Our team

• Professor Jackson Kirkman-Brown
• Dr Sarah Conner
• Professor Arri Coomarasamy
• Dr Linda Lefièvre
• Dr Dave Smith
• Dr Peter Hewett
• Dr Hermes Gadelha

• Dr Petr Denissenko
• Professor Eamonn Gaffney

Asma Hamad

Asma is a PhD student at the University of Birmingham doing research project on human follicular fluid proteomics. Asma worked as a gynaecologist and obstetrician for three years in her home country before coming to the UK as a student sponsored by her government. Asma completed her MSc in Reproductive Biology at the University of Glasgow before coming to Birmingham to continue her postgraduate studies as a PhD student in the College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham.

Claudia Roman-Montanana

Claudia is a PhD student at The University of Birmingham. She completed her studies in pharmacy at the University of Valencia (Spain) in 2013. In summer 2015 Claudia finished her MSc in Biotechnology of Human Reproduction imparted by the Valencian Institute of Infertility (IVI) where she completed her training in the IVF and andrology departments. During her postgraduate studies she also learnt the basic genetic diagnostics in reproductive medicine while she was collaborating with IGENOMIX in Valencia. Claudia’s research focuses on the influence of DNA sperm integrity in the context of fertility. 

Benjamin Taiwo

Benjamin is a PhD student in the Kirkman-Brown research group at the University of Birmingham. He has a Bachelor ’s degree in Cell Biology & Genetics (Unilag) and a Master ’s degree in clinical embryology from the University of Oxford. He also worked with the North Bristol NHS Trust as a Trainee Embryologist prior to commencing his PhD studies. Benjamin’s research focuses on the effects of follicular fluid steroid hormones on human sperm signalling and dynamics in the female tract.

Dr Justin Chu

Justin is an obstetrics and gynaecology registrar in the West Midlands Deanery. He is currently out of programme from his clinical training to complete his PhD in IVF Implantation Factors.  He completed his undergraduate medical degree at Birmingham University in 2006 and has stayed in the region for his clinical training. Justin's PhD consists of several observational cohort studies investigating factors that may impact on the implantation of embryos during IVF treatment. His work with the ChRS will consist on investigating the nature of endometrial fluid metabolomes and whether any biomarkers may be useful in predicting successful IVF treatment. Justin's work is funded by the Birmingham Women's Hospital Research and Development Department.

Dr Lorraine Frew

Lorraine is a research laboratory associate working on the HABSelect Trial within the ChRS. Lorraine completed her undergraduate and MSc by research in Reproductive Biology at the University of Edinburgh before studying for a PhD in the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health in collaboration with the MRC Centre for Inflammation Research where her research focused on the production and function of cervical LL-37 in pregnancy. She has come to Birmingham to work on the mechanistic arm of the HABSelect trial where she will perform diagnostic gamete quality and function assays, organise sample collection and storage, alongside general technical support.

Dr Marie Lebbe

• Dr Joao Correia
• Dr Rebecca Frettsome
• Dr Thomas Connolly
• Dr Kate Nash
• Dr David Foo
• Dr Ean Hin Ooi

The Reproductive Biomaterials Executive Committee (RBEC) acts as a regulator of the tissue bank functions of the ChRS and its ethical approval, overseeing its direction, management and finances. The RBEC committee members are represented below;

• Jackson Kirkman-Brown – Chairman of the RBEC and ChRS Director
• Kelly Hard – Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation R&D Office Representative
• Jane Steele – Human Biomaterials Resource Centre Director
• Sarah J Conner – HFEA nominal licensee
• Lynne Robinson – Medically qualified member
• George Rogers- Donor Representative