Ashley Meakin

Dr Ashley Meakin

Research Associate

School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Ashley is a National Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in the Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group. His research focuses on two main areas: 1) understanding and targeting androgen signalling in pregnancy to improve generational cardiometabolic outcomes; 2) exploring the impact of pregnancy complications on drug metabolism in the maternal, placental, and fetal compartments. Through his research, Ashley hopes to improve the efficacy and safety of drugs commonly used during pregnancy, and develop novel diagnostics and interventions to ensure that every baby gets the most out of life.

Year Citation
2026 Bennett, M. G. A., Meakin, A. S., Botting-Lawford, K. J., Niu, Y., Ford, S. G., Murphy, M. P., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2026). Chronic hypoxia or MitoQ treatment in pregnancy independently alter hepatic cytochrome P450 activity in fetal sheep and 9-month-old lambs. Biochemical Pharmacology, 243(Pt 1), 13 pages.
DOI
2025 Hammond, S. J., Roff, A. J., Robinson, J. L., Darby, J. R. T., Meakin, A. S., Clifton, V. L., . . . Gatford, K. L. (2025). In utero exposure to experimental maternal asthma alters fetal airway development in sheep. Experimental Physiology, 110(6), 899-907.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC3
2025 Roff, A. J., Davies, A. N., Clifton, V. L., Stark, M. J., Tai, A., Robinson, J. L., . . . Gatford, K. L. (2025). Pregnancy does not affect progression of mild experimental asthma in sheep. The Journal of Physiology, 603(5), 1241-1261.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2025 Amanollahi, R., Holman, S. L., Bertossa, M. R., Meakin, A. S., Clifton, V. L., Thornburg, K. L., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2025). Elevated cortisol concentration in preterm sheep fetuses impacts heart development. Experimental Physiology, online(12), 1-20.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2025 Amanollahi, R., Holman, S. L., Meakin, A. S., Padhee, M., Botting-Lawford, K. J., Zhang, S., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2025). In Vitro Embryo Culture Impacts Heart Mitochondria in Male Adolescent Sheep. Journal of Developmental Biology, 13(2), 17-1-17-20.
DOI
2025 Meakin, A. S., Lock, M. C., Holman, S. L., Robinson, J. L., Clifton, V. L., Roberts, C. T., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2025). Sex-specific effects of betamethasone on glucocorticoid and apoptotic signalling pathways in the sheep placenta. Journal of Physiology, 603(17), 4867-4886.
DOI
2025 Amanollahi, R., Meakin, A. S., Holman, S. L., Clifton, V. L., Thornburg, K. L., Wiese, M. D., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2025). Antenatal betamethasone impairs markers of cardiac development and function in near-term lambs. Experimental Physiology, online, EP093025-1-EP093025-20.
DOI
2025 Meakin, A. S., Nathanielsz, P. W., Li, C., Clifton, V. L., Huber, H. F., Wiese, M. D., & Morrison, J. L. (2025). Sexually dimorphic responses in androgen metabolism and signalling in the non-human primate placenta to moderate maternal undernutrition. Biology Of Sex Differences, 16(1, article no. 93), 1-14.
DOI
2025 Durante, E. D., Wiese, M. D., Meakin, A. S., Hall, K. C., & Doubleday, Z. A. (2025). Reconstructing life-time reproductive histories using steroid hormones in cephalopod beaks. Limnology and Oceanography Letters, 10(2), 212-222.
DOI
2025 Amanollahi, R., Holman, S. L., Bertossa, M. R., Meakin, A. S., Thornburg, K. L., McMillen, I. C., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2025). Ontogeny of Fetal Cardiometabolic Pathways: The Potential Role of Cortisol and Thyroid Hormones in Driving the Transition from Preterm to Near-Term Heart Development in Sheep. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 12(2), 21 pages.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC6
2025 Bertossa, M. R., Darby, J. R. T., Holman, S. L., Cho, S. K. S., Meakin, A. S., Lock, M. C., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2025). Fetal glucose availability: a key regulator of the metabolic, hormonal and contractility profiles of the fetal sheep heart. Journal of Physiology, 23 pages.
DOI
2025 Bennett, M. G. A., Meakin, A. S., Botting-Lawford, K. J., Niu, Y., Ford, S. G., Murphy, M. P., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2025). Maternal MitoQ Treatment Is Protective Against Programmed Alterations in CYP Activity Due to Antenatal Dexamethasone. Pharmaceutics, 17(3), 16 pages.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2024 McGillick, E. V., Orgeig, S., Allison, B. J., Brain, K. L., Bertossa, M. R., Holman, S. L., . . . Giussani, D. A. (2024). Chronic fetal hypoxia and antenatal Vitamin C exposure differentially regulate molecular signalling in the lung of female lambs in early adulthood. Frontiers in Physiology, 15, 14 pages.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Dimasi, C. G., Darby, J. R. T., Holman, S. L., Quinn, M., Meakin, A. S., Seed, M., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2024). Cardiac growth patterns and metabolism before and after birth in swine: Role of miR in proliferation, hypertrophy and metabolism. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology Plus, 9(100084), 14 pages.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2024 Dimasi, C. G., Darby, J. R. T., Cho, S. K. S., Saini, B. S., Holman, S. L., Meakin, A. S., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2024). Reduced in utero substrate supply decreases mitochondrial abundance and alters the expression of metabolic signalling molecules in the fetal sheep heart. Journal of Physiology, 602(21), 5901-5922.
DOI Scopus16 WoS17 Europe PMC15
2024 Meakin, A. S., Nathanielsz, P. W., Li, C., Clifton, V. L., Wiese, M. D., & Morrison, J. L. (2024). Maternal obesity impacts fetal liver androgen signalling in a sex-specific manner. Life Sciences, 337(122344), 122344-1-122344-9.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2024 Meakin, A. S., Smith, M., Morrison, J. L., Roberts, C. T., Lappas, M., Ellery, S. J., . . . Clifton, V. L. (2024). Placenta-Specific Transcripts Containing Androgen Response Elements Are Altered In Silico by Male Growth Outcomes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(3), 1688-1-1688-13.
