Editorial board

CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
	Karen Schindler, PhD Professor, Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, NJ, USA Professor Schindler’s research program aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that lead to aneuploidy and reproductive decline, with a focus on foundational studies to explore the requirements and functions of Aurora protein kinases and sirtuins in mouse oocytes, and translational studies to identify gene variants that cause aneuploidy in human oocytes.
	Christopher A Price, PhD Professor, Department of Veterinary Biomedicine, Montreal Veterinary School, University of Montreal, Canada His research is centred on ovarian function in ruminants, particularly mechanisms controlling granulosa and theca cell function. His interest is currently focused on the role of adipokines in follicle health and atresia.
REVIEWS EDITORS
	Vasantha Padmanabhan, PhD Professor Emerita (In service) of Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Gynecology, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Environmental Health Sciences, and Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, MI, USA Her current research focuses on understanding the fetal origin of reproductive and metabolic disorders. Utilizing integrative approaches, her laboratory investigates the impact of maternal exposure to native steroids (testosterone, estradiol) and environmental pollutants such as bisphenol-A in programming adult diseases. Her work currently has an emphasis on reproductive neuroendocrine and ovarian defects, insulin resistance and adipocyte defects such as hyperandrogenic disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and identifying prevention and treatment strategies.
	Holly A LaVoie, PhD Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA Her longstanding research interests are in the hormone-mediated transcriptional control of ovarian follicle maturation, corpus luteum formation and steroidogenesis. Specific proteins of interest are transcription factors, START domain proteins and extracellular matrix proteins. She utilizes mainly human and pig primary granulosa-luteal culture models.
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
	John Aitken, PhD, ScD Emeritus Distinguished Laureate Professor, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia Professor Aitken’s area of expertise is cell biology and biotechnology with particular emphasis on reproductive health. In recent years his focus has been on the cell biology of mammalian germ cells, particularly the male. This interest extends from the fundamental molecular mechanisms that regulate the differentiation of male germ cells in the testes to the origins of de novo mutations in the germ line and our capacity to diagnose and treat male infertility in man and animals.
	Nathalie Beaujean, PhD Director of Research at the Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Lyon, France Dr Beaujean has experience in epigenetic marks, histone modifications/DNA methylation, and chromatin remodeling. She has interest in cell cycle, cell fate specification and early developmental processes from fertilization to blastocyst formation. Her current projects focus on epigenetic reprogramming in embryos and stem cells (ESC/iPSC).
	Mariano G Buffone, PhD Professor, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina His laboratory seeks to understand the complex process of mammalian sperm capacitation with particular emphasis in the process of acrosomal exocytosis. To this end, his lab uses a wide range of approaches that include the analysis of signaling pathways, single cell imaging experiments, super resolution microscopy and in vivo studies.
	Lawrence (Larry) Chamley, PhD Professor, Head of Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Professor Chamley's research interests centre on the role of placental extracellular vesicles in feto–maternal communication during normal and preeclamptic pregnancies and the long term cardiovascular consequences of preeclampsia. His team also have a major interest in the role of antiphospholipid antibodies in obstetric diseases and the uses of extracellular vesicles from mesenchymal stromal cells. His team discovered, and studies the function of, SPRASA, a protein expressed in mammalian sperm and oocytes.
	D Stephen Charnock-Jones, BSc, PhD Professor of Reproductive Biology, University of Cambridge, UK His research interests are in the cell and molecular biology of placental function, particularly focusing on the interactions between endothelial cells and trophoblast, endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress. He works with human and mouse material using genomic methods and genetic models.
	Djurdjica Coss, PhD Professor, Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, USA Dr Coss’ research program has focused on understanding fundamental neuroendocrine processes that govern reproductive function. The long-term goal of her research is to identify molecular and cellular mechanisms in the hypothalamus and pituitary that tightly regulate hormone synthesis and section. Dr Coss’ research has expanded to include the impact of metabolic processes, inflammatory cells and molecules, and environmental insults on fertility.
	Joëlle Dupont, PhD Director of Research at the Physiology of Reproduction and Behavior Unit from National Institute of Agricultural Research, Nouzilly, France She has experience in the interactions between metabolic and female reproductive functions using human and domestic animal models. Her interest is currently focused on the role of adipokines in ovarian functions.
