Fellows of the Society for Reproductive Biology

BERNARD MICHAEL BINDON

B.M.(Bernie) Bindon had a 43 year career in livestock research with CSIRO Divisions in Brisbane, Sydney and Armidale. Bindon’s early reproduction research dealt with hormonal control of ovarian function in sheep and cattle. Ph.D studies dealt with pituitary and ovarian regulation of implantation in laboratory rodents and sheep. Research at CSIRO Animal Genetics during 1971-1989 concentrated on the physiological basis of genetic differences in prolificacy (fecundity) in the unique “Booroola” strain of Merino sheep. These studies were the basis of Bindon’s James Goding Memorial Lecture to ASRB in 1983. During this period his CSIRO colleague L.R.Piper described a major gene (Fec.B) in the “Booroola” Merino, responsible for the extraordinary ovulation rate in this animal. This led to international interest in major genes affecting reproductive traits in livestock. (The “Booroola” mutation has since been traced to the granulosa cells in the ovary and a DNA test developed for its identification). These studies led to the overseas studies of prolific sheep by Bindon in France, Morocco, Malaysia and the Middle East.

IAIN CLARKE

Professor Clarke graduated from Massey University, New Zealand (B. Agric. Sci., 1971, followed by M. Agric. Sci. (1st Class) in reproductive physiology in 1973). He then obtained his PhD at Edinburgh University, Scotland in 1976, studying endocrinology and behaviour. He then moved to Australia and has been in Melbourne since 1977. He became a Senior Research Fellow of NHMRC in 1986, rising to Principal Research Fellow in 1991. He became Chairman, Department of Physiology, Monash University in 2007. Prof has published 430 research papers and has received The Woodward Prize for Excellence in Research in Neuroscience (1992), a Senior Fulbright Award (1997), the Asia and Oceania Medal of The Endocrine Society (United Kingdom) in 2001 and the TransPacific Lecturership, Endocrine Society (USA) in 2004. Most recently (2009), he was the recipient of The Geoffrey Harris Memorial Award of the International Federation of Neuroendocrinology (2009).

Prof Clarke's seminal studies on the measurement of hypothalamic secretion of GnRH in sentient animals were published in 1982 and he has contributed extensively to the field of reproductive neuroendocrinology for 35 years. His laboratory expanded to embrace all many other aspects of neuroendocrinology and he currently devotes 50% of his research effort to the study of brain mechanisms that regulate food intake and energy expenditure. There are two main divisions in Professor Clarke's laboratory; reproduction in association with Dr Jeremy Smith and metabolic Neuroendocrinology, in association with Dr Belinda Henry. In particular, his work has utilised sheep models, which allow a range of studies not easily undertaken in small laboratory species. He has developed a number of novel neuroendocrine methodologies that allow analysis ranging from the whole animal down to the single cell and subcellular function. These techniques have enabled a range of national and international collaborations, with grant funding from Australian and offshore sources.
www.med.monash.edu.au/physiology/staff/clarke.html

JOCK FINDLAY

Jock is Head of the Female Reproductive Biology Group of Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research (PHIMR), Melbourne, and a Senior Principal Research Fellow (SPRF) of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). He was also Director of Research at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne until June 2012. In addition, he was a Member of the Patient Review Panel of the Victorian Government, is the Chair of the Board of the Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium Inc. and was the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council and member of the Board of the Bio21 Cluster. Jock was also Chairperson on the Embryo Research Licensing Committee (NHMRC). He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide. He holds Honorary Professorships with the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Monash and Melbourne Universities. He was Deputy Director of PHIMR from 1990-2007, a member of the Council of the NH&MRC [2003-2009], Chairperson of the Infertility Treatment Authority of Victoria [2001-2009], and Chair of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group, Department of Reproductive Health & Research at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, from 1998-2003.

Jock is currently Vice President of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, USA, and will become the first President of that Society outside North America in 2013-2014.

He research includes the actions of peripheral and local hormones and growth factors on the ovarian follicle and its oocyte. More recently he has been researching ovarian cancer with a particular emphasis on its resistance to chemotherapy.

He received the 1992 James Goding Memorial Lecture of the Australian Society for Reproductive Biology, the 1999 Society for Endocrinology (UK) Asia and Oceania Medal, the 2006 Dale Medal of the Society for Endocrinology (UK and the 2006 Distinguished Scientist Award of the Society for Reproduction and Fertility (UK). Jock was awarded an AM in 2001 and AO in 2008 for services to medical research.

