Dr David Sharkey
NHMRC Postdoctoral Researcher (B)
School of Biomedicine
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr David Sharkey
PhD (Medicine), Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide.
Thesis entitled: Seminal plasma regulation of the post-coital inflammatory response in the human cervix'
Supervisors; Professor Sarah Robertson and Professor Robert Norman
- My Research
- Career
- Publications
- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Professional Activities
- Contact
David is a senior research fellow at The University of Adelaide’s, Robinson Research Institute and School of Biomedicine. Since completing his PhD at The University of Adelaide in 2005, under the supervision of Professors Sarah Robertson AO and Robert Norman AO, he has continued his postdoctoral training within the Robertson laboratory where he has now amassed more than two decades of experience in investigating how male seminal fluid interacts with the female immune response to prepare the female reproductive tract for pregnancy. He is first author on ground-breaking research papers demonstrating that after coitus, contact with seminal fluid elicits an immune response in the cervix of women. He is also a chief investigator on a recently awarded NHMRC project grant which seeks to determine the extent and significance of the link between factors present in male semen and the establishment of immune tolerance in women necessary for successful pregnancy.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2005 - ongoing Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate University of Adelaide -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2015 Achievement High Performance Researcher Program - - - 2011 Award Travel award, Society for Reproduction and Fertility - - - 2011 Award Travel Award, Research Centre for Reproductive Health University of Adelaide - $500 2010 Award Travel Award, Research Centre for Reproductive Health University of Adelaide - - 2010 Achievement Robinson Research Institute Mentor Program Training - - - 2009 Achievement Researcher Education and Development, Future Research Leaders Course University of Adelaide - - 2009 Award Travel Award, Research Centre for Reproductive Health University of Adelaide - $295 2008 Achievement Australian Society for Medical Research Professional Development Workshop - - - 2008 Achievement Higher Degree Research Supervisor Induction Course University of Adelaide - - 2008 Award Travel Award, Research Centre for Reproductive Health University of Adelaide - $1000 2008 Award Travel Award, ARC / NHMRC Research Network in Genes and Environment in Development (NGED) - - $1000 2008 Award Overseas Conference Travel Award, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Adelaide - $1000 2007 Award Travel Award, Research Centre for Reproductive Health - - $1000 2007 Award Travel Award, ARC / NHMRC Research Network in Genes and Environment in Development (NGED) - - $1000 2007 Award Overseas Conference Travel Award, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Adelaide - $1500 2006 Award Travel Award, Society for Reproduction and Fertility (SRF) - - £500 2004 Scholarship Postgraduate Travel Award, Faculty of Health Sciences Travel Scholarship - - $1500 2003 Award Holden Young investigator Award - - - 2002 Award Junior Scientist Award - - - 2000 Award Student Poster Award - - $250 2000 Award Travel Award, Australian Society for Medical Research - - $150 -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2000 - 2005 University of Adelaide Australia PhD 1999 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Obstetrics and Gynaecology – First Class
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Journals
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Books
Year Citation 2019 How to Prepare the Endometrium to Maximize Implantation Rates and IVF Success (2019). . Cambridge University Press.
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Book Chapters
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2023 Moldenhauer, L. M., Linthwaite, S., Foyle, K. L., Sharkey, D. J., McCormack, C. D., Robertson, S. A., & Hull, M. L. (2023). Elevated Insulin and Insulin Resistance is Associated with Altered T Regulatory Cell Parameters in Women with Recurrent Miscarriage. In REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES Vol. 30 (pp. 98A). Brisbane, AUSTRALIA: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG. 2023 Sharkey, D. J., & Robertson, S. A. (2023). The role of seminal plasma in supporting successful embryo implantation. In JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY Vol. 158 (pp. 1 page). Paris, FRANCE: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD.
2023 Sharkey, D. J., & Robertson, S. A. (2023). Seminal fluid and the female immune response - an update on the male contribution to pregnancy beyond fertilisation. In JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY Vol. 159 (pp. 12-13). ELECTR NETWORK: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD.
2008 Sharkey, D., & Robertson, S. (2008). Follistatin mRNA expression is regulated by seminal fluid TGFβ in human Ect1 cervical epithelial cells. In BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION Vol. 78 (pp. 97-98). Kona, HI: SOC STUDY REPRODUCTION.
WoS12008 Sharkey, D., & Robertson, S. (2008). Identification of TGFβ as a major active factor mediating seminal fluid signalling in human cervical epithelial cells. In BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION Vol. 78 (pp. 284). Kailua Kona, HI: SOC STUDY REPRODUCTION.
WoS11978 GAY, C. V., SHARKEY, D. J., & SCHRAER, H. (1978). CARBONIC-ANHYDRASE LEVELS IN OSTEOCLAST-RICH BONE. In FEDERATION PROCEEDINGS Vol. 37 (pp. 272). FEDERATION AMER SOC EXP BIOL. -
Conference Items
Year Citation 2018 Robertson, S. A., Sharkey, D. J., Tremellen, K. P., & Dekker, G. A. (2018). Interferon-G in seminal fluid - An 'anti-tolerance' signal in women?. Poster session presented at the meeting of JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY. Aalborg, DENMARK: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD.
