A discovery that oxidation causes damage to sperm has led to work on a chemical male contraceptive that can block sexually transmitted infections, and a new technique to address male infertility, according to Professor John Aitken, a new Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
Professor Aitken’s team has received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their work on a family of compounds that can block male fertility by rendering sperm immotile, while preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as Chlamydia.
The team to develop a new male contraceptive method of controlling fertility and sexually transmitted diseases simultaneously.
“There has been no radical new form of contraception since the contraceptive pill was introduced in 1959, based on the biochemistry of the 1920s,” said Professor Aitken.
“Current research is aimed at refining the chemical composition of these contraceptive agents and determining their mechanism of action.”
The effect of oxidation on sperm has also led to a new technique to address male infertility. The technique is about to be subjected to large-scale Australian trials.
“Male infertility affects at least one in 20 of the male population and may even be on the rise,” explains Professor Aitken.
“One in every 35 Australians is the product of assisted reproductive technology and the uptake of such therapy is increasing exponentially,” Professor Aitken said.
The new technique allows fertility specialists to select the least damaged sperm by isolating the sperm with the highest net negative charge and smallest size. These qualities make for sperm most likely to achieve conception.
“This technique has already proven successful in large scale clinical trials at Westmead hospital,” Professor Aitken said.
“In the immediate future, multi-centred clinical trials will be conducted within Australia in order to gain more clinical experience with this system before a full commercial roll out in 2012.”
As a result of his distinguished work on mammalian sperm function, fertilisation and early embryonic development with applications in fertility treatments and contraception, Professor Aitken was elected to the Australian Academy of Science in March 2011.
Professor Aitken will present his work at the Shine Dome in Canberra on Wednesday 4 May at 10.10 am, as part of the Academy’s annual Science at the Shine Dome event.
Details of the program including all speakers’ abstracts are at:
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