Jon Hirst

Professor Jon Hirst is a faculty member at the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Australia. He holds dual affiliations with the Mothers and Babies Research Centre and Hunter Medical Research Institute. His research focuses on fetal development during late gestation, particularly the role of neurosteroids in protecting fetal brain development against stressors and preterm birth complications.

His key projects include optimizing brain development post-preterm birth and mitigating stress impacts on pregnancy. Hirst coordinates pharmacology courses for biomedical science and pharmacy programs, emphasizing reproduction, endocrinology, and HRT. His lab investigates neurosteroid-based therapies to enhance fetal/neonatal neuroprotection.

Teaching expertise spans pharmacology, endocrine physiology, and reproductive systems. Administrative roles include course coordination and NHMRC grant reviews. His work employs guinea pig models to study neurosteroid pathways, preterm labour mechanisms, and developmental neurobiology.