DOI Scopus1
2024 Meakin, A. S., Gatford, K. L., Lien, Y. -C., Wiese, M. D., Simmons, R. A., & Morrison, J. L. (2024). Characterisation of ciclesonide metabolism in human placentae across gestation. Placenta, 154, 42-48.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Meakin, A. S., Nathanielsz, P. W., Li, C., Huber, H. F., Clifton, V. L., Wiese, M. D., & Morrison, J. L. (2024). Maternal obesogenic diet during pregnancy and its impact on fetal hepatic function in baboons. Obesity (Silver Spring), 32(10), 1910-1922.
DOI Scopus5 WoS4 Europe PMC5
2024 Robinson, J. L., Roff, A. J., Hammond, S. J., Darby, J. R. T., Meakin, A. S., Holman, S. L., . . . Gatford, K. L. (2024). Betamethasone improved near-term neonatal lamb lung maturation in experimental maternal asthma. Experimental Physiology, 109(11), 1967-1979.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC6
2024 Bertossa, M. R., Darby, J. R. T., Holman, S. L., Meakin, A. S., Li, C., Huber, H. F., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2024). Maternal high fat–high energy diet alters metabolic factors in the non-human primate fetal heart. Journal of Physiology, 602(17), 4251-4269.
DOI Scopus5 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2024 Darby, J. R. T., Flouri, D., Cho, S. K. S., Williams, G. K., Holman, S. L., Meakin, A. S., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2024). Maternal tadalafil treatment does not increase uterine artery blood flow or oxygen delivery in the pregnant ewe. Experimental Physiology, 109(6), 980-991.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC3
2023 Darby, J. R. T., Williams, G. K., Cho, S. K. S., Meakin, A. S., Holman, S. L., Quinn, M., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2023). Acute resveratrol exposure does not impact hemodynamics of the fetal sheep. Physiological Reports, 11(12), 12 pages.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC5
2023 Meakin, A. S., Amirmostofian, M., Darby, J. R., Holman, S. L., Morrison, J. L., & Wiese, M. D. (2023). Characterisation of cytochrome P450 isoenzyme activity in sheep liver and placental microsomes. Placenta, 131, 82-89.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2022 Meakin, A. S., Gough, M., Saif, Z., & Clifton, V. L. (2022). An ex vivo approach to understanding sex-specific differences in placental androgen signalling in the presence and absence of inflammation. Placenta, 120, 49-58.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC7
2022 Meakin, A. S., Darby, J. R. T., Holman, S. L., Wiese, M. D., & Morrison, J. L. (2022). Maternal-placental-fetal drug metabolism is altered by late gestation undernutrition in the pregnant ewe. Life Sciences, 298(article no. 120521), 1-9.
DOI Scopus15 WoS13 Europe PMC8
2022 Morrison, J. L., Williams, G. K., Cho, S. K. S., Saini, B. S., Meakin, A. S., Holman, S. L., . . . Darby, J. R. T. (2022). MRI Characterization of Blood Flow and Oxygen Delivery in the Fetal Sheep whilst Exposed to Sildenafil Citrate. Neonatology, 119(6), 735-744.
DOI Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC8
2021 Young, S. L., Saif, Z., Meakin, A. S., McMaster, E. S., Hayes, N., Gallo, L. A., . . . Clifton, V. L. (2021). Alterations to placental glucocorticoid receptor expression with alcohol consumption. Reproductive Sciences, 28(5), 1390-1402.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC5
2021 Meakin, A. S., Morrison, J. L., Bradshaw, E. L., Holman, S. L., Saif, Z., Gatford, K. L., . . . Clifton, V. L. (2021). Identification of placental androgen receptor isoforms in a sheep model of maternal allergic asthma. Placenta, 104, 232-235.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC5
2021 Saif, Z., Meakin, A. S., & Clifton, V. L. (2021). A preferential switch between placental GR exon 1 promoter variants in the presence of maternal asthma or inflammation upregulates GRα D isoforms. Placenta, 108, 64-72.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2021 Meakin, A. S., Cuffe, J. S. M., Darby, J. R. T., Morrison, J. L., & Clifton, V. L. (2021). Let’s talk about placental sex, baby: Understanding mechanisms that drive female-and male-specific fetal growth and developmental outcomes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(12), 6386-1-6386-17.
DOI Scopus112 WoS107 Europe PMC103
2021 McBride, G. M., Meakin, A. S., Soo, J. Y., Darby, J. R. T., Varcoe, T. J., Bradshaw, E. L., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2021). Intrauterine growth restriction alters the activity of drug metabolising enzymes in the maternal-placental-fetal unit. Life Sciences, 285(120016), 1-9.
DOI Scopus21 WoS20 Europe PMC16
2021 Wiese, M. D., Meakin, A. S., Varcoe, T. J., Darby, J. R. T., Sarr, O., Kiser, P., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2021). Hepatic cytochrome P450 function is reduced by life-long Western diet consumption in guinea pig independent of birth weight. Life Sciences, 287(120133), 120133-1-120133-11.
DOI Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC5
2020 Meakin, A. S., Saif, Z., Seedat, N., & Clifton, V. L. (2020). The impact of maternal asthma during pregnancy on fetal growth and development: a review. Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 14(12), 1207-1216.
DOI Scopus24 WoS21 Europe PMC20
2019 Meakin, A. S., Saif, Z., Tuck, A. R., & Clifton, V. L. (2019). Human placental androgen receptor variants: potential regulators of male fetal growth. Placenta, 80, 18-26.
DOI Scopus26 WoS24 Europe PMC20
2019 Meakin, A. S., & Clifton, V. L. (2019). Review: understanding the role of androgens and placental AR variants: insight into steroid-dependent fetal-placental growth and development. Placenta, 84, 63-68.
DOI Scopus21 WoS17 Europe PMC13
2019 Clifton, V. L., McDonald, M., Morrison, J. L., Holman, S. L., Lock, M. C., Saif, Z., . . . Moss, T. J. M. (2019). Placental glucocorticoid receptor isoforms in a sheep model of maternal allergic asthma. Placenta, 83, 33-36.
DOI Scopus17 WoS17 Europe PMC14
2017 Meakin, A. S., Saif, Z., Jones, A. R., Aviles, P. F. V., & Clifton, V. L. (2017). Review: Placental adaptations to the presence of maternal asthma during pregnancy. Placenta, 54, 7 pages.
DOI Scopus38 WoS36 Europe PMC29

