Professor Robert McLachlan AM, from the Clinical Andrology Research Group at Hudson Institute

Professor Robert McLachlan AM, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow

Professor Robert McLachlan is a physician-scientist and Principal Research Fellow with a programme of basic and clinical research in male reproductive health. He joined the Prince Henry’s Institute, now Hudson Institute of Medical Research, in 1983.

Prof McLachlan has made major contributions to scientific discovery, translation into clinical practice and education in male reproductive health. His particular interests are male fertility regulation, the genetics of male infertility and androgen physiology.

He is Deputy Director of Endocrinology at Monash Medical Centre, Consultant Andrologist to the Monash IVF program, consultant to the WHO and is the Director of Andrology Australia, a Federal Government initiative committed to research and community & professional education in male reproductive health.

Prof McLachlan has a strong track record of basic, clinical and translational research into male contraception, androgen physiology and male infertility, including its genetics and its management by assisted reproduction. His research program has been supported by continuous NHMRC funding for past 25 years and, in addition, through other peer reviewed and industry-funded sources.

Prof McLachlan has a long history of linking basic research on male fertility regulation to clinical outcomes. This research has consistently extended results from animal models into studies in man, resulting in major contributions to methods of evaluating spermatogenesis, its endocrine regulation and to developing male hormonal contraception. A major area of research is translational studies in male infertility, which is undertaken in collaboration with colleagues at Monash University and The University of Newcastle. As an Associate of the Hudson Institute’s Centre for Reproductive Health, Prof McLachlan also has a long standing research interest in the regulation of spermatogenesis.

Prof McLachlan is a leading advocate for men’s health on the national stage. As Director of Andrology Australia, he co-ordinates research into men’s reproductive health and aims to raise awareness of male reproductive health disorders and their associations with chronic disease. He also contributes to the research and education on men’s health and fertility through membership of the World Health Organisation subcommittee for Research on Methods for the Regulation of Male Fertility and as a member of various peak bodies such as the Fertility Society of Australia and the International Society of Andrology.

Research on androgen physiology and therapy in ageing and metabolic disease is also a major focus of Prof McLachlan, with several clinical interventional studies investigating a range of endpoints including quality of life, body composition and cardiovascular risk. These studies include participation in the major multicentre ‘T4DM’ RCT of testosterone in obese men with pre- or early type 2 diabetes.

Prof McLachlan has been a consultant Andrologist at Monash IVF since 1991, and has a long standing interest in advocacy and research aimed at improving ART (assisted reproduction technologies) outcomes through his Chairmanship of the Monash IVF Research and Education Foundation and collaborative research with scientists and clinicians in the Monash IVF and Repromed programs, and the University of Adelaide.

Professor McLachlan’s expertise lies in clinical research, andrology, endocrinology, testosterone, infertility, spermatogenesis, androgens, assisted reproduction and health promotion and policy.

Service to the Scientific Community:

  • Chairman of Lead Organising Committee, International Congress of Andrology. Melbourne 2013
  • 2005-2009, Secretary, International Society of Andrology
  • 2006 -present Director, Andrology Australia
  • Chairman Monash IVF Research and Education Foundation 2009-present
  • Member, Research on Methods for the Regulation of Male Fertility of the World Health Organisation 1995-present
  • Editor, Male Endocrinology section www.ENDOTEXT.org
  • Editorial Board member , Journal of Andrology and Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

Selected publications

  • Allan CA, Collins VR, Frydenberg M, McLachlan RI, Matthiesson KL. (2014) Androgen deprivation therapy complications. Endocr Relat Cancer. Aug;21(4):T119-29.

  • Halliday J, Wilson C, Hammarberg K, Doyle LW, Bruinsma F, McLachlan RI, McBain J, Berga T, Fisher JR, Amor D. Comparing indicators of health and development of singleton young adults conceived with and without Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Fertility and Sterility (2014) 101(4):1055-1063.

  • Jamsai D, Lo JC, McLachlan RI, O’Bryan MK. Genetic variants in the RABL2A gene in fertile and oligoasthenospermic infertile men Fertility and Sterility (2014) May 10. pii: S0015-0282(14)00352-5.

  • Tarulli GA, Stanton PG, Loveland KL, Meyts ER, McLachlan RI, Meachem SJ. A survey of Sertoli cell differentiation in men after gonadotropin suppression and in testicular cancer Spermatogenesis (2013) 3 (1): e24014.

  • Haverfield JT, Meachem SJ, O’Bryan MK, McLachlan RI, Stanton PG. Claudin-11 and connexin-43 display altered spatial patterns of organization in men with primary seminiferous tubule failure compared to controls Fertility and Sterility (2013) 100 (3): 658-66.

  • Jamsai D, Grealy A, Stahl PJ, Schlegel PN, McLachlan RI, Morand E* and O’Bryan MK*. (*Equal last author) Genetic variants in the human glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) gene in fertile and infertile men Andrology (2013) 1 (3): 451-5.