JEFFREY KEELAN

Jeff Keelan gained his PhD from the University of Auckland in 1994. Although his research was initially in the field of steroid biochemistry, he has primarily focussed on the study placental inflammation, endocrinology and pharmacology. He is Professor of Obstetrics and Head of Laboratories at the School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia. Jeff is an active member of the SRB and a founding member of the Australian and New Zealand Placental Research Association [ANZPRA]. He is Associated Editor of Reproduction, Fertility and Development. His has published over 110 articles (>2970 citations; h-index 32) in leading journals in the fields of immunology, pharmacology, obstetrics, physiology and endocrinology. His current research is centred on the pharmacological treatment of intra-amniotic infection/inflammation, nanoparticle-based drug delivery in pregnancy, the intrauterine microbial and endocrine environment, amniotic fluid metagenomics and lipidomics.
Web: http://www.uwa.edu.au/people/jeff.keelan

Michelle Lane

EILEEN MCLAUGHIN

Eileen McLaughlin is currently Deputy Head of the Faculty of Science and IT and Laboratory Head at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle. Eileen’s current research is concentrated in two main areas. In spermatogenesis, she is working on a number of key molecules which contribute to the control of the cell cycle and regulation of meiosis in the testes. In folliculogenesis, she has focussed on cell signalling pathways that contribute to the initiation of primordial follicle activation, effects of environmental ovotoxicants) and development of nonsurgical sterilant agents for domesticated animals. Her laboratory uses a combination of animal models, organ and cell culture to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the growth and differentiation of germ cells. She is a member of the Priority Research Centre in Chemical Biology and Reproductive Science and has established several strong national and international contributions in UK, Europe and USA. Her most recent research on ovarian follicular development has led to her invitation to present in the Serono Symposia International Foundation conference on: "Reproductive ageing - a basic and clinical update" in Sicily in 2011. Similarly, her work on the Musashi family of RNA binding proteins and the cell cycle regulator APCcdh1 in meiosis in the testes has been recognised by invitations to present her work at the Cold Spring Harbor Germ Cell Meeting (USA), OzBio, Hunter Cell Biology and SRB meetings in 2011 and 2012.
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/staff/research-profile/Eileen_McLaughlin/
PRC in Chemical Biology: http://www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/ccb/
Reproductive Science: http://www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/crs/

MOIRA O'BRYAN

Moira O'Bryan graduated from The University of Melbourne in 1994, after which she was awarded an Andrew Mellon Foundation Fellowship to work at arguably the leading academic institute in the world for contraceptive development, The Population Council in New York. She was awarded both an Australian Research Council (ARC) post-doctoral Fellowship and a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Peter Doherty Fellowship and returned to Australia in 1996 to work at Monash Institute of Medical Research (nee Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development), Monash University where she established a highly productive lab working on sperm development and the genetics of male infertility. Moira was awarded a NHMRC R.D. Wright Fellowship in 2001, a Monash University Senior post-doctoral Fellowship from the Faculty of Medicine in 2005 and NHMRC Senior Research Fellowships in 2006 and 2009. In 2009 Moira and her lab moved to the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology where she heads the “Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory” and is Deputy Head of Department.

Moira has received research based awards from the Australian Academy of Science, The Fertility Society of Australia, The Endocrine Society of Australia, and the Society for Reproductive Biology from whom she received the 2006 Research Centre for Reproductive Health Award for Excellence in Reproductive Biology. In 2008 she was named by the American Society of Andrology as “The Young Andrologist of the Year” and in 2010 she received the Dean’s Award for Research Excellence from Monash University. In 2013 she will present the International Lecture at the American Society of Andrology annual conference.

In addition to a strong commitment to research excellence, Moira has achieved a substantial track record for the promotion of science through her position as a past national director of The Australian Society for Medical Research. She has also made significant contributions to the infrastructure of Australian medical research through the establishment of The Australian Phenome Bank and the Australian Centre for Vertebrate Mutation Detection, the Monash Male Infertility Repository and the Australian Phenomics Network.