2017 Nadeau-Vallee, M., Chin, P. -Y., Belarbi, L., Brien, M. -E., Pundir, S., Beaudry-Richard, A., . . . Chemtob, S. (2017). Antenatal Suppression of Interleukin-1 Protects Against Inflammation-Induced Fetal Injury and Improves Neonatal and Developmental Outcomes in Mice.. Poster session presented at the meeting of REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES. Orlando, FL: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. 2017 Nadeau-Vallee, M., Chin, P. -Y., Belarbi, L., Brien, M. -E., Pundir, S., Berryer, M. H., . . . Chemtob, S. (2017). PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF A NOVEL NONCOMPETITIVE IL-1 RECEPTOR-BIASED LIGAND IN AN INFECTION-AND INFLAMMATION-INDUCED PRETERM BIRTH AS WELL AS IN FETAL INJURY AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES. Poster session presented at the meeting of ACTA PAEDIATRICA. WILEY. 2010 Sharkey, D. J., & Robertson, S. A. (2010). TGFβ superfamily members BMP-15, GDF-9 and Activin A act as seminal fluid signalling agents in human cervical epithelial cells. Poster session presented at the meeting of JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY. Palm Cove, AUSTRALIA: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD.
2010 Sharkey, D. J., & Robertson, S. A. (2010). Sperm and seminal plasma differentially regulate cytokine and chemokine protein expression by human cervical epithelial cells. Poster session presented at the meeting of JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY. Palm Cove, AUSTRALIA: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD.
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Patents
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Datasets
Year Citation - Lyons, H., Arman, B., Robertson, S., & Sharkey, D. (n.d.). Supporting Dataset 1 from: Immune regulatory cytokines in seminal plasma of healthy men: A scoping review and analysis of variance.
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Filesets
Year Citation - Nisenblat, V., Sharkey, D., Wang, Z., Evans, S., HEALEY, M., Ohlsson-Teague, E. M. C., . . . Hull, L. (n.d.). Supplementary Material from: Plasma microRNAs display limited potential as diagnostic tools for endometriosis.
Competitive Research Funding
2010 |
Recipient of Research Centre for Reproductive Health, Skills Competency Training Award Project: Influence of seminal fluid and Chlamydia trachomatis infection on endocervical |
AUD $7,500 |
2009 | Recipient of inaugural Robinson Research Institute Early Career Research Grant Project: Is Activin A involved in the post-coital inflammatory response in the human cervix? |
AUD $10,000 |
2008 |
Recipient of Research Centre for Reproductive Health, Colin Matthews Early Career Research Grant Project: The post-coital inflammatory response in the human cervix: A potential role for Follistatin? |
AUD $10,000 |
Supervision of Research Students and teaching Experience
2011 - Present | Teaching of the “Data Management and Introduction to Laboratory Safety” and “Patenting Research - working through the process” tutorials into the Human Reproductive Health III, Research Project in Reproductive Health and Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours courses |
2005 - Present | Co-supervisor of Honours students from the Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health |
2005 - Present | Supervision of Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Summer Vacation Research Scholars (4) |
2000 - 2004 | 1st and 2nd year Medical Tutor and Examiner - Problem Based Learning, Department of Medicine, The University of Adelaide |
2000 | Microbiology and Immunology practical course demonstrator and assessor for 2nd year Bachelor of Science students and 3rd year Medical students |
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2024 Co-Supervisor Significance of impaired immune tolerance for infertility in men. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Shreetha Ramasubramanian 2021 Co-Supervisor Novel molecular mediators of seminal fluid interaction with the female reproductive tract immune response Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Hannah Elizabeth Lyons 2020 Co-Supervisor New insight into spermatozoa selection for improving assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) outcomes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Soraya Rasi Ghaemi
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2019 - ongoing Secretary Society for Reproductive Biology Council Society for Reproductive Biology Australia 2019 - ongoing Member New Frontiers For A Healthy Start To Life Organising Committee Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide Australia 2018 - ongoing Member American Society for Reproductive Immunology Program Organising Committee American Society for Reproductive Immunology United States 2015 - 2016 Member Adelaide Medical and Nursing School – Look and Feel Workgroup - - 2010 - 2013 Member School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health – IP and Commercialisation Committee - - 2010 - 2012 Co-Chair School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health Research Seminar Series - - 2008 - 2012 Co-Chair Robinson Research Institute ECR / MCR Professional Development Program - - 2008 - ongoing Member Australian Society for Medical Research - - 2007 - 2012 Representative School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, Research Committee - - 2007 - 2012 Representative School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health - - 2007 - 2012 Representative Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - - 2000 - 2002 Member Australian Society for Medical Research - - -
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