Professor Eva Dimitriadis receives academic promotion

Hudson Institute female reproductive health research expert Evdokia (Eva) Dimitriadis has received an academic promotion to Professor from Monash University.

Since completing her PhD 15 years ago, Professor Dimitriadis has established herself as a world-renowned researcher within the field of embryo implantation in healthy pregnancy; contraception and infertility.

Professor Dimitriadis thanked her husband, research team and current and former colleagues for their unwavering support.

“First and foremost I would like to thank my husband. Without his support, belief in my abilities and immense encouragement, I would not have been able to achieve success in my work,” said Prof Dimitriadis, who leads the Embyro Implantation Research Group in the Centre for Reproductive Health.

Prof Dimitriadis’ research seeks to understand the underlying factors which help to make the endometrium more receptive to an implanting embryo.

Importantly, her lab discovered that human embryos secrete genetic material, called non-long-coding RNAs, which is taken up by cells in the lining of the uterus and alters their function.

“Human embryos actively participate in their destiny to implant,” Prof Dimitriadis said.

More recently, her laboratory’s work has extended to endometrial cancers and pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy disorder that is caused when the placenta doesn’t function properly.

“We have developed a world-first mouse model that mimics the main features of preeclampsia, and which can be used to investigate new drugs to treat this condition. Providing unique mechanistic insight on how the placenta forms and how it can be corrected could be used to treat pregnancy disorders such as preeclampsia,” she said.

Prof Dimitriadis thanked her colleagues, collaborators, and all the support staff at the former Prince Henry’s Institute and Hudson Institute of Medical Research for their support over many years.

“I have had the privilege to lead a great team, whose hard work, dedication and team work has resulted in our success and recognition in terms of grant funding.

“The discussions and friendship have certainly been very important in developing ideas, having the facilities to do the work and getting through hard times.

“Finally, I’d like to thank Hudson Institute Director, Professor Bryan Williams, for his enthusiastic unreserved support of my application for promotion.

“I am pleased that this promotion will have an impact on my laboratory’s national and international standing in the field of women’s reproductive health,” Prof Dimitriadis said.