Developing effective drugs for endometriosis, autoimmune conditions, and inflammatory diseases has always been a challenge. From the difficulty of translating symptoms like pain and fatigue into measurable biology, to the gaps in understanding how these conditions behave at the cellular level, progress has not matched the demand for medicines that work. These conditions are also deeply connected, with many sharing the same underlying inflammatory biology, yet they remain hard to study without invasive procedures.
At NextGen Jane, we're changing that. Our team has developed a breakthrough approach: analyzing menstrual blood to detect molecular signatures of these conditions. No surgery, no invasive procedures.
Now, we are launching new studies to analyze how potential therapies interact with real human tissue, safely outside the body. When you send us your menstrual cup collection, our Oakland lab adds promising compounds (drugs) to the sample outside the body and measures how critical cells in menstrual blood respond. Each sample helps bring the science of treatment closer to real-world impact.
By participating, you're directly contributing to the next generation of research into endometriosis, autoimmune, and inflammatory conditions and helping redefine care for millions.
About the Study
What are we doing?
We're collecting menstrual blood from Bay Area participants with endometriosis, autoimmune conditions, and inflammatory diseases, as well as healthy controls. Samples will be collected using a menstrual cup and couriered to our Oakland lab, where compounds will be added to the sample to better understand how the drug might work.
Who can participate?
We need to collect menstrual cups from participants who qualify. All participants must:
- Live or work within a 45-minute drive of Oakland, CA
- Have a medium-heavy flow
- Not be on any hormones or birth control
- Have comfortable experience with menstrual cups/discs OR
- Expect to not have discomfort with menstrual cups (such as having minimal trouble with vaginal insertion)
In addition, you must fit one of the following categories:
‘Healthy’ Controls
- You have no diagnosis of endometriosis or other gynecologic conditions.
- You do not experience chronic pelvic pain or abnormal menstrual bleeding
Dysmenorrhea and Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
- You have chronic pain and bleeding symptoms that align with endometriosis
Autoimmune Conditions
- You have a confirmed diagnosis of an autoimmune condition, such as lupus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, or Sjögren's syndrome OR
- You are currently being evaluated for a suspected autoimmune condition
Inflammatory Conditions
- You have a confirmed diagnosis of a chronic inflammatory condition, such as hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), sarcoidosis, or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's or ulcerative colitis) OR
- You are currently being evaluated for a suspected inflammatory condition
Endometriosis
- You suspect endometriosis, or are going in for surgical diagnosis within 24 months OR
- You have a confirmed diagnosis, through imaging of an endometrioma, an unrelated procedure (e.g. C-section), or a prior laparoscopy, where the endometriosis was left untreated OR
- You have been diagnosed with endometriosis via a laparoscopy where all tissue was removed
What do we need from you?
Your participation can transform an often-overlooked aspect of women’s health by utilizing something that is normally discarded.
- Intake call: We’ll ask you to schedule a 20-minute informed consent call to review study details and introduce you to NGJ
- Collections: We’ll ask you to collect 3 menstrual cup collections per cycle, across a maximum of 5 cycles. Collections are done at home, transferred to a handling-safe package, and handed to a courier service for delivery.
- Questionnaires: You’ll also complete brief questionnaires designed to better understand your health background and menstrual experiences, including current symptoms and health conditions.
- Medical Records: For some participants, we will request access to paperwork detailing their diagnoses.
- Additional Contact: After your first collection cycle, we ask you to remain open to being contacted for additional collection and data asks for up to 2 years.
What you will receive for participating?
To acknowledge your contribution, you will receive a $500 digital Amazon gift card for each completed cycle, up to a study maximum of $2,500.
Your participation helps scientists better understand how potential treatments interact with real human tissue, a critical step toward faster, safer, and more effective therapies for endometriosis, autoimmune, and inflammatory conditions. Thank you for contributing to research that could transform how these conditions are treated in the future.
