People

Academic staff

Associate Professor Mark Green

A/Prof Green’s research focuses on understanding how environmental factors, such as endocrine disruptors (PFAS and atrazine), light pollution and heat stress, as well as assisted reproductive technologies (ART) affect fertility.

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Graduate students

Thiago Teixera is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences. His interest in research began when studying Animal Science, where he discovered research in animal reproduction. He started studying semen proteins in rams, and then moved to in vitro fertilisation (IVF)  and cloning studies in cattle and horses. Currently, my project involves the role of H3K9me3, an epigenetic modification, in cattle cloning. This project aims to describe how the H3K9me3 behaves in different environmental conditions and cell lines. The data obtained will help further understand the H3K9me3 mechanism in cloning development and contribute to optimising the technique. 

Weicheng Zhao is a PhD student from Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences. Weicheng’s PhD projects aim to investigate the impacts of maternal heat stress during gestation on sow reproductive performance and development of the fetuses/progeny, and to develop strategies to reduce summer infertility in sows. Weicheng’s interests include heat stress, management of sows and piglets, sow reproduction and reproductive biology.

Jaye Marchiandi is completing his PhD in the School of Chemistry within the Faculty of Science. His project aims to characterise and quantify the exposome, i.e., the totality of environmental (non-genetic) exposures from conception onward, in relation to human fertility. Utilising both targeted and untargeted analytical techniques, this project will investigate how exposure to mixtures of emerging contaminants, including per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), phthalates, parabens, and bisphenols, impact human fertility in Australian populations. Jaye is also an active member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).

Drew Szabo is studying his PhD in School of Chemistry within the Faculty of Science. He is researching the occurrence, impact and risk of PFASs to Australian birds using targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry. Drew is currently the Vice-Chair of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Asia Pacific Student Advisory Committee (APSAC) and the Chair of the Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants Student Forum Committee.

Thomas Aitken is currently completing his Master of Science.

Professional staff


Bethany Finger works as a research assistant in the Green Laboratory, managing the day to day of the lab and completing research.

Visiting scientists


Associate Professor Reza Masoumi
Division of Physiology, Department of Animal Science
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan
(November 2019–February 2020)

Previous lab members


Joanna Durrant completed her Master of Philosophy in 2017, investigating the impacts of ecological light pollution. She now works as a Park Ranger.

Lucy McLay completed her PhD in 2017, studying the biological effects of artificial light at night.

Alesia Harper studied her Honours degree in 2017, researching the impacts of atrazine exposure in drinking water on male fertility. She now works as a Research Assistant.

Alexander Scott completed his Master of Science in 2017, studying the impacts of atrazine exposure on bovine sperm and the resulting embryos.

Ashleigh Henderson completed her Master of Science in 2016, researching the impacts of atrazine on bovine embryo development. She now works as a Medical Scientist working in stem cell therapy and immunotherapy at the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital.

Luke Govers completed his PhD in the Pask lab in 2019, co-supervised by Mark. His research focused upon the role of oestrogen, testosterone and oestrogen mimicking endocrine disrupting chemicals on the process of urethra closure in males.

Laura Cook completed her Master of Science in the Pask Lab in 2016, studying the impacts of atrazine on male fertility. She is now completing her PhD in the Pask Lab.

Kathy Choi completed her Master of Science in 2014, researching how BPA impacts pre-implantaton bovine embryo development. She went on to complete a graduate law degree.

Kelly O’Sullivan worked as a research assistant in the lab during 2012 and 2013, and was critical to establishing the lab at the University of Melbourne. She now works as a research assistant at Monash University.

Collaborators

Australia

  • Ms Kayleen Bell (Talking PFAS Podcast)
  • Dr Kiri Beilby
  • Dr Bradley Clarke
  • Dr Geoff De Iuliis
  • Dr Fabien Delerue
  • Prof Frank Dunshea
  • Dr Stephen Frankenberg
  • Dr Andrew French
  • A/Prof Richard Fry
  • Prof Brett Nixon
  • Dr Geoff De Iuliis
  • Prof David Gardner
  • Dr Alexandra Harvey
  • A/Prof Karla Hutt
  • Dr Martina Kocan
  • A/Prof Theresa Jones
  • Prof Raoul Mulder
  • Prof Andrew Pask
  • A/Prof Suzie Reichman
  • Prof Rebecca Robker
  • Prof Jeremy Thompson
  • Dr Kelly Walton

New Zealand

  • Dr Lynsey Cree and A/Prof Andrew Shelling (University of Auckland)
  • Dr Rita Lee and Dr Dave Wells (AgResearch Ltd.)
  • Dr Bryon Wright (Auckland UniServices)

Industry engagements and collaborations

  • Human fertility clinics – Fertility Associates, Repromed, Monash IVF
  • Bovine embryo culture media company- ART Solutions
  • Biological separations company- Memphasys
  • Micro-nano-bio company – MiniFAB, Auckland Microfab
  • Cattle breeding company- Speedbreed
  • Crown Research Institute – AgResearch Ltd New Zealand