Editorial board

CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Photograph of Dr Christopher A Price

 Christopher A Price, PhD
Professor, Department of Veterinary Biomedicine, Montreal Veterinary School, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
His research is centred on ovarian function in ruminants, particularly mechanisms controlling differentiation of granulosa cells. His interest is currently focused on the role of fibroblast growth factors in granulosa cell health and atresia.

Photograph of Dr Karen Schindler

 Karen Schindler, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, NJ, USA
Dr 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.
REVIEWS EDITOR

Photograph of Dr Trudee Fair

 Trudee Fair, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Her research interests are on the role of the maternal immune system in cow fertility and bovine oocyte growth and maturation: including oocyte developmental competence and the establishment and stabilization of maternal imprints during bovine oocyte growth.
ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Photograph of Professor John Aitken

 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.

Photograph of Dr Nathalie Beaujean

 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).

Photograph of Dr Ian Brewis

 Ian Brewis BSc, PhD
Senior Lecturer, and Central Biotechnology Services (CBS) Operational Director, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK
Ian is interested in fertilization and male reproductive biology/health in general and his past research focused on using proteomics and other approaches to understand molecular mechanisms in sperm cells at fertilization. Ian has a wider interest in proteomics technologies, particularly in relation to reproductive biology, and is also interested in other 'omic technologies and bioinformatics.

Photograph of Dr Mariano G Buffone

 Mariano G Buffone, PhD
Associate Professor and Vice Director, 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.

Photograph of Professor Lawrence (Larry) Chamley

 Lawrence (Larry) Chamley, PhD
Professor, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Director of the Hub for Extracellular Vesicle Investigations (HEVI), 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.

Photograph of Professor D Stephen Charnock-Jones

 D Stephen Charnock-Jones, BSc, PhD
Professor of Reproductive Biology, University of Cambridge, 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.

Photograph of Dr Djurdjica Coss

 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. 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.

Photograph of Dr Joëlle Dupont

 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.

Photograph of Dr Niamh Forde

 Niamh Forde
Academic Fellow and Group Leader, University of Leeds, 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 well as some of the ‘omic’ technologies such as transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomics analysis of reproductive tissues.

Photograph of Professor Stephen Franks

 Stephen Franks
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.

Photograph of Professor Robert B Gilchrist

 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.

Photograph of Associate Professor Natalie J Hannan

 Natalie J Hannan, PhD
Head, Therapeutics Discovery and Vascular Function in Pregnancy Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mercy Hospital for Women at the University of Melbourne, Australia
Natalie is a NHMRC Career Development Fellow, in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mercy Hospital for Women 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 drugs and delivery strategies to combat major complications of pregnancy, especially preeclampsia. 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.

Photograph of Professor Peter J Hansen

 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.

Photograph of Dr Karla Hutt

 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 during throughout their reproductive life and ii) developing new therapeutic strategies to protect female fertility during anti-cancer therapy.

Photograph of Dr Gregory A Johnson

 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.

Photograph of Dr Aileen F Keating

 Aileen F Keating, PhD
Professor, Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University, IA, USA
Dr Keating is a Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University. She received her doctorate in Biochemistry from the National University of Ireland, Galway in 2003 and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta from 2004–2006, and the University of Arizona from 2006–2010. She is author or co-author of 80 peer-reviewed articles and nine book chapters. She serves on the board of directors for the Society for the Study of Reproduction and has served from 2016–2021 as the vice-president elect to past-president of the Society of Toxicology Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Specialty Section. Her research investigates: 1) mechanisms by which ovotoxicants compromise ovarian function; 2) ovarian protective responses to ovotoxic xenobiotic exposures; and 3) ovarian biotransformation processes that contribute to ovotoxicity. Her ultimate aim is to minimize female reproductive dysfunction that is a consequence of ovotoxic chemical exposures.

Photograph of Dr Jason G Knott

 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.

Photograph of Dr Noora Kotaja

 Noora Kotaja, PhD
Professor of Molecular Medicine, University of Turku, 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 posttranscriptional RNA regulation and non-coding RNAs in meiotic and post-meiotic male germ cells.

Photograph of Professor Holly LaVoie

 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.

Photograph of Dr Jacqueline Maybin

 Jacqueline Maybin, PhD, MRCOG, MBChB, BSc
Senior Research Fellow and Honorary Consultant Gynaecologist, University of Edinburgh, UK
Dr Maybin’s research interest is how endometrial function contributes to Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB). Using human endometrial tissue and mouse models of simulated menstruation, she examines the role of inflammation and hypoxia in endometrial breakdown and repair with the aim of improving preventative and therapeutic strategies for those experiencing AUB.

Photograph of Dr Tom Moore

 Tom Moore, MVB, MSc, PhD, MRCVS
Principle Investigator, School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Research interests include developmental genetics, evolution of maternal–fetal interactions, particularly in relation to genomic imprinting and placental hormones. A major interest is the evolution and function of the pregnancy-specific glycoproteins.

Photograph of Professor Vasantha Padmanabhan

 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.

Photograph of Professor Karl Swann

 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.

Photograph of Dr Hongmei Wang

 Hongmei Wang, PhD
Professor of the State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology (SRLab), Institute of Zoology (IOZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Director of SRLab, China
Her research interests are on the hidden secrets of how primate embryos are developed and the roles of the extraembryonic tissues in supporting embryonic development at different stages of pregnancy.

Photograph of Dr Joachim Wistuba

 Joachim Wistuba, PhD
Researcher, Biologist, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Münster, 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.

Photograph of Professor Kaiping Yang

 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.

Photograph of Professor Andy Vail

 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.
   

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