ABOUT US

The Centre for human Reproductive Science (ChRS) is a multidisciplinary research team aiming to understand the early stages of reproduction, particularly in diagnostics for improving fertility and reducing miscarriage.  A big part of what we do aims to ensure the health of not just our children, but understanding the impact their children too – protecting our future generations.

The team have made advances in various areas, these include achievements in:

• Translational medicine, such as the invention of the male Fertell over-the-counter home fertility test.
• The first detailed studies of ion channels in human sperm.
• Detailed characterisation of the events occurring in sperm in response to steroid hormones, including the discovery of slow calcium oscillations, now thought to possibly regulate to how sperm swim. To date the identity of the cell receptors involved has not been clearly understood.
• Substantial follow-up data of children born through IVF treatment to check for increased risks associated with the treatment.
• ChRS also has psychology collaborations to actively pursue research enabling better understanding of patient feelings and care during fertility treatment; and issues surrounding motivation to be a donor and receipt of donor gametes.
• We have been a licensed Human Fertilisation and Embryology authority (HFEA) research centre since being established in 2006.

The ChRS does not directly enter into patient treatment or diagnosis being focused on research.