Macarena Bermudez Gonzalez

Macarena Bermudez Gonzalez

NHMRC Grant-Funded Researchr A

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

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

Dr. Macarena Gonzalez is part of the Ovarian Cell and Embryology group within the Robinson Research Institute and the School of Biomedicine.
Macarena is interested in exploring the ways in which our lifestyle and environment influence pre-implantation embryo development, and how these early life events determine offspring health trajectory. An overlapping area of interest is the development of new therapies to improve reproductive success in humans and the agriculture industry, by leveraging nutrition, novel compounds and traditional medicines.
Her current research revolves around the impact of aging on gamete quality and embryo development. Since the father’s contribution to these events has been largely overlooked, aiming to uncover the biological mechanisms by which paternal lifestyle and environment affects sperm quality, and the subsequent embryo development during pregnancy, as well as assessing the potential of drugs and biocompounds to improve male fertility.

Current projects available for prospective students:
- New strategies to improve semen cryopreservation in men and livestock.
- Analysis of Fetal development and organogenesis in a mouse model of advanced paternal age.
- Current use of complementary medicines and over-the-counter supplements for conception.
- Native foods and other foodstuff to improve fertility.
- Epigenetic determinants of fetal programming in mice.
- Male health in later life.

Title: Reversing fetal growth restriction for better pregnancy and child health.

Investigators: Bermudez Gonzalez M; Bianco-Miotto T; Habibi N; Robker R

Funding scheme: Channel 7 CRF - Research Grant

Description: We aim to demonstrate that fetal growth restriction and birth defects induced by paternal aging, are due to changes in gene expression and epigenetic markers. We have shown that the fetal growth restriction associated with older fathers is normalised by treatment with the novel therapeutic BGP-15. We will investigate gene expression and epigenetic patterns in fetal brain, heart, liver and kidney from pregnancies sired by male mice that are either young, old or old treated with BGP-15. This data will allow us to identify regulatory pathways and epigenetic markers of fetal growth restriction and organogenesis defects in pregnancies from old fathers; as well as uncovering potential therapeutic mechanisms targeted by BGP-15 treatment in reversing fetal growth restriction and hence reducing child morbidity and mortality.

Funder name: Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation of SA Inc

 

Lecturer and demonstrator - Assisted Reproduction Techniques Research Integrated Learning course

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Understanding the contribution of sperm non-coding RNA in early embryogenesis. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Joshua Caryl Deluao

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Restoring Sperm Quality after Cryopreservation using Mitochondrial Therapy The University of Adelaide, FertilitySA - Honours Full Time Tanisha Prashar
    2020 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Therapeutic options to improve fertility and embryo development for obese females. University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Elisha Williams
    2017 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Oxidative stress during oocyte maturation and pre-implantation embryo development University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Catherine Dimasi

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2020 - 2021 Chair Early & Middle Career Researcher Council Robinson Research Institute Australia
    2019 - 2022 Representative Early & Middle Career Researcher Council Robinson Research Institute Australia
    2019 - 2020 Co-Chair Early and Middle Career Researcher Council Robinson Research Institute Australia
    2018 - 2018 Member Local organizing committee at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Society for Reproductive Biology The Society for Reproductive Biology Australia
    2017 - ongoing Co-Chair The Robinson Research Institute Symposium The Robinson Research Institute Australia
  • Position: NHMRC Grant-Funded Researchr A
  • Phone: 83130265
  • Email: macarena.bermudezgonzalez@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, floor 5
  • Org Unit: Medical Sciences
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