Appointments

2009 – Adjunct Professor, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University
2009 – Honorary Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne
2014-2016 – Chair, Advisory Board of the Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, SA
2014-2015 – Past President, Society for Study of Reproduction (USA)

Profile

Professor Jock Findlay joined the Prince Henry’s Institute (now Hudson Institute of Medical Research) in 1979 and is a Fellow of the Academy of Health and Medical Science (FAHMS). Jock has published over 280 research papers and received multiple awards and accolades for his work.

Research Interests

A major theme of his research has been in understanding how fertility in women is related to the function of their ovaries, exploring how healthy eggs are formed, stored and released.

His research has led to a shift in understanding how hormones have local effects on the body including the production of eggs. Jock’s work has also contributed to the development of improved IVF procedures and understanding of fertility and infertility.

More recently he has contributed to our understanding of chemoresistance and metastasis of ovarian cancer.

Expertise

Female fertility and infertility, ovarian physiology, ovarian cancer

Recent Achievements

2014 – Honorary Life Membership to the Endocrine Society of Australia
2013 – NHMRC Ethics Award
2012 – Lifetime Member, Society for the Study of Reproduction, USA
2012 – Emeritus Member of the US Endocrine Society
2009 – Life Member of Society for Reproductive Biology
2008 – Made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
2006 – Awarded the Dale Medal by the UK Society for Endocrinology
2006 – Distinguished Scientist Award made by the UK Society for Reproduction & Fertility
1999 – Awarded the Asia & Oceania Medal of the UK Society for Endocrinology

Service to the Scientific Community

• 2014 – External Reviewer, Center for Biomedical Research Population Council, NY, USA
• 2014 – SSR Representative, World Congress of Reproductive Biology, Edinburgh, UK
• 2009-2014 – Board Member (2009-2011), Vice President (2011-2012) and President (2013-2014) Society for the Study of Reproduction USA
• 2010-2014 – Chair, Grant Review Panel, NHMRC
• 2012 – Inhibins & Activins, Guest Editors: K. Stenvers and J.K. Findlay, Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology
• 2008-2013 – Member and Deputy Chair, & Chair of Scientific Committee, Advisory Board of the Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide, S.A.
• 2003-2014 – Member & President (2010-2014), Board of the Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium Inc.
• 2003-2012 Chair, NHMRC Embryo Research Licensing Committee
• 1989-2012 – NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow

Current Research

• Regulation of new folliculogenesis and hormonal regulation of the ovary
• Infertility disorders and ovarian cancer

Selected publications

• Escalona RM, Chu S, Kadife E, Kelly JK, Kannourakis G, Findlay JK, Ahmed N (2022) Knock down of TIMP-2 by siRNA and CRISPR/Cas9 mediates diverse cellular reprogramming of metastasis and chemosensitivity in ovarian cancer. Cancer Cell International Dec 30;22(1):422.

• Escalona RM, Kannourakis G, Findlay JK, Ahmed N (2022) Expression of TIMPs and MMPs in ovarian tumors, ascites, ascites-derived cells and cancer cell lines:  Characteristic modulatory response before and after chemotherapy treatment.  Front Oncol. Jan 3;11:796588. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.796588. eCollection 2021.

• Nguyen Q-N, Zerafa N, Findlay JK, Hickey M, Hutt KJ (2021) DNA repair in primordial follicle oocytes following cisplatin treatment.  J Assist Reprod Genet June;38(6):1405-1417.

• Escalona RM, Bilandzic M, Western PS, Kadife E, Kannourakis G, Findlay JK, Ahmed N (2020)  TIMP-2 regulates proliferation, invasion and STAT3-mediated cancer stem cell-dependent chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cells.  BMC Cancer 30; 1-24.

• Findlay JK, Holland MK, Wong BBM (2019) Reproductive science and the future of the planet. Reproduction Apr 1. pii REP-18-0640.R1. Review

• Nguyen QN, Zerafa N, Liew SH, Morgan FH, Strasser A, Scott CL, Findlay JK, Hickey M, Hutt KJ (2018) Loss of PUMA protects the ovarian reserve during DNA-damaging chemotherapy and preserves fertility. Cell Death Dis 23;9(6):618.

• Abubaker K, Latifi A, Luwor R, Nazaretian S, Zhu H, Quinn MA, Thompson EW, Findlay JK, Ahmed N (2013) Short-term single treatment of chemotherapy results in the enrichment of ovarian cancer stem cell-like cells leading to an increased tumor burden. Molecular Cancer, 12:24. doi: 10.1186/1476-4598-12-24.

• Hutt K, Kerr JB, Scott CL, Findlay JK, Strasser A (2013) How to best preserve oocytes in female cancer patients exposed to DNA damage inducing therapeutics. Cell Death Differentiation, 20:967-968.

• Bilandzic M, Chu S, Wang Y, Tan HL, Fuller PJ, Findlay JK, Stenvers KL (2013) Betaglycan alters NFkB-TGFβ2 crosstalk to reduce survival of human granulosa tumor cells. Molecular Endocrinology, 3:466-479.

• Ahmed N, Abubaker K Findlay JK (2014) Ovarian cancer stem cells: molecular concepts and relevance as therapeutic targets. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 39:110-25.

• Sarraj MA, Escolona RM, Findlay JK, Stenvers KL (2013) Effects of TGFb2 on wildtype and Tgfbr3 knockout mouse fetal testis. Biology of Reproduction, 88: 1-13.

• Samardzija C, Quinn M, FIndlay JK Ahmed N (2013) Atributes of Oct4 in stem cell biology: perspectives on cancer stem cells of the ovary. Journal of Ovarian Research, 5: 37.

• Abubaker K, Luwor RB, Escalona R, McNally O, Quinn MA, Thompson EW, Findlay JK, Ahmed N (2014) Targeted disruption of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in combination with systemic administration of paclitaxel inhibits the priming of ovarian cancer stem-like cells leading to a reduced tumor burden. Women’s Cancer, 4:1-12.

• Abubaker K, Luwor RB, Zhu H, McNally O, Quinn MA, Burns CJ, Thompson EW, Findlay JK, Ahmed N (2014) Inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in ovarian cancer results in the loss of cancer stem cell-like characteristics and a reduced tumor burden. BMC Cancer,14, 317.

• Liew SH, Vaithiyanathan K, Cook M, Bouillet P, Scott CL, Kerr JB, Strasser A, Findlay JK, Hutt KJ (2014) Loss of the pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein BCL-2 Modifying Factor (BMF) prolongs the fertile lifespan in female mice. Biology of Reproduction, 90:77.

• Bilandzic M, Wang Y, Ahmed N, Luwor RB, Zhu HJ, Findlay JK, Stenvers KL (2014) Betaglycan blocks metastatic behaviors in human granulosa cell tumors by suppressing NFk B-mediated induction of MMP2. Cancer Lett, 354(1):107-114.

• Myers M, Morgan FH, Liew SH, Zerafa N, Gamage TU, Sarraj M, Cook M, Kapic I Sutherland A, Scott CL, Strasser A, Findlay JK, Kerr JB, Hutt KJ (2014) PUMA regulates germ cell loss and primordial follicle endowment in mice. Reproduction, 148:211-219.

• Liew SH, Vaithiyanathan K, Cook M, Bouillet P, Scott CL, Kerr JB, Strasser A Findlay JK, Hutt JK (2014) Loss of the proapoptotic BH3-only protein BCL-2 modifying factor prolongs the fertile life span in female mice. Biology of Reproduction, 90:1-9.