It's always rewarding when what started out as largely an academic endeavor turns out to impact a lot of people -- in this case women. Women suffering from endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and preeclampsia may be protected from future heart disease if they carry a specific common genetic variant on the surface of cells (insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, or IGF1R). The research suggests new options for personalized screening and surveillance for cardiovascular disease.