Artificial Intimacy – a free public webinar by Prof Bob Brooks

Join our first FREE public webinar on 15th Nov 2021 at 7pm. This will be a fascinating discussion of how “artificial intimacies” influence our lives, presented by UNSW’s evolutionary biologist and award winning author Prof Bob Brooks.

Register here

Technology is evolving, and, now more than ever, is influencing the way we build friendships, relationships, and have sex. These ground-breaking technologies can potentially provide targeted intimacy to people of all genders and sexualities, but can they replace a human relationship? How do we program affection? Spontaneity? Love? Join Prof Robert Brooks, as we explore the infiltration and impact of virtual reality and artificial intelligence in our social and emotional lives.

 

About the speaker

Professor Robert Brooks is an award-winning author and evolutionary biologist who studies the growing entanglement of sex, technology, and human behaviour. Together with his ‘Sex Lab’ research group at the University of New South Wales, Prof Brooks explores the evolution of mate choice, the costs of being attractive, and the evolutionary and ecological consequences of sexual reproduction.

Prof Brooks has published over 180 scientific papers, two books, and is a regular column writer for The Conversation, which combined have earned him several prestigious awards. His first book, “Sex, Genes & Rock ‘n’ Roll” won the Queensland Literary Award for Science Writing and the Eureka Prize for Science Communication. His latest book, “Artificial Intimacy: Virtual friends, digital lovers and algorithmic matchmakers”, describes the latest in artificial intelligence technologies, and describes how these ‘artificial intimacies’ learn how to interpret human social needs, and how humanity’s future may collide with twenty-first-century technologies.

 

In Memoriam

Professor Roger Valentine Short AM FRSE FRS FAA

31 July, 1930 – 6 August 2021

Written by Professors Jock
Findlay, Geoff Shaw and Peter Temple-Smith

16th September 2021

Professor Roger Short AM FRS FAA died on 6 August, 2021, aged 91 years.

Roger was a great scholar, researcher, teacher, mentor and raconteur. He influenced many people in all continents of the world. He will be missed, not only by his family and for his prodigious and extensive research output, but also for his friendship and the twinkle in his eye.

Roger Short was born on 31st July 1930 in Weybridge, Surrey, son of Arthur and Marion Short, and younger brother to Marcus. Sadly, Marcus died of rheumatic fever when Roger was only six years old. A stimulating education led him eventually to Cambridge where, whilst undertaking a PhD, he met Mary Wilson whom he married in 1958. They became parents to Nick, Fiona, Clare, and Kim. In 1982, Roger married Marilyn Renfree in Canberra and they had two daughters, Tam and Kirsty.

Roger’s childhood was where he started to developed his love of animals, his passion for learning and his powerful story-telling:

“It all began on my mother’s knee. I can sort of remember it physically, but I certainly remember it intellectually with great clarity because I had a copy, which I have here, of Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories. Every night before going to bed, my mother read to me aloud a chapter from Just So Stories, and of course the one that really entranced me was ‘The Elephant’s Child’, about how the elephant got its trunk, and that’s what I have ended up doing some research on.

 My father was an engineer, an amazing man. Every single aircraft flying to this day depends for its navigation on my father’s invention, which was the Pitot head airspeed indicator. I have got his original patent of 1912, and it is still unchanged on all aircraft. He was a great inventor, and I had to do something that made me feel different from him, although I was really in awe of him, I thought he was a wonderful father. And so I decided to get involved in biology. We were lucky to live on a tributary of the River Thames, so I spent every day of my life on my boat, which was called Imp, with my little dog Sam sitting in the bow, drifting down the river.

 It was an absolutely fantastic childhood. That gave me a love of wildlife and I got very interested in fish. I found that I was rather good because I could get up at dawn and go spinning in the Thames and catch these great big pike which no one else could catch. I thought, ‘I don’t want to kill them, I want to put them back. But I want to show somebody that I’ve caught them.’ So I gill-tagged them and, at the age of 16 I wrote my first paper, a letter to the Field magazine on the growth and movement of pike in the Thames, by capture and recapture of my tagged pike.”

In an interview with Robyn Williams on the ABC Radio’s The Science Show, Roger recalled parts of his early life:

Roger subsequently authored over 400 scientific publications! 

