Memphasys (ASX:MEM) has welcomed news that the 2021 Distinguished Andrologist award has been granted to Laureate Professor John Aitken, University of Newcastle, by the American Society of Andrology (ASA).
Professor Aitken, who heads Memphasys’ Scientific Advisory Committee, was formally recognised with the ASA’s highest honour on April 24 for his scientific contributions to the field of andrology and his commitment to advancing the science of male reproductive health.
Using a combination of proteomic and biochemical approaches, John Aitken’s research has elucidated the fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate sperm function, fertilisation and early embryonic development.
His group has identified various novel mediators of sperm-egg interaction, generating novel insights into the causes of human infertility as well as novel approaches to contraceptive development. They have also demonstrated that oxidative stress is heavily involved in the origins of defective mammalian sperm function, linking this pathway to DNA damage and providing a rational basis for anti-oxidant therapy in the male.
Professor Aitken and his research team have been collaborating with Memphasys to develop the Felix device for selection of healthy sperm for IVF procedures. More recently Professor John Aitken and his researchers have also been developing a portfolio of potential products focused on both human and animal reproduction, ranging from prospective novel medical devices and in vitro diagnostics to new, proprietary media.
In addition, a recent paper written by Professor John Aitken and Associate Professor Hassan Bakos, Scientific Director, Monash IVF, has been published in the prestigious “Human Reproduction” journal. This paper advocates routine assessment of DNA integrity in human spermatozoa in a clinical context particularly because oxidative sperm DNA damage plays a major role in determining the ultimate health and wellbeing of the offspring.
