Elizabeth Grace Bromfield PhD

Elizabeth Grace Bromfield an NHMRC CJ Martin Early Career Fellow in the Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science. research is primarily focused on discovering how human sperm recognize and interact with the egg to improve in vitro fertilization outcomes and ensure the health of new individuals.

Bromfield completed their Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Brett Nixon and L. Prof. John Aitken at The University of Newcastle and was awarded a degree in December 2015. the doctoral study was dedicated to understanding the mechanisms behind human sperm-egg recognition with a particular focus on investigating the molecules that jeopardize this process in cases of infertility. Bromfield has studied this complex biological interaction between the male and female gametes by evaluating the formation and function of important protein complexes at the sperm surface that act as mediators in the interaction between sperm and the egg. Importantly, working with members of the PRC in Reproductive Science, we have discovered a very deleterious role for reactive oxygen species in protein complex function and, as a consequence, we have demonstrated that oxidative stress is a major detriment to fertilization outcomes in our own species.