Roger’s academic education began at the University of Bristol where he studied Veterinary Medicine. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to the University of Wisconsin, where he graduated with a Masters in Genetics. After returning to the UK, Roger went on to gain his PhD under the supervision of Professor Thaddeus Mann at the University of Cambridge. After graduating in 1958 Roger continued his work in Cambridge as a Lecturer then Reader, and as a member of the Unit of Reproductive Physiology and Biochemistry. For his research there, he was awarded a Doctor of Science in 1969.

Roger’s research spanned 60 years and an incredible breadth of topics, from elephants to AIDS, from marsupials to mules and from condoms to camels, including the first camel-llama hybrid, Rama the Cama. Roger was the first person to isolate and measure progesterone and published this research in his first paper in Nature in 1956. He also initiated work on embryonic diapause in badgers and roe deer, and supervised projects on horse and elephant reproduction.

Roger’s mind was ever-curious and always thinking ahead to the next big idea. His practice was to tackle the big picture questions and let those following on fill in the detail. Whilst working in Cambridge, Roger realised that controlling human population growth was critical to wildlife conservation – triggering the next phase of his career on human reproduction. He typically coined a phrase on conservation action that if you are only talking it, it’s conversation.

In 1972, Roger moved to Edinburgh to establish the Medical Research Council Unit of Reproductive Biology, which he directed for ten years. During this period, he was also an Honorary Professor at Edinburgh University. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1974: the highest scientific honour in the British Commonwealth. He was the recipient of many honours and awards, including Scientific Medals (Society for Endocrinology and Zoological Society, UK), Carl G Hartman Award (SSR, USA), the Amoroso Award and Marshall Medal (SRF, UK), and the Axel Munthe Award in reproductive biology.

In 1982, Roger moved to Australia to take up a Personal Chair of Reproductive Biology at Monash University in Melbourne. He was a gifted teacher covering the topics of contraception, world population growth, breastfeeding, abortion, human population, reproductive biology, fertility and especially HIV/AIDS: students all over the world still fondly remember his lectures. In fact, in his later years Roger would frequently encounter former medical students amongst his doctors – which would trigger lengthy discussions and reminiscing during medical appointments!

In Melbourne, Roger’s creativity and innovative thinking continued. He patented the use of melatonin to treat jet lag; he worked on HIV/AIDS and was a member of the WHO AIDs Taskforce in Geneva and, with his wife, Marilyn, studied the contraceptive effects of breastfeeding. He was a tireless campaigner for limiting world population growth (despite somewhat ironically having six children of his own).

Roger co-authored with Bunny Austin in the 1970s a series of Cambridge University Press text books “Reproduction in Mammals” that are still classics in the field used all over the world. But his favourite book was “Ever Since Adam and Eve”, a book he co-authored with Malcolm Potts that sold over a million copies and has been translated in Spanish, Italian, Korean and Chinese. In the past year, Roger could often be found in his favourite armchair re-reading Ever Since Adam and Eve, frequently commenting with a mix of pride and incredulity that “it’s fan-TAS-tic! So well written!”.

Roger left Monash University in 1995, but instead of retiring, took up a new position as Wexler Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne where he continued to share his passion for teaching and learning. Roger could often be found discussing news ideas and inspiring staff and students alike. He initiated a “Teach the Teacher” program for final year medical students to lecture to final year education students on puberty, contraception and abortion.

Roger took himself and his family on many exciting adventures. He spent 6 months in Uganda, taking Mary and young family along. During this time, he worked on elephants. He subsequently visited various parts of Africa on many occasions. He went to Thailand frequently and always brought back ties…so his daughter thought it was called Tie-land! With his Australian family, he followed in Darwin’s footsteps to the Galapagos Islands, and each night he read the description of the island to be visited from Charles Darwin’s book ‘Voyage of the Beagle’. He and his family travelled widely both nationally and internationally.

Just before he died, Roger celebrated his 91^st birthday at home with family. He passed away at home with the love and support of all his family on the 6^th August 2021. He is survived by his wife, Professor Marilyn Renfree AO FRS FAA, and family in the UK and Australia.

To download a pdf of this memorium click here

Vale Professor Roger Short

There will no doubt be many obituaries written about the life and times of Roger Short who passed away recently after a long illness.  I would like to share just a couple of my recollections.  The first time I knew of Roger was at the International Congress of Endocrinology held in Melbourne in 1980.  Roger was a key note speaker. 

