Contact Details
| Organization: | Zoology |
| Position: | ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND READER |
| Email: | |
| Homepage: | http://www.zoology.unimelb.edu.au/aboutus/staff/index.php?135,4 |
| Work: | 8344 6267 |
| Fax: | 8344 7909 |
| Room: | 359 |
| Level: | 03 |
| Building: | Zoology Building |
| Campus: | Parkville |
Biography
I graduated from the University of Tasmania with a major in Mathematics, and first class honours in Zoology. After teaching biology and mathematics at year 11-12 for 4 terms, I decided to undertake further research training. I completed a PhD at Murdoch University under the supervision of Dr Marilyn Renfree, investigating the control of pregnancy in tammar wallabies. I undertook postdoctoral research on the effects of growth factors on sheep reproduction at the University of Queensland before returning to work on marsupials as a National Research fellow and later a Sir Colin McKenzie Research Fellow in Comparative Anatomy, in the Department of Anatomy at Monash University. I took up a lectureship at the University of Melbourne in 1991 and was promoted to my current position in 2001.
My research centres on mammalian reproductive physiology and development. I have studied a diverse range or species including humans, but the central focus is on marsupials. Major projects at present investigate sexual determination and differentiation, genomic imprinting, the physiology and endocrinology of birth, the uterine, hormonal and metabolic control of embryonic diapause, embryo culture, the application of artificial reproductive technologies to endangered species and comparative aspects of lactation. I am also involved in the functional analysis if genetic information derived from the ARC Centre for Kangaroo Genomics. Marsupials have enormous potential as research models to contrast with data from humans and mice, and my research highlights and leverages this potential.
Research Expertise and International Linkages
Research Expertise
| Research Interest | Key Words | Country of Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Reproduction and Development | Marsupial, sexual determination, differentiation, reproductive endocrinology, embryogenesis | Australia |
International Linkages
| Country | Establishment | Collaboration |
|---|---|---|
| United States | The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center | Research |
| United States | The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center | Research |
| Japan | Tokyo Medical and Dental University | Research |
Qualifications, Honours, Fellowships and Other Awards
Qualifications
| Title | Institution | Date Awarded | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science | University of Tasmania | ||
| Grad Dip | Murdoch University | ||
| Doctor of Philosophy | Murdoch University | ||
| Bachelor of Science with Honours | University of Tasmania |
Memberships
| Membership Type | Membership Body | Description | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unspecified | Australian Society for Reproductive Biology | Member | 01-Jan-1979 | |
| Unspecified | Australian Mammal Society | Member | 01-Jan-1979 | 01-Jan-2004 |
| Member | Editorial Board, Journal of Endocrinology | Member of the Editorial board of the Journal of Endocrinology | 01-Sep-2002 |
Government Research Classifications
Research Fields, Courses and Discipline Classifications
- Cell Development (incl. Cell Division and Apoptosis) (BIOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY) (270106)
- Gene Expression (GENETICS) (270201)
- Genetic Development (incl. Sex Determination) (GENETICS) (270205)
- Molecular Evolution (GENETICS) (270208)
- Zoology not elsewhere classified (ZOOLOGY) (270599)
- Animal Physiology - Cell (PHYSIOLOGY) (270602)
- Animal Physiology - Systems (PHYSIOLOGY) (270603)
- Comparative Physiology (PHYSIOLOGY) (270604)
- Sociobiology and Behavioural Ecology (ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION) (270707)
- Conservation and Biodiversity (ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION) (270708)
- Transgenesis (BIOTECHNOLOGY) (270803)
- Wildlife and Habitat Management (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (300802)
- Conservation (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (300805)
- Cell Physiology (MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY) (320602)
- Medical Physiology not elsewhere classified (MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY) (320699)
- Endocrinology (CLINICAL SCIENCES) (321004)
- Fetal Development and Medicine (CLINICAL SCIENCES) (321005)
- Reproduction (CLINICAL SCIENCES) (321026)
Socio-Economic Objective Classifications
- Endocrine organs and diseases (incl. Diabetes) (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730105)
- Urogenital system and disorders (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730115)
- Reproductive system and disorders (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730116)
- Organs, diseases & abnormal conditions not elsewhere classified (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730118)
- Control of pests and exotic species (COASTAL AND ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENT) (770404)
- Living resources (flora and fauna) (FOREST AND WOODED LANDS) (770703)
- Living resources (flora and fauna) (MINING ENVIRONMENTS) (771003)
- Biological sciences (NON-ORIENTED RESEARCH) (780105)
- Studies in human society (NON-ORIENTED RESEARCH) (780107)
Grants and Contracts
Research Grants, Contracts and Consultancies awarded to the University of Melbourne as the administering institution (since 2003) as recorded in Themis Agreements.
Grants
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Scheme | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marsupial germ cells and genes | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Discovery Projects | 01/01/2002 |
| Novel mechanisms for virilisation | Chief Investigator | NHMRC | Project Grants | 01/01/2002 |
| Re-uniting marsupials & eutherians by embryonic micromanipulation | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Discovery Projects | 01/01/2003 |
| Gonadal Sex Reversal | Chief Investigator | NHMRC | Project Grants | 01/01/2003 |
| Extrinsic control of mammalian germ cell delineation | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Discovery Projects | 01/01/2005 |
| Ovarian development | Chief Investigator | NHMRC | Project Grants | 01/01/2007 |
| Causes of hypospadias | Chief Investigator | NHMRC | Project Grants | 01/01/2009 |
Publications
Publications produced at the University of Melbourne and reported in the Annual Publications Collection and 'Research Report' since 2001. The Themis Publications module, released in November 2006, allows additional publications from previous institutions and publications from past years to be entered.