Year Citation
2024 Bennett, M. G. A., Meakin, A. S., Botting, K. J., Niu, Y., Ford, S. G., Murphy, M. P., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2024). MitoQ Treatment During Pregnancy Rescues Antenatal Dexamethasone- Induced Programming of Impaired Hepatic CYP Activity in Young Adult Sheep.. In REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES Vol. 31 (pp. 146A). CANADA, Vancouver: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG.
2023 Meakin, A., Smith, M., Morrison, J., Roberts, C., Lappas, M., Ellery, S., . . . Clifton, V. (2023). PLACENTAL ANDROGEN SIGNALLING: MECHANISMS FOR MALE FETAL GROWTH OUTCOMES. In PLACENTA Vol. 140 (pp. E15). Rotorua, NEW ZEALAND: W B SAUNDERS CO LTD.
2023 Meakin, A., Clifton, V., Darby, J., Holman, S., Wiese, M., & Morrison, J. (2023). Placentome- and sex-specific differences in glucocorticoids and their receptor variants in the growth restricted sheep. In Placenta Vol. 140 (pp. E47). UK: Elsevier Ltd.
DOI
2020 Meakin, A., Saif, Z., Zakar, T., & Clifton, V. (2020). AR-45 is a Novel Placental Androgen Receptor Variant That Regulates Growth and Angiogenic Pathways.. In REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES Vol. 27 (pp. 257A-258A). Vancouver, CANADA: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG.