Focus of the Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory include: cilia/flagellar development and function, genetic causes of human infertility, DNA repair mechanisms, sperm head shaping and the transcriptional and translational control of germ cell expressed genes.
www.med.monash.edu.au/anatomy/staff/moiraobryan.html

CHRIS O'NEILL

Chris has had a long research interest in the regulation of the growth and development of the early embryo. He discovered the important role of autocrine trophic factors in development of the embryo and has described their mechanisms of action and the consequences of their deprivation. He was one of the pioneers of optimising human assisted reproductive technologies. His work provided the foundations for preimplantation genetic diagnosis, the treatment of male infertility, improved media design and he pioneered current efforts in understanding the long-term consequences of assisted reproductive technologies on the health of progeny. His lab is currently focussed on defining the fundamental processes of epigenetic reprogramming in the early embryo and the effects of environmental stresses on these processes. Chris is currently Professor of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Sydney; Head, Centre for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Kolling Institute for Medical Research; and Research Theme co-Leader - Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health, Sydney Medical School. He serves as a member of the NHMRC Embryo Research Licensing Committee and is a member of the Editorial Board of Reproduction.

SARAH ROBERTSON Ph.D.

Professor Sarah Robertson is NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and Director of the Research Centre for Reproductive Health, Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide AUSTRALIA. Her research focus is to define how events at the time of conception impact pregnancy and fetal development, and the health of the child after birth. In particular she studies the role of cytokines and the immune response in regulating embryo development and implantation. She has a major interest in the immune adaptation required to support healthy fetal development and prevent pathologies of pregnancy such as miscarriage, preeclampsia and preterm delivery. She has collaborated with commercial partners to successfully develop her discovery of cytokine control of embryo development into new commercial products for human reproductive medicine. Her work is funded by Project grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Australian Research Council, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Gates Foundation. Her research outputs include more than 110 peer-reviewed scientific journal papers and reviews and 3 patent families since 1991. She has official roles in the Society for the Study of Reproduction (USA), and the International Council for Reproductive Immunology. Since 2008 she has been Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Reproductive Immunology.

RAY RODGERS

Ray Rodgers graduated from the University of Melbourne with a B Agr Sci (Hons) in 1976, M Agr Sci in 1979 working on clover disease of sheep and a PhD in 1984 examining the roles of small and large luteal cells in sheep. He undertook post-doctoral training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas (1984-1986) examining the molecular regulation of steroid hormone production in the ovary. He returned to Australia in late 1986 as a Queen Elizabeth II Fellow at Prince Henry’s Hospital in Melbourne and cloned the activin/inhibin βB gene and promoter. He moved to Flinders University in 1990 as he was awarded a NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (1993), and with the awarding of a Principal Research Fellowship in 2000 he then moved to the University of Adelaide. His group focused initially on granulosa stem cells and latterly on the roles of extracellular matrix in the ovary.
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/ray.rodgers

PETER ROGERS BSc (Hons), PhD

Professor Peter Rogers is the Professor of Women’s Health Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University of Melbourne. His lab is situated in the research precinct of the Royal Women’s Hospital with research interests spanning basic reproductive biology through to gynaecological problems. Current areas of interest include common women’s health disorders such as heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic pain and uterine aspects of infertility. Peter also runs a program investigating the application of synchrotron generated micro beam x-rays for tumour radiotherapy.

LOIS A. SALAMONSEN, PHD

Head of Uterine Biology Research Program
Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Professor Salamonsen’s laboratory is recognized for its contributions to our understanding of endometrial remodeling, the mechanisms underlying menstruation and abnormal uterine bleeding, uterine receptivity and embryo implantation. Its focus is on the human, with strong emphasis on translational research: this has been achieved by development of a number of cellular models, and their application for functional studies not possible in vivo in women. Her team identified new potential targets for contraception for women and the delivery of inhibitors by the vaginal route. She currently heads projects on: developing diagnostics for receptive endometrium in women; embryo-maternal interactions at implantation; and on the local microenvironment and molecular mechanisms of endometrial repair.

www.princehenrys.org/prof-lois-salamonsen

JOHN AITKEN

R. John Aitken is Laureate Professor of Biological Sciences and Co-Director of the Priority Research Centre in Reproductive Science at the University of Newcastle, NSW. His area of specialization is gamete biology with particular emphasis on the differentiation and function of spermatozoa and oocytes and the way in which these cells interact to generate a healthy embryo. He has published over 450 research articles and book chapters which have received 15,000 citations. John is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Australian Academy of Science.

