All aspects of biology and medicine exhibit sex or gender differences. The field of sex-based biology and precision medicine (SPM) is often viewed as a specialized area of interest; however, it is a central consideration in biomedical research. Critical to the success of clinical care and translational science is an awareness by clinicians and researchers that diseases are characterized by sex and gender differences in epidemiology, pathophysiology, manifestations, progression, and response to treatment.

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Harnessing the biological forces that define disease manifestation and severity in one sex compared to the other may help transform its diagnosis and treatment; therefore, SPM is fundamental to precision medicine that will benefit women and men. A transdisciplinary approach is necessary to understand the complex interactions between genes, hormones, environment, social factors, behavior, and disease. Tulane Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Sex-Based Precision Medicine (COBRE-SPM) is the first COBRE to address this critical barrier in the field.