David A Skerrett-Byrne
David’s scientific journey has taken him across 4 countries and through 6 diverse labs, starting in cancer research before he ended up, somewhat unexpectedly, exploring the fascinating world of crocodile sperm with Prof Brett Nixon. This venture sparked his deeper interest in sperm biology, and he hasn’t looked back since. While he maintains a strong foothold in animal conservation, his central research is a feminist endeavour, aimed at shifting the burden of reproductive responsibility from majoritively women to men. Since May 2026, David is establishing a dual-institution research group between the University of Melbourne and Helmholtz Zentrum München (Munich, Germany), exploring male contraceptive development, what determines healthy sperm, and how our ever-changing environment remodels sperm epigenetics, which in turn shapes pregnancy, placentation and the health trajectory of the next generation. Through this, he hopes to usher reproductive medicine into a more impactful, molecularly driven era where men play an equal part in family planning and fertility care.
Abstracts this author is presenting: