Research tour - understanding infertility
With one in 35 Australian children the result of assisted conception therapy, leading Hunter researchers will tomorrow explain how they are contributing to better understanding the important areas of infertility and reproduction.
Professor John Aitken from the University of Newcastle, and his team at the University's Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, will host the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) Research Tour.
Bringing together researchers from the Mothers and Babies Research Centre and the Reproduction Science Group, the PRC for Reproductive Science is addressing one of the Australian Government's most important national research priorities - 'a healthy start to life'.
"Recent research demonstrates that the long term health and welfare of individuals is critically affected by the quality of the gametes that form the embryo and the nature of the intrauterine environment provided by the mother during foetal development," Professor John Aitken said.
"Given the extensive use of assisted conception therapy in this country we need to ensure the procedures employed are safe, because the more assisted reproduction techniques are used in one generation, the more they will be needed in the next."
Professor Aitken is from the Faculty of Science and Information Technology at the University of Newcastle. He works in collaboration with HMRI's Pregnancy and Reproduction Research Program. HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.
HMRI Research Tour for Media - Thursday 24th July 2008
Media are invited to join HMRI supporters to hear Professor John Aitken provide details on
his team's research.
When? Thursday 24th July 2008
Time? 8.15am for an 8.30am start. Concludes at 10am
Where? Life Sciences Building, Level 2, Room LS2 - 32/33, the University of Newcastle Callaghan campus. (Parking available - see the University of Newcastle campus map.)
