Professor Jackson C. Kirkman-Brown MBE PhD

Professor Jackson Kirkman-Brown

Department of Metabolism and Systems Science
Professor in Reproductive Biology

Contact details

Telephone
0121 627 2739
Email
j.kirkmanbrown@bham.ac.uk
Twitter
Address
Centre for Human Reproductive Science
黑料吃瓜网
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Jackson is internationally recognised for his work in fertility and sperm (Andrology). He strongly believes that research into diagnostic and therapies in the area can have a rapid and direct impact not only on care, and therefore birth of the next generation, but also quality of life for the patients and children involved. As Director of the Centre for Human Reproductive Science he leads an interdisciplinary team with clinical trials and basic science collaborations across the UK and globe.

Jackson hold a dual-role, alongside his academic work he is also Director, HFEA Person Responsible and Science Lead at Birmingham Women’s Fertility Centre which includes coordinating one of the largest regional Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) services.

Jackson has also been privileged to be able to have the opportunity to setup, develop and create the laboratory techniques and services for Fertility Preservation in the event of catastrophic genital injury. This work was undertaken with the and recognised with him being conferred an MBE and most recently being named as the Chief Scientific Officer's Healthcare Scientist of 2014 by Professor Sue Hill.

Biography

Jackson is Chair of the Association for Reproductive and Clinical Scientists (ARCS), the UK Professional Society for Andrology and Embryology. In this role he also sits on a number of committees including Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority Professional Organisation Group. He is also a member of the Surgeon General’s Military Genito-Urinary Working Group.

Jackson is a Past Coordinator of ESHRE-SIG Andrology and qualified to teach and assess the official ESHRE Basic Semen Analysis Training Course.

Recent Invited Lectures

Jackson currently gives around twelve international invited lectures a year.

Healthcare Scientist of the Year HCS#2014

  

MBE – Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2013

For services to Human Reproductive Science.

Commander Joint Medical Command's Commendation 2012 

For “reasons of commitment, professionalism and personal dedication” in my work on fertility preservation after genital injury.

NHS Chief Executive’s Special Recognition Award for Leadership (December 2010)

Award created by Sir David Nicholson especially for JKB and Major John Clark for development of the techniques and service to provide severely injured soldiers hope of a family in the future.

Teaching

  • BMedSci and MSc (Toxicology) student projects
  • BMedSci – Reproduction and Development Course
  • MBChB – RED – Reproduction Endocrinology and Metabolism; Bio140; Bio384
  • PSIBS Course
  • BSc – School of Biosciences courses with reproduction components

Postgraduate supervision

  • Main Supervisor for two PhD students
  • Joint Supervisor / Co-Investigator for five PhD students
  • PhDs applications encouraged from potential students who can secure funding.

Funded PhD opportunity 

Applications are invited for PhD Studentships. 
Applicants should have a strong background in a relevant scientific discipline. They should have a commitment to reproductive science research and hold or realistically expect to obtain at least an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a relevant subject. 

Research

  • Sperm quality and selection. Taking knowledge from the HABSelect trial – where we conclusively demonstrated that female-age-related miscarriage actually has a major male factor - forwards into improved or new diagnostics and therapies for fertility.
  • Flagellar beat analysis as a diagnostic and sperm-assessment measure, co-led alongside Dr Meurig Gallagher, utilising our “FAST” sperm software.
  • Clinical Trials in Assisted Conception and Fertility (including pAToMiUM and UNiTY trials).
  • How the human sperm interacts with the female reproductive tract. This encompasses calcium signalling in human sperm and its modulation by factors such as progesterone, nitric oxide exposure, and pharmacological ligands. Research in this area and other modulators of calcium signalling forms the basis of the majority of PhD studentships within our group.
  • Collaboration on fluid dynamics in the female reproductive tract with Dr Meurig Gallagher. & Professor David Dyson-Smith. This involves various advanced imaging modalities including our “FAST” sperm software.
  • Novel modulators of human sperm function alongside Dr Liam Cox and John Snaith (Chemistry, Birmingham)

Other activities

  • Person Responsible on Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Treatment & Storage Licence. Has also held Research licences.
  • Adviser and on-screen specialist in human fertility science for Embarassing Bodies (Channel 4 / Maverick TV).
  • Adviser and participant in various documentaries and programmes including, BBC World Service – World Have your Say; BBC Asian Network – The Donor Sperm Crisis; Discovery Channel – The Great Sperm Race.
  • Trainer around gamete banking and fertility preservation for Teenage Cancer Trust / Birmingham Children’s Hospital / Birmingham City University

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Walker, JV, Premannandan, H, Barrie, A, Kirkman-Brown, JC, Newby, H & Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists 2024, '', Reproductive BioMedicine Online, vol. 49, no. 6, 104102.

