Rate My Professor Jane Girling

Professor Jane Girling is a reproductive biologist in the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Otago, where she was promoted to Professor effective 1 February 2026. She completed her PhD in the Department of Zoology at the University of Otago in 1998. After her doctorate, she worked nearly 20 years in Australia, most recently in the Gynaecology Research Centre at the University of Melbourne and the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne. She joined the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago in 2018. Professor Girling teaches reproductive biology in first-year Health Sciences papers and second-, third-, and fourth-year Anatomy papers. She is a member of the Reproduction, Genomics and Development Research Group, focusing on uterine biology and women's health, particularly endometriosis. Her research investigates the functional role of genetic variants linked to endometriosis pathophysiology, phenotypes of endometriotic lesions to inform clinical decisions, and the impact of menstrual pain and bleeding disorders on individuals and families to improve support for girls and young women.

Professor Girling integrates biological and psychosocial approaches to advance understanding of menstrual cycle health. She co-founded the Menstrual Health Research Network and is co-leading the establishment of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle Research at the University of Otago. She contributes to education research through the Anatomical Sciences Education Research Team (ASERT), including projects on menstrual health and endometriosis education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Key publications include Tewhaiti-Smith et al. (2025) 'The cost of endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain burden in New Zealand (Aotearoa): Results from a nationwide survey' in Women; Amnatbuddee et al. (2025) 'ASPIRE consensus on the structure of care in endometriosis: Networks of experience' in Fertility & Reproduction; Rogers, L. M. et al. (2025) 'Modelling menstruation in the common mouse: A narrative review' in Reproduction, Fertility & Development; Schoeman, E. M. et al. (2024) 'Identification of plasma protein biomarkers for endometriosis and the development of statistical models for disease diagnosis' in Human Reproduction; and Taffs, L. et al. (2024) 'Supportive care needs of young adults with endometriosis: An open-ended online survey and exploration of unmet needs' in Health Expectations.