Multiple Debilitating Pains – New global study shows the experience of Endometriosis is rooted in a person’s genetics
13 March 2023
Researchers at the University of Oxford in collaboration with 25 teams across the world have published the largest study to date of the genetic basis of endometriosis.
Parental and Maternal Mental Health at Oxford
3 March 2023
A new university campaign called Brain and Mental Health at Oxford seeks to expand our understanding of the brain at a cellular level, exploring the impacts of mental health issues on the individual, and examining population-wide global health problems. From examining fetal neurodevelopment in pregnancy to analysing the impacts of parental psychosis, researchers at the University of Oxford are changing the way we think about parental and maternal mental health.
International Day of Women & Girls in Science 2023
9 February 2023
Women and girls play a critical role in science and technology communities around the world and their participation should be strengthened. To celebrate International Day of Women & Girls in Science on Saturday 11th February 2023, we are showcasing some of the amazing female students in our department, the vision for their women's health research and who or what inspires them.
Vaccine protects against pregnancy complications from COVID-19 Omicron variant
18 January 2023
The global network led by the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (OMPHI) at the University of Oxford has today published, in the Lancet, the results of the ‘2022 INTERCOVID Study’ conducted in 41 hospitals across 18 countries.
MitOX 2023- 21st April
13 January 2023
Reproductive Medicine & Genetics
The Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health invites you to MitOX 2023 on Friday 21st April. Our annual conference for researchers with an interest in mitochondria from academia and pharma. This year's event will be 'hybrid', so you can join in-person or virtually!
Award Winning Podcast
20 December 2022
Reproductive Medicine & Genetics
‘Unheard of – The hidden voice of Endometriosis ’ the podcast series co-hosted by Danielle Perro (Postdoctoral Researcher in Epidemiology) and Magda Mareckova (DPhil student) has been recognised by the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, with a Public Engagement with Research Project Award.
New appointment at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
20 October 2022
Congratulations to Manu Vatish, Professor of Obstetrics & Consultant Obstetrician who has been appointed as the new Deputy Director for Maternal and Child Health Discovery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Oxford gets £122m funding for healthcare research
20 October 2022
Health and care research in Oxford is to receive £122 million in government funding over the next five years to improve diagnosis, treatment and care for NHS patients.
What is the impact of heavy menstrual bleeding on female health and well-being?
12 October 2022
Reproductive Medicine & Genetics
Many of us have no idea whether or not our period is “normal”. It’s no wonder, since not only is everyone different, but the stigma still keeps many of us from asking questions or discussing what we go through every month with friends and family. Principal Investigator Prof Suzannah Williams and DPhil student Tomi Adeniran explore what heavy periods can mean in their article published in The Conversation.
Maternal fat metabolism in pregnancy and fetal abdominal growth influence child weight
26 August 2022
A new study, led by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley, USA, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology identifies, as early as the 5th month of pregnancy, patterns of fetal abdominal growth associated with maternal lipid metabolites that track newborn growth, adiposity and development into childhood.
New Professor of Obstetrics Title
22 August 2022
Enormous well done to our new Professor Sally Collins - she was conferred the title of Professor of Obstetrics by the University's Medical Sciences Division Board.
INTERCOVID Study cited in the New Yorker
17 August 2022
Fantastic news for our team who have been working on the INTERCOVID Study, which launched in April 2020. This week on 12th August 2022, the research findings cited in the New Yorker! This work was a combined effort from 43 institutions in 18 countries and involved more than two thousand pregnant women.
Women's Health Strategy for England Launched
28 July 2022
Maternal & Fetal Health Reproductive Medicine & Genetics
The government has published the first ever Women's Health Strategy for England to tackle the gender health gap. Menopause, Endometriosis, Contraception and Fertility treatment are highlighted as some of the top issues women have asked for action on. The Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health welcome and fully support this bold and exciting strategy to help improve the health of millions of women in England.
Pregnancy is more likely with urine tests and timed intercourse
11 July 2022
Dr Tatjana Gibbons leads study that suggests a woman's chance of conceiving is improved by using urine tests to detect the optimum time for intercourse, but further research is still needed to assess whether timed intercourse via any ovulation detection method creates a difference in live births and pregnancy rates.
Prof Christian Becker wins Clinical Science Award at ESHRE 2022
8 July 2022
Reproductive Medicine & Genetics
Congratulations to Professor Christian Becker who was presented with a Clinical Science Award for best oral presentation at the ESHRE 38th Annual Meeting in Milan, Italy this week.
PhD Student of the Year 2022 Winner!
28 June 2022
The winners of the Postgrad Awards 2022 have been announced and we are delighted to share that our DPhil student Josephine Agyeman-Duah has won PhD Student of the Year. The award recognises the individual PhD student who has become an excellent and inquisitive researcher, who is an integral part of their research group, someone who encourages and supports more junior members of the team, and works alongside the research community more widely.
Josephine Agyeman-Duah wins at the Oxford Student Union Awards 2022
22 June 2022
Huge congratulations to Josephine Agyeman-Duah, DPhil student in the Kennedy group who won a Race Equality award at the Oxford Student Union Awards 2022.
Oxford's largest ever study into Varicose veins shows need for surgery is linked to genetics
14 June 2022
Reproductive Medicine & Genetics
Varicose veins are a very common manifestation of chronic venous disease, affecting over 30% of the population in Western countries. In America, chronic venous disease affects over 11 million men and 22 million women aged 40–80 years old. Left untreated it can escalate to multiple health complications including leg ulcers and ultimately amputations. A new international study by Oxford researchers published on 2nd June 2022 in Nature Communications establishes for the first time, a critical genetic risk score to predict the likelihood of patients suffering with Varicose veins to require surgery, as well as pointing the way towards potential new therapies.
New Associate Professor Titles
9 June 2022
We're celebrating two new Associate Professors in our department!
New imaging study could make diagnosing endometriosis quicker, more accurate and reduce the need for invasive surgery.
6 June 2022
Reproductive Medicine & Genetics
A new research study launches to investigate whether a 20-minute imaging scan can detect the most common types of endometriosis, which currently require surgery to diagnose.
