AI technology checks live sperm quality in seconds
New AI technology could improve the speed and accuracy of live sperm analysis, assisting infertility diagnosis and selection of sperm for ICSI...
Dr Naomi Phillips
Postdoctoral Researcher at QMUL
Dr Naomi Phillips is a Volunteer Writer at BioNews, having originally joined the publication under the auspices of its writing scheme. Naomi currently works as a postdoctoral researcher at Queen Mary University of London, where she is trying to make adrenal organoids to understand their development. Before this she worked at University College London studying cardiac and sperm development. Her research in developmental biology and stem cells started during her PhD in regenerative medicine at the University of Manchester. This project focused on using stem cells to model human cardiac development. Previously, she completed a BSc in cellular and molecular medicine at the University of Bristol.
BioNews Articles by Dr Naomi Phillips
Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false colour).
Human blood stem cells successfully grown in vitro
Human stem cells, of the type that are used for blood stem cell transplants, have been grown in a bioengineered gel designed to mimic the bone marrow...
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
Diet affects sperm epigenetics, in turn affecting child health
A father's diet before conception influences the likelihood of their child developing metabolic diseases, including diabetes, due to changes in sperm RNA...
Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
Mouse embryo develops extra limbs instead of genitals
Inactivating a gene that codes for a protein involved in early mouse development results in the formation of two extra hindlimbs in the place of external genitalia...
Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
Event Review: Stembryos – The future of reproduction?
As stem-cell-based embryo models (SCBEMs) become increasingly complex, they also raise big questions – how do we define a human embryo, and what limits should be placed on SCBEM research?...
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Mechanism egg uses to block penetration by second sperm discovered
Structural changes in a specific protein triggers egg coat hardening after fertilisation, research shows...
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
Mouse testicle organoids grown in lab
Organoids grown from testicular cells of young mice have shown characteristics of normal mouse testes and have potential to produce sperm...
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Men with low or no sperm count at higher risk of some cancers
Men with infertility, and their relatives, have been found to be at an increased risk of some cancers, though the specific cancer risk varies greatly...
Northern Ireland expands IVF eligibility, but leaves some patients behind
Publicly funded IVF treatment in Northern Ireland is to be expanded, with some women entitled to additional embryo transfers...
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
Autoimmune diseases may be linked to X chromosome inactivation
A long non-coding RNA that plays a role in the inactivation of one of the X chromosomes in females, could be behind why autoimmune diseases disproportionately affect women...
