معرفی
Helen M Picton is a Professor of Reproduction and Early Development at the University of Leeds, affiliated with the Discovery and Translational Science Department within the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine. She serves as Scientific Director of Leeds Fertility at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and leads postgraduate teaching programs in Clinical Embryology and Assisted Reproduction Technology. Her research spans ovarian physiology, follicle development, and fertility preservation, with a focus on molecular and metabolic markers of oocyte quality.
- BSc 1st Class (Hons), University of Edinburgh (1985)
- PhD, University of Edinburgh (MRC Centre For Reproductive Biology)
Her laboratory investigates folliculogenesis, oogenesis, and embryogenesis using metabolomics, genomics, and epigenetic analyses. Key contributions include physiological culture systems for in vitro follicle maturation, cryobiology techniques for fertility preservation, and interdisciplinary collaborations with engineering researchers to develop microfluidic devices and nanosensors for embryo culture. She has supervised 28 PhD/MD fellows and over 80 MSc projects.
Scientific awards include the 2012 Distinguished Scientist Award from the UK Association For Clinical Embryology. Major grants from the MRC, NC3Rs, and charitable trusts have funded her work on fertility preservation, epigenetic regulation in ART-derived embryos, and microfluidic technology for infertility treatments. She has published over 120 research papers and secured 4 patents.
- MRC Project Grant MR/K020501-1 (£1,420,732, 2013-2018): 'The lifecycle and legacy of human oocytes in health, age and infertility'
- NC3Rs Project Grant NC/C016S02/1 (£95,883, 2017-2018): 'CRACKIT CHALLENGE 24: EASE'
- MRC Confidence in Concept Award (£99,574, 2018-2019): 'Integrated microfluidic and nanosensor embryo culture device'
- CRUK Project Grant (£253,000, 2006-2009): 'Ovarian tissue cryopreservation for cancer-related infertility'
Her research group collaborates with Leeds Fertility and the School of Engineering, combining clinical and translational approaches. She leads international MSc programs in reproductive science and has delivered over 125 invited lectures globally.