Newman-Sanders, A, Kirkman-Brown, J & Gallagher, MT 2024, '', Reproductive BioMedicine Online, vol. 48, no. 1, 103623.

Gallagher, MT, Kirkman-Brown, J & Smith, D 2023, '', PNAS nexus, vol. 2, no. 3, pgad072.

Bj枚rndahl, L, Barratt, CLR, Mortimer, D, Agarwal, A, Aitken, RJ, Alvarez, JG, Aneck-Hahn, N, Arver, S, Baldi, E, Bassas, L, Boitrelle, F, Bornman, R, Carrell, DT, Castilla, JA, Cerezo parra, G, Check, JH, Cuasnicu, PS, Darney, SP, De jager, C, De jonge, CJ, Drevet, JR, Drobnis, EZ, Du plessis, SS, Eisenberg, ML, Esteves, SC, Evgeni, EA, Ferlin, A, Garrido, N, Giwercman, A, Goovaerts, IGF, Haugen, TB, Henkel, R, Henningsohn, L, Hofmann, M, Hotaling, JM, Jedrzejczak, P, Jouannet, P, J酶rgensen, N, Kirkman brown, JC, Krausz, C, Kurpisz, M, Kvist, U, Lamb, DJ, Levine, H, Loveland, KL, Mclachlan, RI, Mahran, A, Maree, L, Martins da silva, S, Mbizvo, MT, Meinhardt, A, Menkveld, R, Mortimer, ST, Moskovtsev, S, Muller, CH, Munuce, MJ, Muratori, M, Niederberger, C, O鈥檉laherty, C, Oliva, R, Ombelet, W, Pacey, AA, Palladino, MA, Ramasamy, R, Ramos, L, Rives, N, Roldan, ER, Rothmann, S, Sakkas, D, Salonia, A, S谩nchez-Pozo, MC, Sapiro, R, Schlatt, S, Schlegel, PN, Schuppe, H, Shah, R, Skakkeb忙k, NE, Teerds, K, Toskin, I, Tournaye, H, Turek, PJ, Van der horst, G, Vazquez-Levin, M, Wang, C, Wetzels, A, Zeginiadou, T & Zini, A 2022, '', Human Reproduction, vol. 2022, deac189.

Thomas-Seale, L, Kanagalingam, S, Kirkman-Brown, J, Attallah, M, Espino, D & Shepherd, D 2022, '', International Journal of Technology and Design Education.

Bisconti, M, Leroy, B, Gallagher, MT, Senet, C, Martinet, B, Arcadia, V, Wattiez, R, Kirkman-Brown, J, Simon, J-F & Hennebert, E 2022, '', Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, vol. 10, 965076.

Bj枚rndahl, L, Kirkman-Brown, J & other WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen Editorial Board Members 2022, '', Fertility and Sterility, vol. 117, no. 2, pp. 246-251.

Taiwo, BG, Frettsome-Hook, RL, Taylor, AE, Correia, JN, Lefievre, L, Publicover, SJ, Conner, SJ & Kirkman-Brown, JC 2021, '', Reproductive biology, vol. 21, no. 4, 100561.

Neal, C, Hall-McNair, A, Kirkman-Brown, J, Smith, D & Gallagher, MT 2020, '', Physical Review Fluids, vol. 5, no. 7, 073101 .

Kirkman-Brown, J 2020, '', Human reproduction (Oxford, England).

Esteves, SC & Kirkman-Brown, J 2020, '', Andrology.

Conference contribution

Cupples, G, Gallagher, MT, Smith, D & Kirkman-Brown, J 2021, . in L Bj枚rndahl, J Flanagan, R Holmberg & U Kvist (eds), XIIIth International Symposium on Spermatology. Springer, Cham, pp. 135-150.

Review article

Gallagher, MT, Roxburgh, E, Bennett, G, Parker, S & Kirkman-Brown, J 2024, '', Reproductive BioMedicine Online, vol. 49, no. 6, 104373.

Gallagher, MT, Krasauskaite, I & Kirkman-Brown, J 2023, '', Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 273-278.

Baldi, E, Gallagher, MT, Krasnyak, S, Kirkman-Brown, J & Editorial Board members of the World Health Organization laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen 2022, '', Fertility and Sterility, vol. 117, no. 2, pp. 252-257.

Expertise

  • Sperm
  • Infertility
  • IVF / Assisted Conception

Media experience

Commentator for ARCS and Science Media Centre on items related to fertility treatment and most commonly sperm in the news for print, national and local radio.

Adviser and on-screen specialist in human fertility / sperm / reproductive science for Embarassing Bodies (Channel 4 / Maverick TV).

Adviser and participant in various documentaries and programmes including, BBC World Service – World Have your Say; BBC Asian Network – The Donor Sperm Crisis; Discovery Channel – The Great Sperm Race.