	Niamh Forde, PhD Professor of Molecular Reproductive Biosciences, University of Leeds, UK Dr Forde is interested in the key question of what provides a good uterine environment capable of sustaining successful early pregnancy. To address this question, she uses a number of different in vivo and in vitro animal models as well as some of the ‘omic’ technologies such as transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomics analysis of reproductive tissues.
	Stephen Franks, MBBS, MD Imperial College London, UK Stephen Franks is professor of reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine and a former chairman of the Society for Endocrinology. He is a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. He has clinical and laboratory-based programmes of research in the field of normal and disordered function of the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis with a major interest in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common endocrine disorder with both reproductive and metabolic effects. His research focuses on the interaction between genetic and environmental factors in aetiology of the syndrome.
	Robert B Gilchrist, DScAgr, FSRB Professor of Medicine, University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia Professor Robert Gilchrist is a NHMRC Senior Research Fellow and an oocyte biologist conducting both discovery and applied research. He investigates oocyte–somatic cell interactions including oocyte-secreted factor regulation of granulosa/cumulus cell function, and its impact on oocyte quality. He has a long interest in discovery aspects of oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) and how it can be applied in domestic animal and human ART. He has developed novel approaches to IVM and is active in human clinical trials in this area. Dr Gilchrist also studies new biomarkers of ovarian and oocyte function.
	Natalie J Hannan, PhD Head, Therapeutics Discovery and Vascular Function in Pregnancy Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health, University of Melbourne, Australia Natalie is an ARC Future Fellow and Dame Kate Campbell Fellow, at the University of Melbourne. Her research is focused on placental development and vascular function in pregnancy. She has a deep passion towards developing new therapeutic and delivery strategies to combat major complications of pregnancy. Her pre-clinical research has led to clinical trials both internationally and nationally. Natalie is also the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and she leads new initiatives to enhance Diversity and Inclusion within the Faculty.
	Peter J Hansen, PhD Distinguished Professor & LE 'Red' Larson Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL, USA His research is focused on fertility in domestic animals with areas of research including maternal regulation of preimplantation embryonic development, actions of heat stress, and identification of genes containing alleles that effect embryonic survival, fertility, and body temperature regulation.
	Karla Hutt, PhD Head, Ovarian Biology Laboratory, Monash University, Australia Her research investigates the role of inflammation, infection, DNA repair and apoptosis in determining oocyte number and quality, with the aim of i) improving women’s health and fertility throughout their reproductive life and ii) developing new therapeutic strategies to protect female fertility during anti-cancer therapy.
	Gregory A Johnson, PhD Professor and Generating Excellence in Scholarship (EDGES) Fellow, Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA His research utilizes domestic animals (pigs and sheep) and mice to investigate the molecular, cellular and physiological interactions between the conceptus (embryo/fetus and associated placental membranes) and uterus during pregnancy recognition, implantation and placental development, with the ultimate goal of applying new knowledge towards clinical strategies to prevent pregnancy loss in women, livestock, and companion animals.
	Jason G Knott, PhD Professor of Animal Science, Adjunct Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, MI, USA His research investigates the basic molecular mechanisms that regulate cell-fate decisions in preimplantation embryos and stem cells. Currently, he is focused on understanding the transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms that govern pluripotency and trophoblast lineage development in mice, humans, and cattle. The long term impact of pre-conception and peri-conception perturbations on post-implantation embryo development and progeny health is being explored.
	Noora Kotaja, PhD Professor of Molecular Medicine, University of Turku, Finland Her research interests are in male reproductive biology, in particular the molecular mechanisms of spermatogenesis in mouse. Her main focus is on the regulation of gene expression, more specifically the post-transcriptional RNA regulation and non-coding RNAs in meiotic and post-meiotic male germ cells.
	Malini Laloraya, PhD, FNASc, FRE ICMR-Emeritus Scientist, Advanced Centre for Regenerative Biology and Stem Cell Research in Cutaneous Biology (AcREM-STEM), University of Kerala, India Dr. Laloraya’s longstanding interests center around Implantation Biology and Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Her studies on implantation have utilized a redox and proteomics approach to decipher ‘Window of Implantation’ and decidualization signatures for successful conception. For these studies, she utilizes various in vivo mouse models, in utero gene silencing approaches, and spheroid models. Her current interest aims to address Recurrent Implantation Failure using OMICS tools and endometrial organoids. She uses an integrative miRNA-RNA-proteomics-metabolomic approach for work on PCOS. Her recent foray is into deciphering the Immune Landscape of PCOS and assess the impact of environmental factors such as Light in PCOS aetiology.
