Rate My Professor Caroline Decourt

Dr. Caroline Decourt is a Research Fellow in the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences Division, at the University of Otago. She holds a PhD and serves as Principal Investigator of the Decourt Laboratory within the Centre for Neuroendocrinology. Her research specializes in neuroendocrinology, focusing on the kisspeptin system's role in reproductive physiology and disorders. Key areas include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hormonal regulation in early pregnancy and miscarriage, puberty timing, effects of nutrition and stress on gonadotropin secretion, and neuronal mechanisms using mouse models. Previously affiliated with INRA in France, she has transitioned to leading independent research at Otago, supervising PhD students such as Kennedy Stevenson (co-supervised by Greg Anderson).

Decourt has earned notable awards for her research and supervision excellence, including the Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) New Supervisor of the Year Award in 2023, the University of Otago Postgraduate Research Culture Excellence Award in the Health Sciences category, and recognition at the 2022 Otago Medical School Research Society Meeting. Her publications appear in prestigious journals, with over 800 citations on Google Scholar. Select works include 'Deletion of Androgen Receptors From Kisspeptin Neurons Prevents PCOS Features in a Letrozole Mouse Model' (Endocrinology, 2023), 'Central Irisin Signaling Is Required for Normal Timing of Puberty in Female Mice' (Endocrinology, 2023), 'Agouti-related peptide neuronal silencing overcomes delayed puberty in neonatally underfed male mice' (Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 2022), 'RFRP neurons are required for acute stress-induced suppression of LH pulses in female mice' (Endocrinology, 2025), and 'Kisspeptin and early pregnancy: Insights from animal models into hormonal regulation and miscarriage' (Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 2025). Her contributions advance understanding of neuroendocrine control of reproduction, informing potential interventions for human reproductive challenges.