Rate My Professor David Skerrett-Byrne

Dr David Skerrett-Byrne is an Honorary Associate Lecturer in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy within the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle. His research centers on understanding the molecular mechanisms governing sperm function in fertile and infertile men, particularly the epididymis's role in imparting molecular signatures that define fertility and program offspring health through epigenetic transmission of environmental stresses. Employing cutting-edge multi-omics approaches including proteomics and phosphoproteomics, established stress models, patient samples, and novel drug targets, his work pursues three primary aims: elucidating paternal stress effects on embryo development, placental function, and next-generation health; developing non-hormonal male contraceptives; and identifying biomarkers for healthy sperm selection. As an NHMRC Emerging Leader (EL1) Investigator Fellow based at Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany, since 2024, he collaborates closely with the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, securing over $2.5 million in competitive grants, including more than $2.3 million as Associate Investigator.

Skerrett-Byrne obtained his PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy from the University of Newcastle in 2019, a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from University College Dublin, Ireland, and a Master of Science in Biotechnology from the University of Ulster. His career encompasses teaching as Casual Academic and Lecturer in courses like HUBS2206 Human Biochemistry and Cell Biology, HUBS3302 Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, and HUBS1202 Human Genomics and Biomolecular Analysis from 2015 to 2021. He has supervised four PhD students (two completed) and several Honours projects. With over 40 peer-reviewed publications exceeding 800 citations from 160 institutions in 47 countries, key works include first-author publications "Proteomic profiling of mouse epididymosomes reveals their contributions to post-testicular sperm maturation" (Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2019; 207 citations), "Acrylamide modulates the mouse epididymal proteome to drive alterations in the sperm small non-coding RNA profile and dysregulate embryo development" (Cell Reports, 2021; 65 citations), and "Towards a kingdom of reproductive life – the core sperm proteome" (Reproduction, 2025). Recognized as an emerging international leader, he has received the 2023 Ken Mitchelhill Young Investigator Award (Australasian Proteomics Society), Rod Rickards Fellowship (Australian Academy of Science), 2024 SSR Best International Abstract, 2023 CESE Early Career Researcher Excellence Award finalist (University of Newcastle), and delivered over 10 invited talks at venues like the Congress on the Epididymis (Germany, 2022).