	Rina Meidan, PhD Professor of Reproductive Biology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Her research interests are in the cellular and molecular biology of ovarian function, particularly corpus luteum formation and regression. Her research also focuses on the interactions between steroidogenic and ovarian endothelial cells. Research models include bovine ovarian cells and human granulosa cells.
	Stephanie Pangas, PhD Professor, Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, USA Professor Pangas specializes in female reproductive biology, with a primary focus on ovary and oocyte development. Her research program centers on critical aspects of oocyte-somatic cell interactions, ovarian folliculogenesis, and oocyte development that impact female fertility. She primarily utilizes mouse genetic models for her studies.
	Huanyu (Joe) Qiao, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA Dr. Qiao’s research focuses on meiosis in both spermatocytes and oocytes. He used cytological and computational approaches to study chromosome structure and DNA double-strand break repair during prophase I of meiosis. His lab also investigated the process of oocyte maturation.
	Philippa Saunders, PhD Professor of Reproductive Steroids at the University of Edinburgh and co-Director of the EXPPECT Centre, Edinburgh, UK Philippa Saunders is Professor of Reproductive Steroids at the University of Edinburgh and co-Director of the EXPPECT Centre which brings together discovery scientists and clinicians conducting research to improve diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. Her current research is focused on increasing our understanding of the ways in which sex steroids, their receptors and downstream signalling pathways, regulate reproductive and other tissues. Her studies on endometrial function include seminal contributions on the role(s) of androgens, insights on mechanisms of scarless healing and translational studies focused on finding new strategies to reduce endometriosis-associated symptoms including pain.
	Deborah Sloboda, PhD Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Canada Dr Sloboda's laboratory investigates early life impacts on maternal, fetal and placental development and the risk of non-communicable disease later in life. Her experimental studies investigate parental nutrient manipulation on pregnancy adaptations, including the microbiome, placental inflammation and offspring reproductive and metabolic function. In community-based health studies, Dr Sloboda engages with expectant mothers and services that support pregnant women, developing community-based and arts-based knowledge transfer and work programs to promote and advocate for health behaviours before and after conception.
	Paula Stein, PhD Durham, NC, USA Her main research interest is the maternal-to-zygotic transition in mammals. In particular, Dr Stein has a long-standing interest in zygotic genome activation, as well as in the role of small RNAs in this transition. She also investigates the mechanism of calcium signalling at fertilization using both genetic and pharmacologic approaches.
	Koji Sugiura, PhD Associate Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan His research interests are the mechanisms that govern ovarian folliculogenesis, with a particular focus on paracrine communication between oocytes and surrounding granulosa cells. Additionally, he is interested in studying extracellular vesicles as a novel mediator of intracellular communication within the follicles.
	Karl Swann, PhD Chair of Reproductive Cell Biology, School of Biology, Cardiff University, UK Professor Swann's primary interest is in egg activation at fertilization. He first described the existence of a sperm factor with a phospholipase C (PLC) activity that can cause sustained Ca2+ oscillations and egg activation in mammals. Working with Tony Lai he helped identify the sperm factor as PLCzeta. This is now recognized as the sperm protein that stimulates development in mammals. He has also published papers on metabolism and mitochondria function in mammalian eggs.
	Dawit Tesfaye, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, CO, USA Dr. Tesfaye research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating early embryo development and survival under various environmental and physiological conditions. His research team is also investigating the role of Extracellular Vesicle-mediated molecular signalling in modulating stress response in bovine follicular cells, oocytes, and preimplantation embryos.
	Joachim Wistuba, PhD Researcher, Biologist, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Münster, Germany His main research interests are in reproductive biology with a strong focus on spermatogenesis, aiming at the understanding of testicular organization, evolution and development. Additionally, he is working with various animal models using translational approaches to elucidate mechanisms resulting in human male infertility.
	Kaiping Yang, PhD Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Professor Emeritus of Physiology & Pharmacology and Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada His current research interests include: molecular mechanisms of fetal growth restriction; early-life origins of central obesity; and impact of environmental exposure on fetal development.
	STATISTICS: Andy Vail, MSc Professor of Clinical Biostatistics, University of Manchester, UK He is a statistician who has worked on research studies in reproductive medicine since the early 1990s. His interests lie in research design as well as in the presentation and interpretation of data. He collaborates widely with laboratory, clinical and epidemiological scientists.