Year Citation
2023 Bennett, M. G. A., Meakin, A. S., Botting, K. J., Niu, Y., Ford, S. G., Wiese, M. D., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2023). Programming of Impaired Hepatic Drug Metabolism in Adult Offspring: Effects of Hypoxic Pregnancy and Antioxidant Treatment. Poster session presented at the meeting of REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES. Germany: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG.
2023 Meakin, A., Nathanielsz, P., Li, C., Wiese, M., & Morrison, J. (2023). Maternal Obesity During Pregnancy and Its Impact on Fetal Hepatic Function in Baboons. Poster session presented at the meeting of REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES. Germany: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG.
2019 Meakin, A., Saif, Z., Lim, R., Lappas, M., & Clifton, V. (2019). ALTERED PLACENTAL ANDROGEN SIGNALLING CONTRIBUTES TO GROWTH RESTRICTED OUTCOMES. Poster session presented at the meeting of PLACENTA. Tokyo, JAPAN: W B SAUNDERS CO LTD.
DOI
2018 Meakin, A., Saif, Z., & Clifton, V. (2018). PLACENTAL ANDROGEN RECEPTOR AR45 VARIANT MAY BE CENTRAL TO MEDIATING MALE GROWTH. Poster session presented at the meeting of PLACENTA. Tokyo, JAPAN: W B SAUNDERS CO LTD.
2018 Clifton, V., Saif, Z., Meakin, A., & Cox, B. (2018). THE PLACENTA AS A PREDICTOR OF FUTURE PAEDIATRIC ALLERGY. Poster session presented at the meeting of PLACENTA. Tokyo, JAPAN: W B SAUNDERS CO LTD.
2017 Clifton, V. L., Meakin, A., & Saif, Z. (2017). Characterisation and Identification of the Placental Androgen Receptor Isoforms and Its Relationship to Fetal Growth.. Poster session presented at the meeting of REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES. Orlando, FL: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC.
2017 Meakin, A., Saif, Z., & Clifton, V. (2017). IDENTIFICATION OF PLACENTAL ANDROGEN RECEPTOR ISOFORMS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO FETAL GROWTH IN PREGNANCIES COMPLICATED BY ASTHMA. Poster session presented at the meeting of PLACENTA. Manchester, ENGLAND: W B SAUNDERS CO LTD.
DOI WoS1

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2024 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Laura Jane Hale
2023 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Saba Albetawi
2022 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jordan Minns

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