Felicity Mae Davis runs a research programme at the Department of Biomedicine at AU and the University of New South Wales in Sydney investigating breast development and the production and expulsion of milk during lactation. Originally from Australia, she realised when she was writing her PhD thesis on the topic of breast cancer just how little was known about the normal biology of women’s breasts.

“It struck me how little we actually understand about how breasts develop and change during a woman’s lifetime. Without a good understanding of breast physiology and homeostasis, researchers and clinicians are not in the best position to develop new therapies for breast cancer, or to prevent and manage complications associated with breastfeeding. In this respect, universities, researchers and funders have let women down.”

"Research into the female body has long been neglected"

The cell and developmental biology of breast tissue has been a major area of focus in Felicity Mae Davis’ research, although more recently she has diversified and started some new projects looking at reproduction and male contraception.

“Whilst female contraceptives have provided many women agency over their reproductive choices, there remains an imbalance in reproductive responsibilities and risks around the world. Drugs to increase sexual desire and pleasure are targeted at men and medicines to control fertility and prevent unwanted pregnancies are aimed at women. It is time that we acknowledge this problem and start doing something about it,” she says.

Felicity Mae Davis believes that women’s health – not just in these aspects, but also in many other areas – has not been given the attention it deserves. That realisation started her thinking about how she could contribute to fixing a problem that is so deeply rooted in society.

“The book 'Invisible Women' by Caroline Criado Perez highlights how in many aspects of life and society, including those areas related to human health and biology, women have been completely overlooked. This ranges from the level of safety offered by seat belts in cars, to the way drugs have been tested in pre-clinical and clinical trials, and even to the way that diseases are recognised and diagnosed. It is in this longstanding and pervasive problem that spurred the idea for the exhibition at KØN.”

From research idea to museum exhibition

In her reflections, Felicity Mae Davis came to realize that the lack of diversity within the type of research being done at universities reflects a general lack of diversity in research environments, and this is something she feels that universities can do a lot more to improve. She also believes, however, that with the right information, individuals can drive important changes.

“We hope to be able to foster empathy and understanding around topics such as menstruation, endometriosis, pelvic organ prolapse and mental health disparities. This involves opening a dialogue between children, educators, parents, grandparents and policy makers. Everyone is welcome at the museum,” she says.

KØN – Gender Museum Denmark is located in Aarhus, and the museum focuses on gender culture and addresses gender issues, gender equality, the body and sexuality. When, shortly after moving to Denmark, Felicity Mae Davis visited the museum for the first time with a friend, she was blown away by the uniqueness and impact that this museum has. This gave her the idea to contact the museum curator and suggest a possible collaboration.

Putting the idea into practice together with Linje X

“I described my research into breast biology to the curator and asked if they would be interested in showcasing some of the scientific imagery and art that we had created in my lab. The curator responded quickly and enthusiastically, but perhaps a little cautiously, and asked me to explain my ideas more thoroughly in a formal proposal. At first, I was in doubt about whether such an idea could ever be implemented. It seemed something that was out of reach, both financially and practically, but when the grant from Novo Nordisk Foundation was announced and the members of Linje X enthusiastically offered their time and expertise, the idea quickly grew and became a reality,” says Felicity Mae Davis.

“The exhibition and the project is a collective movement by some of the most inspiring researchers I have had the pleasure of getting to know,” she says.

The AU-based, cross-disciplinary research team includes Prof Ida Vogel, Associate Professor Christine Parsons, Nina Rågård, Associate Professor Kamille Rasmussen, Ulrik Bak Kirk, Dr Silke Chalmers and Dr Ella Paldam.

Opens its doors in 2024

“We’ve just received the money from the foundation this month, and we’ll be meeting shortly to start planning the first phase. We’re still at the beginning of a long and exciting process of getting the exhibition up and running, but we hope to be able to invite guests to the opening of the first phase in 2024.”

The museum exhibit at KØN is divided into two phases: in 2024 a smaller exhibition will be opened, and in 2026 the exhibition will take over some of the larger areas of the museum. We hope to cover three stories, representing three “stories” in women’s health and biology: the pelvic region on the first floor, the chest and breast in the middle, and the brain on the top level.

Felicity Mae Davis hopes that the exhibition at KØN will contribute to spreading more general knowledge about the women’s bodies, and help people to understand some difficult concepts in a clear, creative and fun way.

“If someone says that we have cells in the body that behave in this-way-or-that or consist of such-and-such, it can seem quite abstract and maybe even dry. Many people respond to seeing, hearing, feeling and experiencing things. Our goal is not just to communicate facts to the general public, but to make these topics accessible and enjoyable so that people will want to return, tell others about it and go off and learn more,” she concludes.

Contact

Associate Professor Felicity Mae Davis PhD
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine and DANDRITE
Mobile: +45 4121 0065
E-mail: felicity@biomed.au.dk