Our Team

Dave Smith is Professor of Applied Mathematics.

Dave’s interests centre on how mathematical modelling can provide insights into systems in medicine and biology, with key areas of interest including the fluid dynamics of swimming cells and ciliated tissue with applications in reproduction and early embryo development; adrenal hormone dynamics; diagnostic spectroscopy and mechanical stimulus for rehabilitation.

Linda Lefievre is a Senior Lecturer in Endocrinology.  She is Deputy Director of Education for Digital and Distance Learning for the College of Medicine and Health.

Linda’s research expertise is in reproduction, particularly focusing on sperm maturation in the female tract prior fertilisation, a process known as sperm capacitation. Linda has a wide teaching portfolio and teaches across many programmes in the College.  She has also been involved in student recruitment having been Admissions tutor for many years for the Biomedical Science programme.  More recently, Linda has taken on the role of Deputy Director of Education for Digital and Distance Learning for the College with the focus of supporting colleagues with innovative and blended approaches for teaching and learning.  In addition, Linda is developing a distance learning portfolio for the College which includes post graduate programmes as well as short courses and microcredentials.

Sarah Conner is an Associate Professor of Reproductive Biology. She is an education-focussed academic delivering teaching related to reproductive biology across multiple programmes but retains an active interest in research.

Peter Hewett is a lecturer in vascular and reproductive biology. His interests include the regulation and function of endothelial genes involved in vascular development, remodelling and homeostasis and how they may impact in pathologies such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, obesity, pre-eclampsia and cancer. He teaches various aspects of vascular biology, applied reproduction, pregnancy, transgenesis and molecular biology.

Sina is a data scientist with a background in cognitive science and experience applying data science techniques across diverse medical research domains and data modalities, including behavioural data, biosignals, and medical images. He obtained his master’s degree in cognitive science from the Institute for Cognitive Science Studies in Iran and his PhD in the Brain, Mind, and Computer Science programme from the University of Padova, Italy. Currently, he is working as a postdoctoral data scientist at ChRS, focusing on the use of computer vision and explainable AI methods to advance research in male infertility. Driven by a problem-oriented mindset, his main interests lie in multimodal analysis and exploring integrative approaches that go beyond specific data modalities or models.

Rachel is a Research Associate and is working on a Gates Foundation project. She completed the NHS Scientist Training Programme following three years of clinical work at Birmingham Women’s hospital. Rachel excited to be back doing research after a few years in a clinical role – “ The Gates project has a lot of scope to learn new techniques and gather a lot of hopefully interesting data, which I am looking forward to. I am also interested in researching the effect of lifestyle and supplementation on sperm health”.

Michael joined ChRS as a Research Associate following the completion of his PhD in Southampton and is excited to bring aspects of his immunology background to the work.

His research interests span from how infections such as HPV and the corresponding immune responses may affect male fertility, to the distinct signalling mechanisms utilised by sperm cells.

Jonathan is currently contributing to the Gates Foundation–funded project focused on determining sperm in-vitro assay thresholds for male infertility. He has a background in embryology and has previously worked as a laboratory practitioner within the NHS.

He has a strong interest in technology- and data-driven approaches within sperm research and the development of innovative techniques in andrology, with a focus on improving diagnostic accuracy and advancing male fertility assessment.

Cameron has joined as a Technical Specialist at the University of Birmingham in the Department of Metabolism and Systems Science. He will be working to develop sperm analysis methodology to standardise baselines and decision-making criteria assisting in making strides towards developing non-hormonal contraceptives.

He completed his BSc in Biomedical Science at De Montfort University in Leicester with a research year included. Cameron then worked within The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in Histology before finding a passion for fertility sciences after participating in Andrology across the Black Country Pathology Service.

Gosia obtained her BSc degree in Reproductive Biology, followed by MSc by Research at the Centre for Reproductive Health at The University of Edinburgh. Her academic background focuses on male reproductive health, where she has gained experience in both laboratory-based research and data-driven analytical approaches.
She is excited to join the team and contribute to impactful research with strong translational, real-world applications.

Nina is working as a Project Manager, specifically on iCENC. She has experience of working in middle leadership positions within schools, teaching Science to 11–16-year-olds. While she enjoyed working with young people and helping them understand the importance of science and its impact on the world, she is now excited to apply her skills in a more direct role focused on improving fertility outcomes.

Aileen is working as Public Engagement Officer in ChRS, working to make fertility education and research accessible to the public, with a focus on breaking down barriers for non-English speaking communities. Aileen’s work includes creating short, animated videos which explain fertility processes in multiple languages; increasing awareness of male infertility; and supporting patient and public involvement in research.

Aileen completed her PhD in Physics at the University of Leeds in 2024, and is passionate about ensuring everyone has equal access to education, specifically around fertility and reproduction.

Penny is a graduate in Government from the University of Essex.  She has extensive expensive working in higher education as a personal assistant and programme administrator.  Prior to this, she worked in the Civil Service and pensions.