Brett Nixon

Professor Brett Nixon

Research Program:

Infertility and Reproduction Research Program

Research Topics:

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Biography

Professor Brett Nixon is the Director of the HMRI Infertility and Reproduction Program. He is also a Senior Research Fellow of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and co-Director of the University of Newcastle’s Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science.

Over his career, Brett has conducted research activity at the basic biology / clinical andrology interface, gaining international recognition for his mechanistic insights into how spermatozoa acquire the functional competence to engage in fertilisation, and how this process becomes so dramatically disrupted in cases of male infertility.

More recently, his research has expanded to focus on the mechanisms by which environmental exposures impact sperm quality and the repercussions of such changes for embryo development. This research has broad application for the diagnosis of sperm dysfunction and the design of novel therapeutic intervention strategies to alleviate the burden of male infertility and improve offspring health.

What are your research interests?

Reproduction
Infertility
In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
Gamete biology

Why did you get into research?

My interest in reproductive research was initially sparked during my time growing up on a local farm, where I came to appreciate the importance of artificial breeding technologies both in the context of livestock improvement and for the conservation of our country’s unique fauna. More recently, my firsthand experience with the emotional toll that an infertility diagnosis can cause has inspired my commitment to trying resolve the mechanistic basis of infertility and harnessing this knowledge for the development of improved therapeutic options.

What would be the ultimate goal for your research?

My research focuses on refining our knowledge of the reproductive process with the ultimate goal of resolving the root causes of infertility; a condition that now afflicts approximately 1 in every 6 couples in Australia. It is my hope that our research will enhance our ability to diagnose infertility and allow us to develop effective therapeutic strategies to alleviate the burden of infertility.

Specialised/Technical Skills

Reproduction
Infertility
In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
Gamete biology
Proteomics
Epigenetics

Affiliations

2017

Researchers:

Dr Elizabeth Bromfield, Prof Brett Nixon

Description:

Infertility has become a critical worldwide health burden, with 1 in 6 couples currently seeking the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Australia. However, the consequences of infertility go beyond childlessness with the failure to conceive now documented as a leading cause of marital violence, psychological abuse, and economic instability. With an estimated 80 million individuals experiencing the weight of this problem globally there is an overwhelming need for novel preventative strategies that will safeguard the fertility of current and future generations.

Researchers:

Dr Matt Dun, Prof Hubert Hondermarck, Prof Murray Cairns, Prof Brett Nixon, Phillip Dickson, Dr Nikki Verrills

Description:

ChemiDoc MP System - this equipment will help directly facilitate the advanced research needs of >20 different groups of HMRI: Cancer (Dun, Hondermarck, Verrills, Skelding, Tanwar, Weidenhofer, Scarlet, Bowden, Thorne etc), Brain and Mental Health (Cairns, Dickson, Dayas, Jobling, Smith, Brichta, Lim etc) Pregnancy and Reproduction (Nixon, Aitken, De Iuliis, Roman, Bromfield, Pringle) Information Based Medicine (Scott, Milward, Kiejda), VIVA (Hansbro, Starkey) and therefore an estimated >80 HDR students, ECRs and research assistants.

2016

Researchers:

Dr Elizabeth Bromfield, Professor Brett Nixon, Laureate Professor John Aitken

Description:

Male infertility is a distressingly common condition affecting at least 1 in 20 men of reproductive age. In a vast majority of infertile patients (>80%), sufficient numbers of spermatozoa are produced to achieve fertilisation, however the functionality of these cells has become compromised, making defective sperm function the largest single defined cause of human infertility.

Researchers:

Bettina Mihalas, Professor Brett Nixon, Professor Eileen McLaughlin

Description:

1 in 6 couples in Australia require assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to conceive, with approximately 50% of these cases resulting from female infertility. This places a large emotional strain on couples trying to conceive and a large financial burden on the Australian heath care system.

2013

Researchers:

Dr Kate Redgrove, Dr Janet Holt, Professor Eileen, McLaughlin, Associate Professor Brett Nixon

Description:

Dr Redgrove’s successful PhD project focused on developing an understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin the functional maturation of human spermatozoa.

Researchers:

Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Brett Nixon, Adam McCluskey

2010

Researchers:

Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Brett Nixon

2008

Researchers:

Dr Brett Nixon, Dr Eileen McLaughlin

2003

Researchers:

Dr Brett Nixon