About

Introduction

Eileen graduated with a PhD from the University of Bristol in 1994 and was a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow in Reproductive Medicine in the Department of Biochemistry at University of Bristol. In 2000, Eileen held an academic position of Lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology before moving to CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems in Canberra /Pest Animal Control CRC.

In late 2001 Eileen was recruited to the University of Newcastle and is now an Associate Professor in Biological Sciences. Currently Eileen is Deputy Head of the School of Environmental & Life Sciences and Deputy Director of the Priority Research Centre in Reproduction.

Between 1994 and 2000 she held high office (Chairman and Education Chairman) in the British Andrology Society, the leading UK society in the field of Andrology. Additionally she was a Director of the Journal of Reproduction & Fertility (Ltd.) and served as a Committee member: British Fertility Society (1997-2000), Association of Clinical Embryologists, Society for Low Temperature Biology and is currently a council member and chair of the awards and program organising committee of the Society for Reproductive Biology.

International invited presentations include seminars in the UK, France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, USA, Malaysia and Australia. Including plenary sessions of the British Fertility Society, Association of Clinical Embryologists, Society for Reproductive Biology and The Royal Society UK. Recently her work on oocytes and female reproductive health was profiled nationally on the Science Show ABC Radio and on NBN Television.

In 1997 she was awarded the British Fertility Society FSA Prize and in 2007 Eileen was the recipient of the RCRH Society for Reproductive Biology Award for Excellence in Reproductive Research.

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Research

Research Interests

Focus on the molecular characterization and differentiation of male and female germ cells, fertilization and environmental impacts on development.  Eileen has published more than 80 peer reviewed publications; including articles in the high impact factor journals: PNAS, Lancet, and Cell and her h-index=19.

Research Interests

Book Chapters

McLaughlin EA & Pacey AA (2008) Cryopreservation & Storage of Sperm. In: Textbook of Assisted Reproductive Technologies, 3rd edition Eds. Gardener DK, Weissman A, Howles CM, Shoham Z, Martin Dunitz, London UK (in press 1st Sep 2007)

McLaughlin EA (2004) Cryopreservation & Storage of Sperm. In: Textbook of Assisted Reproductive Technologies, 2nd edition Eds. Gardener DK, Weissman A, Howles CM, Shoham Z, Martin Dunitz, London UK pp297-318

Refereed Journal Articles



Yu DM, Ajami K, Gall MG, Park J, Lee CS, Evans KA, McLaughlin EA, Pitman MR, Abbott CA, McCaughan GW, Gorrell MD. (2009) The in Vivo expression of Dipeptidyl Peptidases 8 and 9. Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry Jul 6. [Epub ahead of print]

McLaughlin EA & McIver S (2009) Awakening the oocyte: controlling primordial follicle development. Reproduction 137(1) 1-11.

Nixon B, Bielanowicz A, McLaughlin EA, Tanphaichitr N, Ensslin MA, Aitken RJ. (2009)  Composition and significance of detergent resistant membranes in mouse spermatozoa. Journal of Cell Physiology 218(1) 122-34.

Koppers AJ, De Iuliis GN, Finnie J, McLaughlin EA, Aitken RJ. (2008) Significance of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in the generation of oxidative stress in human spermatozoa Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 93(8) 3199-207

Patents

Aitken RJ, Blackmore D, McLaughlin EA Patent No. 2004903226.  The University of Newcastle Research Associates (TUNRA) and PESTAT pty.   Provisional specification for invention entitled “Method for reducing the reproductive potential of a female animal”. Refiled Jun 2009

Grants and Funding

Current major external funding:

2008-11  (Aitken, Hime, Holland, Jans, Koopman, Loveland, McLaughlin, O’Bryan, Roman, Sinclair ) ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology & Development  - $6,420,000 ($2.14 million/ annum)

2009-2011 (McLaughlin & Hime)  RNA binding protein Musashi: role in folliculogenesis and oocyte development  - NHMRC Project  $402,000
 
2009-2011 (Nixon, McLaughlin & O'Bryan) Characterization of the molecular basis of human sperm-oocyte interaction  - NHMRC Project  $474,000

2009-2011  (Jones & McLaughlin)  Role of the Anaphase-Promoting Complex activator Cdh1   -  NHMRC Project  $507,000

2009-2011 (Beagley, Timms, McLaughlin & Wira) Towards a Chlamydia vaccine for males: The key role of mucosal IgA  - NHMRC Project  $401,000

2008-10  (McLaughlin, Russell, Robker) Cellular signals regulating oocyte activation   - ARC Discovery Project $270,000

2008-10  (McLaughlin,  Nixon, Roman)  Environmental impacts on female fertility   - NH&MRC Project  $363,000

Equipment:

2009 (Aitken, Mclaughlin, et al)  High Performance QTOF-NMR Protein Facility   -  ARC LIEF & HMRI  $495,000 & $50,000

2009 (Jones, McLaughlin, et al)  Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy for Live Cell Imaging -  ARC LIEF  $275,000

2009 (Ashman, McLaughlin, et al ) IVIS Lumina II fluorescence and bioluminescence imager  - Cancer Institute $153,200 & HMRI  $50,000

Research Supervision

Student Name	Degree	Short Title Thesis	Graduation / Expected Completion
Hua Su Lee	MSc	RhoGap in spermatogenesis	2003
Daniel Blackmore	PhD	Non surgical sterilisation in domestic animals	2005
Kelly Asquith	PhD	Mouse sperm zona interaction	2005
Karla Hutt	PhD	Rabbit folliculogenesis	2006
Janet Holt	PhD	Primordial follicle activation	2006
Jonathon Paul	PhD	Sperm oolemmal interaction	2008
Skye McIver	PhD	MicroRNA and testicular tumours	2011
Rose Keightley	PhD	SOCS4 in ovary	2011
Alexander Sobinoff	PhD	Xenobiotics and follicle development	2012
Kara Gunter	PhD	Musashi in ovary	2012
Kate Redgrove	PhD	Human zona interaction	2012

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Teaching

Teaching Interests

 Teaching interests include Biology, Immunobiology and Reproductive Biotechnology.

 

Programs

Courses

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Other

Membership of Societies and Professional Bodies

Society for Reproductive Biology Council

NHMRC Grant review panel 2009,

Current Laboratory Members



Dr Andrew McMahon  (andrew.mcmahon@newcastle.edu.au) Postdoctoral Researcher working on non surgical sterilisation in mouse.

Ilana Bernstein (Ilana Bernstein s@newcastle.edu.au) Research Assistant working on non surgical sterilisation in rabbit.

Barbara Fraser (Barbara.Fraser@newcastle.edu.au) Research Assistant working on Musahi during sperm maturation.

Victoria Pye  (Victoria Pye @newcastle.edu.au)  Research Assistant working on Xenobiotics and oocyte development.

Jessie Sutherland (Jessie.Sutherland@newcastle.edu.au ) Research Assistant working on Cytokine signalling in the ovary.