Ben M. Lawrence ESA-SRB-ANZBMS 2021

Ben M. Lawrence

Ben's main interests are in reproductive endocrinology, uterine fluid and placental development and function. Ben completed his Bachelor of Biomedical Science with Class I Honours at the University of Newcastle in 2020, studying the role of interleukin-22 in uropathogenic Escherichia Coli urinary tract infections. Ben was awarded both the Faculty Medal and the Dunkley Medal for research and academic excellence based on his Honours research project. Following this Ben received a PhD scholarship at the University of Newcastle with the Smith Lab under the supervision of Prof Lee Smith, where he focused on the androgen production pathways in males and how this can affect sexual development, masculinisation and fertility. In 2022, Ben was the winner of the Gail Risbridger ESA Junior Scientist Award. In 2023, Ben was awarded the best ESA basic science lightning talk and poster. Ben is now an early career researcher in the Thylacine Integrated Restoration Research (TIGRR) Group at the University of Melbourne where he is conducting a species comparative study exploring the development and function of uterine fluid and the placenta.