He told of data he had come across where some of the male prisoners in the 1800’s in a jail in the USA had been castrated to control their behaviour. He noted that the ones who were castrated lived 14.2 years longer. He said he looked out of the window in his hotel room overlooking the Fitzroy Gardens and saw many men jogging to keep fit, and he wondered if they knew there was a much simpler way to stay healthy for longer.  There was much laughter from the audience. 

Roger also had a fascination with elephants, in particular why their testes were intra-abdominal.  Long after retirement age, he presented at a conference of the Society of Reproductive Biology.  It was a 10 minute talk in in a small break out room and he was like an excited little boy. He was extremely happy and proud to be sharing his discovery that the elephant is actually an aquatic species such as whales, dugongs and dolphins who also have internal testes.  He had solved his life-long puzzle at last. 

We all would agree that Roger was a thoroughly decent person, with a great intellect and capacity to engage. He had a passion for knowledge and a great aptitude for research and he was ever the great story teller.  We at Reproductive Health Australia will miss Roger and we express our sincere condolences to his family and friends and his wife Marilyn Renfree who looked after him tirelessly. Vale Roger.

Ray Rodgers, RHA Convenor

Hear more about Roger’s amazing career here

A Free Virtual Seminar Series on “Germline Development and Function”

15th June, 2021

The Centre for Reproductive Health at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research is pleased to highlight the work of a range of outstanding researchers in reproductive biology via a virtual seminar series*. Our first series is focussed on “Germline Development and Function” and will host the following global leaders in their fields:

Prof Mitinori Saitou, Kyoto University, Japan – Tuesday, July 20, 9am
Prof Gavin Kelsey, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK – Thursday, July 22, 5pm
Prof Shosei Yoshida, NIBB, Japan – Wednesday, July 28, 9am
A/Prof Sarah Kimmins, McGill University, Canada – Tuesday, August 3, 9am
A/Prof Anne Goriely, Oxford University, UK – Wednesday, August 11, 5pm
 
Please register your interest by clicking this link

For detailed information see here

*Zoom links will be sent to registered participants prior to each seminar
 
 

Investigating the Impacts of Viral Infections Including SARS-COV-2 in Pregnancy

“Better data is urgently needed to understand the risks to mothers and babies from COVID-19 and other RNA viral infections, as well as which interventions may benefit pregnant women.”

Written by Clare Whitehead MBChB BSc,  (Hons) PhD FRANZCOG CMFM, Royal Women’s Hospital and Dept of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Melbourne  and Doug Brooks PhD, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide

12th April 2021

High quality data about the impact of COVID-19 in pregnancy is still lacking.

Despite the immunological changes that occur during pregnancy, to date there is no evidence that pregnant women are more susceptible to becoming infected with SARS-COV-2 compared to women who are not pregnant.

However, emerging data suggests that pregnant women, especially those in the third trimester are more at risk of severe disease. In hospitalised pregnant women in the UK, 1 in 10 required admission to ICU. In the USA, pregnant women were 50% more likely to require ICU admission, and 70% more likely to require mechanical ventilation. In the UK, the case fatality rate was nearly 1%, whereas in Brazil the maternal case fatality rate is as high as 6%. Older mothers (> 35 years) and those with comorbidities including obesity, hypertension and diabetes are at highest risk of adverse outcomes.

The effect of SARS-COV2 on the developing fetus and placenta is unknown. Rates of maternal to child transmission appear low (4-5%), and the majority of neonatal infections likely occurr after birth. A recent case study demonstrated transplacental infection in late pregnancy, with sequelae in the neonate. However, the mother was viremic, which is rare with SARS-COV2.

There are also no reports of congenital anomalies in pregnancies infected early in gestation, but babies are only now being born, so the true impact is awaited. However, it is possible that SARS-COV2 may have adverse effects on placental development leading to abnormal fetal growth later in pregnancy. We are exploring the effect on placentation and vascular development of the placenta in affected pregnancies, as well as investigating transmission of both the virus and protective antibodies to the fetus and neonate.

We are studying maternal both innate and acquired immune responses in pregnant women to SARS-COV-2 to try and identify those who may be more susceptible to severe disease. We recently published in an animal model that another RNA virus has dramatic effects on immune response and pathological sequalae in viral infection during pregnancy.

