on 20 October, where they will be presenting research from the FibroidsFree project and continuing conversations around improving outcomes for those affected by uterine fibroids.
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