Dr Cat Morton-Burns is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Sharkey Lab in the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, and the Robinson Research Institute at Adelaide University. Her research focuses on reproductive immunology, with particular expertise in sperm biology, male fertility, and the mechanisms underlying sperm function and reproductive success. Her current research investigates interactions between sperm and the female reproductive tract.
In 2022, Cat received her PhD in Biological Sciences from Te Kura Pūtaiao Koiora School of Biological Sciences at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand. Her doctoral research investigated sperm competition and sex allocation in mammalian males. Since completing her PhD, Cat’s research has expanded across both fundamental and translational aspects of male reproductive biology, with a particular focus on the translation of sperm biology into clinical fertility care.
Following completion of her PhD, Cat spent two years working as a Clinical Andrology Scientist at Repromed in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, as part of the embryology laboratory. Her work in assisted reproductive technologies encompassed diagnostic and treatment andrology, including male fertility diagnosis, fertility preservation, surgical sperm retrieval, donor sperm management, and the introduction and validation of emerging diagnostic technologies for clinical application and patient care.This clinical experience continues to inform her research and supports her interest in translating fundamental discoveries in sperm biology into improved approaches for male fertility assessment and treatment.
In 2025, Cat joined the Education Program for Reproduction and Development at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, as a Lecturer (Level B, Education Focused). In this role, she lectured andrology content and supervised postgraduate research projects in andrology across the Graduate Diploma of Reproductive Science and Master of Clinical Embryology.
Alongside her academic research, Cat is actively involved in professional education and scientific communication within the fertility sector. She currently works as an Education Consultant across Australia and New Zealand, delivering education focused on male reproductive health and fertility. Her broader research interests centre on advancing understanding of male fertility and sperm function, while developing clinically relevant approaches to sperm assessment, selection and reproductive care.