Le Phuong Uyen Pham

Le Phuong Uyen Pham

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences


My research investigates the significance of maternal immune system in assisting pregnancy success and the underlying mechanisms by which the female reproductive system discern each reproductive opportunity. 

Pregnancy is physiologically and mentally expensive to the mother. The female immune system plays a central role in initiating and maintaining a healthy pregnancy throughout gestation. A population of immune cells called T cells are the key player in recognizing 'self' versus 'non-self' antigens in the seminal fluid and on the conceptus. A disrupted balance in T cells subsets is associated with implantation failure, fetal growth restriction and on set of others pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia. 

In mammals, female sexual selection is thought to only occur prior to conception, little is known about the capability of the female to exert their hidden selective mechanism after mating. This phenomenon is referred as 'cryptic female choice', a hidden mechanism by which the female selectively choose to invest or discard each pregnancy opportunity. While there are evidence supporting cryptic female choice, there has not been formally investigated scientifically. Our research aims to identify the role of the female T cells immune response in facilitating cryptic female choice and whether the genetic compatibility between mating partner is the contributing factor to the discrimination of the female immune response. 

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2023 - 2024 Research Officer University of Adelaide
    2022 - 2023 Summer Research Internship University of Adelaide
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2024 Award RRI sponsored regisstration for 2024 ESA-SRB-ANZBMS conference University of Adelaide Australia 475
    2022 Award Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award University of Adelaide Australia -
    2022 Scholarship Adelaide Summer Research Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia 1200
    2021 Award Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award University of Adelaide Australia -
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    English Can read, write and speak
    Vietnamese Can read, write and speak
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2024 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy
    2023 - 2023 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Honours)
    2020 - 2022 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology)
  • Certifications

    Date Title Institution name Country
    2023 Rodent Anaesthesia Competency University of Adelaide Australia
    2023 Rodent Injection and Blood Collection Competency University of Adelaide Australia
    2023 ANZCCART ComPass Animal Welfare Training University of Adelaide Australia
  • Research Interests

  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2024 - ongoing Member Society for Reproductive Biology (SRB) Australia
    2024 - ongoing Member Australian and New Zealand Immunology (ASI) Australia
    2024 - ongoing Member Healthy Development Adelaide Australia
  • Community Engagement

    Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
    2024 - 2024 ESA-SRB-ANZBMS 2024 in conjunction with ENSA Scientific Community Engagement University of Adelaide Australia
    2024 - 2024 ESA-SRB-ANZBMS 2024 in conjunction with ENSA Scientific Community Engagement University of Adelaide Australia
  • Event Participation

    Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country
    2024 - 2024 2024 Robinson Research Institute symposium Symposium University of Adelaide Australia
    2023 - 2023 2023 Robinson Research Institute symposium Symposium University of Adelaide Australia
  • Presentation

    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2024 - 2024 ESA-SRB-ANZBMS 2024 in conjunction with ENSA ESA-SRB-ANZBMS 2024 in conjunction with ENSA University of Adelaide Australia
    2024 - 2024 63rd ASMR National Scientific Conference Exploring Multidisciplinary Frontiers 63rd ASMR National Scientific Conference Exploring Multidisciplinary Frontiers University of Adelaide Australia
    2024 - 2024 HDA Research Afternoon and Oration 2024 HDA Research Afternoon and Oration 2024 University of Adelaide Australia
    2024 - 2024 Adelaide Immunology Retreat (AIR-19) 2024 AIR-19 Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI) University of Adelaide Australia

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