معرفی
Dr. Jessica Rickard is a McCaughey Senior Lecturer in Livestock Production at the University of Sydney's School of Life and Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on applied reproductive technologies in sheep, including artificial insemination (AI) success factors, melatonin's role in breeding season advancement, and the use of on-animal sensors to monitor ram behavior. She leads projects investigating sperm-cervix interactions and semen storage resilience. Dr. Rickard holds a BAnVetBioSc (Hons) and a PhD from the University of Sydney. She is a member of the Sydney Institute of Agriculture and directs the Animal Reproduction Group.
- Education:
- Bachelor of Animal Veterinary Biosciences (Honours), University of Sydney
- PhD in Animal Science, University of Sydney
- Research Interests:
- Artificial insemination efficacy in sheep
- Semen cryopreservation and storage
- Cervical mucus-proteomics and sperm transit
- Melatonin's impact on ram fertility
- Transrectal ultrasound for embryo loss assessment
Her work has been widely featured in global media, including Smithsonian Magazine and CNN, for breakthroughs like the successful use of 50-year-old frozen ram semen. Notable grants include funding from the Society for Reproductive Biology and Australian Wool Innovation Limited.
- Grants:
- Unravelling the sperm-cervix transcriptome in sheep (2023)
- Prediction of AI success & semen standards (2022)
- Labs/Teams: Animal Reproduction Group, Sydney Institute of Agriculture