In this study, we demonstrate that influenza A virus (IAV) causes maternal and foetal pathology via innate and adaptive vascular inflammation. IAV infection during pregnancy causes severe maternal and perinatal complications despite a lack of vertical transmission of IAV across the placenta. IAV infection during pregnancy drives a significant systemic vascular alteration in pregnant dams, which likely suppresses critical blood flow to the placenta and foetus. Effects on the vasculature were not evident in non-pregnant mice. Maternal IAV infection also elicited hypoxia in the placenta and foetal brain, exacerbating systemic inflammation in the form of cell free foetal DNA and soluble Flt1, as well as placental growth retardation and intrauterine growth restriction.

This study in mice provides a fundamental mechanistic insight and a new paradigm into how an immune response to respiratory viruses, such as IAV, is likely to specifically drive maternal and foetal pathologies during pregnancy. We demonstrated that IAV infection in pregnancy describes a pathogenic pathway that is used by RNA viruses and is exacerbated in pregnancy. This pathway can potentially be used as targets for therapeutic intervention. With relevance to the SARS-Cov-2 virus, the pathway will likely be the same and this has major implications for short and long term maternal and foetal health.

Given the vulnerability of pregnant women to adverse outcomes, it is disappointing that they have been largely excluded from clinical trials of potential therapeutics and vaccines. Many proposed treatments have existing safety profiles in pregnancy, yet systematic exclusion by trial sponsors mean a lack of both safety and efficacy data for these treatments in this population. We are encouraged by inclusion of pregnant women in the UK based RECOVERY trial, and also that the adaptive Australasian ASCOT trial is now being supported by the sponsors to also include pregnant women. Ongoing advocacy is essential to ensure pregnant women and their offspring are not disadvantaged by exclusion from evidence-based care.

Better data is urgently needed to understand the risks to mothers and babies from COVID-19 and other RNA viral infections, as well as which interventions may benefit pregnant women.

Whilst the CHOPAN Registry was rapidly developed to evaluate outcomes for pregnant women in Australia with COVID-19, Australia has no long-term, funded surveillance system for emerging pathogenes in prengnant women. This gap must be addressed to ensure future threats from viral infections to pregnant women and their offspring can be met in a timely manner as well as which interventions may benefit pregnant women.

Student Essay Writing Competition

A big congratulations to Madina Sarwari, who’s essay was just one of many great entries to an essay writing competition run by the Graduate Diploma of Reproductive Sciences (GRS) course, Monash University, and RHA.

First offered through Monash University 32 years ago, the Graduate Diploma of Reproductive Sciences fosters students’ interest in human fertility/ infertility, agricultural production, and wildlife conservation and the environment. Each year we proudly produce between 30-40 graduates that enter all facets of the reproductive science community here in Australia, and further abroad for our international alumni. 

This year was a tough one for our students. The world in which they enrolled in this degree will not look the same as the one they will graduate into. Moving a largely practical course online to accommodate for the lockdown restrictions placed on Victorians has been a challenge to educators and students alike. However, it has also forced us to work in new and innovative ways. From starting crowdsourcing campaigns that fight for social justice in women’s health, to creating podcasts and video abstracts, the graduating year of 2020 knows how to be adaptive, resilient and savvy when faced with challenging circumstances. 

To promote student motivation alongside our crowdsourcing campaign with Marie Stopes, which aims to generate funding that will allow women who have had an abortion to access long-acting reversible contraceptives for free, we teamed up with RHA to create an essay competition.

(By Dr Kiri Beilby, Senior lecturer and GRS course coordinator)

Madina’s essay addresses the question: 

If we know that contraceptives are physiologically 99.7% effective, why do 51% of pregnancies remain unplanned in Australia? 

Essay competition winner, Ms Madina Sarwari

“National surveys have reported that 51% of pregnancies are unintentionally conceived each year, with part of this statistic reflecting women who were taking at least one form of contraception at the time of the unplanned pregnancy. This statistic is reflected in both Australian and American studies (1, 2). Improving accessibility and education of contraception, for both women of reproductive age and healthcare providers, is essential in preventing unplanned pregnancy”.

Read Madina’s complete essay here

It’s Time for More Reproductive Research In Australia

by RHA Founder and Convenor, Prof Jock Findlay

15th May 2020

Australia has experienced an unprecedented number of devastating events in recent times, including drought and animal feed restrictions, floods and massive bushfires. The bushfires alone have burnt out over 18 million hectares in all the States and the Australian Capital Territory. The ecosystems subjected to these onslaughts have suffered greatly, with immense losses of wildlife and of genetically superior breeding stock on affected farms and stations. One billion wildlife animals are estimated to have died and, as a result, 16 mammalian species are now listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Whether these events impact on human fertility is not known. Now is the time to apply our knowledge and expertise in the reproductive sciences to these situations.