  • Handelsman DJ, Newman JD, Jimenez M, McLachlan RI, Sartorius G, Jones GRD. Performance of Direct Estradiol Immunoassays with Human Male Serum Samples Clinical Chemistry (2013) 60(3):510-7.

  • de Kretser DM, Bensley JG, Pettilä V, Linko R, Hedger MP, Hayward S, Allan CA, McLachlan RI, Ludlow H, Phillips DJ. Serum activin A and B levels predict outcome in patients with acute respiratory failure: a prospective cohort study. Critical Care (2013) 17 (5): R263.

  • McLachlan RI. Approach to the patient with oligozoospermia The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2013) 98 (3): 873-80.

  • McLachlan RI. When is azoospermic infertility treatable without ICSI? Clinical Endocrinology (Oxford) (2013) 78 (2):176-180.

  • O’Donnell L, McLachlan RI. The role of testosterone in spermatogenesis Testosterone: action, deficiency, substitution. (2012) 4th ed. 123-153.

  • McLachlan RI, Krausz C. Clinical evaluation of the infertile male: new options, new challenges. Asian Journal of Andrology (2012) 14 (1): 3-5.

  • O’Bryan MK, Grealy A, Stahl PJ, Schlegel PN, McLachlan RI, Jamsai D. Genetic variants in the ETV5 gene in fertile and infertile men with non-obstructive azoospermia associated with Sertoli cell only syndrome Fertility and Sterility (2012) 98 (4): 827-35.

  • Allan CA, Collins VR, Frydenberg M, McLachlan RI, Matthiesson KL. Monitoring cardiovascular health in men with prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy International Journal of Urological Nursing (2012) 6 (1): 35-41.

  • McLachlan RI, Ishikawa T, Osianlis T, Robinson P, Merriner DJ, Healy D, de Kretser D, O’Bryan MK. Normal live birth after testicular sperm extraction and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in variant primary ciliary dyskinesia with completely immotile sperm and structurally abnormal sperm tails Fertility and Sterility (2012) 97 (2): 313-318.

  • Stanton PG, Sluka P, Foo CFH, Stephens AN, Smith AI, McLachlan RI, O’Donnell L. Proteomic changes in rat spermatogenesis in response to in vivo androgen manipulation; Impact on meiotic cells PLoS ONE (2012) 7 (7): art.no.e41718.

  • Sartorius G, Spasevska S, Idan A, Turner L, Forbes E, Zamojska A, Allan CA, Ly LP, Conway AJ, McLachlan RI, Handelsman DJ. Serum testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol concentrations in older men self-reporting very good health: the healthy man study Clinical Endocrinology (Oxford) (2012) 77 (5): 755-63.

  • Beyer CE, Kayler B, Osborne E, McLachlan RI, Osianlis T. Supersensitive fluorescent semen analysis: validation on azoospermic and oligozoospermic samples Fertility and Sterility (2012) 98 (4): 843-8.

  • Nicholls PK, Harrison CA, Walton KL, McLachlan RI, O’Donnell L and Stanton PG. Hormonal Regulation of Sertoli Cell microRNAs at Spermiation. Endocrinology. (2011) 152 (4): 1670-1683.

  • Wang, C., Ilani, N., Arver, S., McLachlan, R. I., Soulis, T., Watkinson, A. (2011) Efficacy and safety of the 2% formulation of testosterone topical solution applied to the axillae in androgen-deficient men. Clinical Endocrinology. 75(6): 836-43.

  • Jamsai D, Sarraj MA, Merriner DJ, Drummond AE, Jones KT, McLachlan RI, O’Bryan MK. (2011) GGN1 in the testis and ovary and its variance within the Australian fertile and infertile male population. Int J Androl. 34(6, part 1): 624-32

  • Allan CA, Strauss BJ, Forbes EA, Paul E, McLachlan RI. (2011) Variability in total testosterone levels in ageing men with symptoms of androgen deficiency. Int J Androl. 34(3): 212-216.

  • Herlihy AS, Halliday JL, Cock M, McLachlan RI. (2011) The prevalence and diagnosis rates of Klinefelter syndrome: an Australian comparison. Medical Journal of Australia. 194 (1): 24-28.

  • Nicholls PK, Harrison CA, Walton KL, McLachlan RI, O’Donnell L and Stanton PG. (2011) Hormonal Regulation of Sertoli Cell microRNAs at Spermiation. Endocrinology. 152 (4): 1670-1683. Impact Factor: 4.459. Citations: 4.

  • Allan, C.A, Peverill, RE, Strauss, BJG, Forbes, EA, McLachlan, RI. (2011) Waist-to-height ratio as a predictor of serum testosterone in ageing men with symptoms of androgen deficiency. Asian Journal of Andrology. 13(3): 424-431.