David Sharkey

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

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.

  • 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
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
epithelial cell cytokine production in vitro.

(Research project and initiation of new collaboration with A/Prof Alison Quayle and
Dr Lyndsey Buckner at Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, USA)

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

                             

  • 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
  • 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 - -
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2017 - ongoing Editor Frontiers in Endocrinology - -
    2017 - ongoing Editor Frontiers in Physiology - -
    2017 - ongoing Editor Frontiers in Physiology - -
    2015 - ongoing Editor Journal of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility - -
  • Position: NHMRC Postdoctoral Researcher (B)
  • Phone: 83131503
  • Email: david.sharkey@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, floor 6
  • Org Unit: Medical Sciences

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