Applying the Reproductive Sciences

Many endangered species can be bred in captivity, using assisted reproductive technologies, developed originally for humans and many by Australians, such as freezing sperm, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer. For some species, this will require further research before it can be applied in the field. For others, it is available now. Examples are the recent use of IVF and embryo transfer to produce cheetah cubs in the USA¹ and Corroboree frogs in Australia².

 

Livestock producers who have spent years (if not generations) establishing genetically superior stock have had to reduce their herds and flocks to a bare minimum because of floods and droughts. As conditions improve, they need to re-establish the genetically superior stock as quickly as possible. This can be done by harnessing reproductive technologies and, at the same time, reducing the generation intervals to a minimum. 

New Research in Reproductive Health

Stress and environmental factors influence human fertility. We know that environmental factors, not only during pregnancy but also as early as the time of formation of eggs and spermatozoa, can influence pregnancy and the health of the child during its life course. Australian reproductive scientists and clinicians have been at the forefront in providing much of this information (e.g. ³). Smoking during pregnancy is known to affect the outcome of pregnancy and the health of the child⁴. What effect does bushfire smoke have on human eggs, spermatozoa, and pregnancy and child and adult health? It is well known from global studies that maternal exposure to fine particulate matter is associated with pregnancy disorders that affects maternal and child health both in the short-term as well as life-long effects⁵. It is reasonable to speculate that exposure to bushfire smoke could increase the risk of pregnancy complications.

Reproductive researchers in Australia have the knowledge and expertise to investigate these questions.

Resolving Competing Interests

Drugs used by humans can have detrimental effects on wildlife fertility. Oral contraceptives that contain steroids, particularly estrogenic-like compounds, are in widespread use. The by-products, excreted mainly in the urine, enter the sewerage systems and can ultimately end up in our waterways. The presence of these estrogenic by-products in the environment are of concern because they can affect the behaviour and fertility of aquatic animals, such as fish. Other human drugs, such as fluoxetine (marketed as Prozac), have also been found to disturb reproduction in wildlife^6,7.

These examples of pollution of the waterways by human excretory products underlines a tension between medicinal human use and safety and fertility of aquatic fish and animals. Understanding the dosage effects and minimising the concentrations in waterways is another example where the knowledge and expertise of reproductive scientists in Australia can be critical.

 

Steroidal compounds are used to stimulate growth in ruminants, particularly in cattle⁸. Growth stimulants are banned by the EU, so beef exports to that region must be certified free of growth stimulants. This may not always be relevant to other local or overseas markets. Ruminants excrete steroidal growth stimulants in both their faeces and urine that ultimately contaminates the vegetation and waterways used by humans and aquatic wildlife^9-11. This situation has created a tension between livestock producers and wildlife exponents that needs resolution by proper research in reproductive biology.

The COVID19 Pandemic

To date, there are no peer-reviewed reports that infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes disruption of the reproductive systems of humans or animals. Some animal species (minks, tigers, cats and dogs) may be susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2. It is well known that other viral infections can cause infertility in men and women, including mumps and chlamydia. Now is the time to set up investigations to monitor species infected with SARS-CoV-2 for fertility and fecundity, and any long-term health consequences of infection that can be related back to effects on the reproductive systems. Given their expertise and experience with these type of studies, Australian reproductive scientists are well-placed to provide evidence-based information to underpin policies.

A New Research Field in Reproductive Toxicology

The examples cited above emphasise the dearth of reproductive toxicologists in Australia, compared with the USA and Europe. In the USA for example, there has been a large body of research on the fertility effects of pesticides on alligators (e.g. ¹²) and bisphenol acetate (BPA), used in plastics, on laboratory animals (e.g. ¹³). We need to encourage and financially support reproductive toxicology as a field of research in Australia so that we can apply toxicological knowledge to our unique ecosystems and agricultural practices. In addition to research on the influence of substances like steroids and fluoxetine on fertility, there is the added source of environmental contaminants in waste dumps and on ovals, golf courses, and bowling greens that have contaminated soils that should be investigated for their effects on fertility.

