Rate My Professor Karen Reader

Dr Karen Reader is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Dunedin School of Medicine) within the Faculty of Medicine, Division of Health Sciences at the University of Otago. She also holds the position of Operations Manager for Otago Micro and Nanoscale Imaging (OMNI), a specialized unit in the Research Infrastructure Centre. With a PhD qualification, Dr Reader is a reproductive biologist whose research encompasses assisted reproductive technologies in humans and livestock, alongside investigations into ovarian and prostate cancer. Her work emphasizes identifying factors critical for oocyte quality to enhance in vitro maturation and embryo development. She explores the roles of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) family proteins in reproductive biology and activins in cancer progression, with goals of discovering biomarkers for predicting disease outcomes and novel therapeutic targets. Her laboratory utilizes human tissue, human cancer cell lines, and sheep ovarian cells, employing advanced techniques such as cell culture, in vitro embryo production, electron and confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biology approaches.

Dr Reader's recent publications highlight her contributions to reproductive and cellular biology. Notable works include 'Uncovering mitotic ultrastructure in the native hair follicle using volume electron microscopy' (Journal of Cell Science, 2026, with Jadav et al.), 'Comparative proteomic analysis of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) perivitelline fluid: Identifying putative cortical alveoli-associated proteins' (Biology of Reproduction, 2026, with Lewis et al.), 'Expression of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) ligands and receptors in the ovine ovary and effects of PDGFBB on granulosa cell function' (Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 2025, with Smith et al.), 'Insights into improving embryo survival in sheep' (Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 2025), and 'Identifying the composition of large vesicles in the cytoplasm of oocytes' (Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 2025, with Pratt et al.). Her research supports advancements in fertility treatments and cancer therapies through precise cellular and molecular insights.