LARRY CHAMLEY

Associate Professor Larry Chamley is the head of the Biology and Immunology of Reproduction Research Group at The University of Auckland. He has interests in how the human placenta evades the maternal immune system and the contribution of trophoblast debris to the tolerance of the maternal vascular and immune systems to normal pregnancy, as well as the role of abnormal trophoblast debris in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. He has a long standing interest in how antiphospholipid autoantibodies induce recurrent miscarriage and preeclampsia. Larry also has an interest in human gamete antigens and their contribution to infertility and their potential use to develop new contraceptive strategies. Larry completed his BSc at the University of Waikato before moving to The University of Auckland to complete both his MSc and PhD. As a Health Research Council of New Zealand Overseas Research Fellow he studied complement control proteins at the University of Liverpool with Peter Johnson before returning to Auckland to establish his own research group.

DAVID GARDNER

Professor David Gardner did his undergraduate and postgraduate training at the University of York in the UK. He then spent time as a Fellow at Harvard Medical School before moving to Monash University in the late 1980’s to work with Alan Trounson. David worked on methods for the successful culture and diagnosis of human embryos and assisted in the establishment of the world’s first embryonic stem cell lines. In 1997 he moved back to the USA where he became the Scientific Director of the Colorado Centre for Reproductive Medicine, which became America’s premiere infertility clinic, and established a large research team. In 2007 David returned to Australia to take up the position of Chair of Zoology at the University of Melbourne and in 2008 became Head of Department. His research is focussed on the analysis of gamete and embryo function, and how external factors such as diet, the environment and culture conditions affect subsequent fetal development and offspring health.

Richard Ivell

RUSSELL CAMPBELL JONES

PhD studies developed methods for deep-freezing and inseminating ram semen, and post-doctoral studies at Cornell University and The Zoological Society of London developed methods for evaluating semen quality and determined ultrastructural damage during storage in vitro (including freezing).

Research at The University of Newcastle since 1973 has mainly focused on the vertebrate epididymis, particularly to determine how it is involved in post-testicular sperm maturation and storage, and how it has evolved to produce sperm for the wide variety of mating strategies used by vertebrates to achieve fertilization. Ultrastructure and endocrine studies identified analogous regions of the epididymis of selected model animals (Port Jackson shark, Japanese quail, platypus and echidna, tammar wallaby, African elephant, and laboratory rat, mouse and rabbit) that display different forms of sperm production. Studies of fluid and solute transport and proteomics determined how the duct provides a luminal milieu for the developing sperm. Studies of sperm in vitro have examined the role of the epididymis in suppressing sperm metabolism, and in determining the need for capacitation.

KATE LOVELAND

Professor Kate Loveland holds a joint appointment in the Departments of Anatomy and Developmental Biology and the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Monash University, and has held NHMRC Research Fellowships since 2000. She graduated with a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from Duke University in 1987, having become captivated by the objective of understanding how sperm are assembled. Her lab’s research objective is to define key switches that guide cells from one differentiation state to the next in normal development and during disease, using the developing testis, where somatic cells mature alongside differentiating sperm precursor cells. The lab has a range of research interests relating to testis biology including: testicular cancer, signalling molecules involved in stem cell formation, endocrine disruptors, immune responses, as well as the unique roles of transport proteins during spermatogenesis. She serves on several journal editorial boards (Biology of Reproduction, Andrology [Associate Editor], Reproduction, Spermatogenesis) and enjoys active national (SRB) and international professional society involvement (American Society for Andrology and Society for Reproductive Biology).
www.med.monash.edu.au/anatomy/staff/kateloveland.html

GRANT MONTGOMERY

Professor Grant Montgomery is an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Genetics and Computational Biology Department at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. He was awarded his PhD from Massey University, New Zealand in 1977 and has over 30 years experience working on the genetics of reproductive traits. He co-leads the International Endogene Consortium analysing genetic effects on endometriosis, and is a member of Endometrial Cancer Consortium and the International ReproGen Consortium. His work has identified novel variants contributing to the frequency of dizygotic twins and gene regions associated with increased risk for endometriosis, endometrial cancer, early age at menarche and a range of other complex disorders.

GUIYING NIE

Associate Professor Nie is an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow, the head of the Implantation and Placental Development Laboratory at Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, and an adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Monash University. A/Prof Nie trained as a molecular biologist and biochemist, her research interest centres on the uterus and intra-uterine environment for embryo implantation and placental development. Her group uses a combination of basic and translational strategies to address key women’s health issues in endometrial infertility, non-hormonal contraception, endometrial cancer and pregnancy complications, with a strong emphasis on clinically applicable outcomes. Her group is funded by NHMRC of Australia as well as international funding bodies such as CONRAD and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A/Prof Nie has over 80 peer-reviewed publications and her research has resulted in a number of patents.
www.princehenrys.org/dr-guiying-nie