Reproductive science in Australia

Australia has a very strong contingent of scientists and clinicians working in the reproductive sciences who are capable of providing the information that we need to maximise the health and future of our people, our livestock and our wildlife.

 Jock Findlay, RHA Founder and Convenor

References

¹ Seaworld 2020, “All About Cheetahs”

² Byrne PG, Silla AJ. 2010. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 8:144

³ Lane M et al 2015 Trends Endocr Metab 26:84-90

⁴ Pirani BBK 1978 Obstet Gyn Survey 33:1-13

⁵ Malley CS et al 2017. Environmental International 101:173-182

⁶ Martin JM et al 201. Sci Total Environ 650:1771–1778

⁷ Bertram MG et al 2018 Environ Pollut 243:900–911

⁸ Khan SJ et al 2008 Environ Int 34:839–859

⁹ Bertram MG et al 2015. Horm Behav 70:85–91

¹⁰ Bertram MG et al 2019 Science of the Total Environment 703:134991

¹¹ Tomkins P et al 2016. Aquatic Toxicology 170:365-370

¹² Garrison A et al 2010 Int J Environ Anal Chem 90:159-170

¹³ Hunt PA et al 2003 Curr Biol 13:546-553

 

RHA member Dr Kiri Beilby selected for the Science Technology
Australia (STA) STEM Ambassador program

18th March 2020

Dr Kiri Beilby and Ms Nicola Rivers representing RHA at Science Meets Parliament last year

Reproductive biologist and RHA member Dr Kiri Beilby from Monash University’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology  has been selected for the Science & Technology Australia (STA) STEM Ambassador Program.

Science Technology Australia (STA) has a long history connecting Parliamentarians with leaders in science and technology to enable federal politicians to gain a deep understanding of the impact of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Australia. Via her Ambassador role, Dr Beilby will work with Labour MP Clare O’Neil in the Victorian Hotham electorate to bridge the gap between science and government.

Dr Beilby is an excellent advocate for the benefits of medical and reproductive research and is a member of the executive board of directors of the Australian Society of Medical Research (ASMR).

RHA were thrilled to have Dr Beilby represent our organisation at Science Meets Parliament in Canberra last November. Dr Beilby was able to inform Parliamentarians of the benefits of Australian reproductive research and how RHA can support their need for evidence-based information.

Meeting a politician? A science advocate’s top tips

10th December 2019

·       Know your politician before you meet them. Read their maiden speech as a minimum and you will learn a lot about their motivations and what’s important to them.

 

·       Always ask them what you can do for them.  Stand in their shoes; hundreds of people tell them what they want from the government. But how can you help them achieve their legacy?

 

·       Never embarrass a politician. You can’t influence someone that won’t talk to you. Praise them for what they have done and advocate for ways to improve policy. Always be respectful no matter what their political persuasion.

 

·       Never go to a meeting with a politician empty handed. Leave them a one-page summary (dot points are ideal) of your key messages (substantiated with evidence where possible).

 

·       Leave the meeting with something to do; a great opportunity to re-engage with them. They may ask you for further information. If they do, always follow through.

 

·       Ask for a photo and share positively on social media. Works for them and for you.

For more information, see here 

 

 RHA can also help you by providing material and advice

Public consultation on mitochondrial donation for the prevention of mitochondrial disease

20th November 2019

Mitochondrial DNA disease is a rare, heritable condition that can cause serious health problems and premature death. Mitochondrial donation, used during assisted reproduction, can avoid the transmission of mitochondrial disease from parents to their children. However mitochondrial donation is not permitted in Australia.

The Australian Government has asked NHMRC to consult with the Australian community regarding the potential to introduce mitochondrial donation into clinical practice. The NHMRC is facilitating public consultation from the community to consider the social and ethical issues associated with mitochondrial donation. The public consultation is open until the 29^th of November 2019.

Interested members are encouraged to view the documents and participate in the consultation.

 

RHA’s Founder elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences

11th October 2019

Professor Jock Findlay AO has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS), acknowledging his significant achievements in reproductive health research and his contributions to the field of female reproduction.

 Research in reproductive health has led to major advances in the development of assisted reproduction technologies such as IVF, where Australian researchers have led the way in reproductive medicine therapies used around the world. Prof Findlay has been a leader in reproductive biology in Australia and overseas since the 1970s and is internationally recognised for his contributions to our understanding of ovarian physiology. His research continues to investigate the regulation of the ovarian reserve of eggs, and chemoresistance and metastasis of ovarian cancer.

 Prof Findlay has long been a passionate advocate for research in reproduction and in 2018 he founded Reproductive Health Australia to highlight the broad impact of Australian reproduction research on human health, wildlife and the environment and agricultural productivity.

 

 

Australian researchers part of a global effort to improve the diagnosis and treatment Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

16th August 2019

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex condition in women, involving ovarian changes and altered hormones that can produce a wide variety of symptoms such as abnormal menstrual cycles, reduced fertility, acne, weight gain, excessive hair growth and sleep and mood disturbances. The condition affects 12-18% of reproductive age, yet more than two thirds of women remain undiagnosed.    

Diagnosis of PCOS is delayed by an average of two years and the care is often inconsistent due to the multifaceted nature of the condition. Women report a high level of dissatisfaction with the quality of information provided and the importance of prevention, risk reduction for associated chronic disease and mental health is commonly not communicated.

To increase the quality of care for PCOS patients, the first evidence-based international guideline on PCOS was recently published and a summary of the recommendations was later co-published in 3 high quality journals. 

The Australian Centre for Research Excellence in PCOS (CREPCOS) led the development of the guideline in partnership with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). The consultation also involved 63 international multidisciplinary experts and consumer members representing 37 international societies and consumer groups across 71 countries, resulting in 166 recommendations and practice points. 

The PCOS Guideline provides clinicians with clear advice on best practice based on the best available evidence, expert multidisciplinary input and consumer preferences. Research recommendations have been generated and a comprehensive multifaceted dissemination and translation program supports the guideline with an integrated evaluation program.

View the PCOS guideline here

Find details of the first online course for medical practitioners here

Find resources for women with PCOS here

Reproductive Health Australia publishes review in the international journal Reproduction

17th July 2019

RHA members Jock Findlay, Michael Holland and Bob Wong have published an invited review  in the international journal Reproduction.

The review “Reproductive science and the future of the planet” showcases how reproductive science can be used to advance human health, livestock production and environmental management.

The review also highlights how Reproductive Health Australia plans to advocate for, and publicise, the health, economic and social benefits of reproductive health research.

You can find the published version of the manuscript here.

Helping the laws of nature

29th May 2019

Interview with Dr Melissa Parrott, reproductive biologist at Zoos Victoria and RHA member

“I hope my research contributes to having the best conservation programs possible, because every species is precious, important and worth saving.”

Dr Marissa Parrott is a reproductive biologist at Zoos Victoria. She has a deep love for animals, especially Victoria’s beautiful indigenous species.  She works in an evolving and exciting area of research – ‘female mate choice’ – using animals’ natural behaviours to improve breeding success, which is significant for zoos and captive breeding institutions. Marissa’s work over her career has focussed on devising simple tests using scents from genetically suitable males to provide a choice of mates for females. Marissa monitors the female’s behaviour and timing to determine her choice. This work has more than doubled the breeding success, and reduced the time to pregnancy in species such as the Stripe-faced Dunnart and Mainland Eastern Barred Bandicoot, which is extinct in the wild and the focus of a long-term recovery program.

“One of my favourite moments was finding new critically endangered Mountain Pygmy-possum joeys following our mate-choice research at Healesville Sanctuary.”

Marissa’s work has a practical application for zoos and captive breeding institutions where, traditionally, animals are paired based on pedigree and relatedness to manage the genetics of the population. Choosing suitable males to manage the population genetics, and then providing a female with a choice of those males, may increase breeding success, decrease the time taken to become pregnant, reduce aggression between pairs, and improve the quality, success and survival of young. Females often choose males that are most genetically suitable for themselves, which leads to healthy and fit young.

Marissa’s vision is big. She plans to build on this research to advance local and international breeding programs by freezing scents and then offering them to females. Frozen scents could determine which male would be most successful and accepted by a female, and could be transported across the globe. This would save a large amount of stress, time and cost when moving animals for breeding, and avoiding compatibility issues.

Marissa says, ”there is much to do as each species is different, some females choose mates based on genetic relatedness, while others may choose based on familiarity, age, social dominance, secondary sexual characteristics, displays or other criteria. The more we can find out about a species’ natural behaviours, the better our breeding and reintroduction programs will be”.

“My work at Zoos Victoria is fighting extinction for our most critically endangered species. We have a commitment that no Victorian terrestrial vertebrate species will go extinct on our watch”.