Encourages students to explore new ideas.
Always approachable and supportive.
Inspires growth and curiosity in every student.
Creates a positive and motivating atmosphere.
Tayler Catherine Kent is an Associate Lecturer in Human Pharmacology in the School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences at Murdoch University. Her academic background at Murdoch University encompasses a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology with a minor in Forensic Biology, and an Honours degree in Molecular Biology, during which she initiated research in reproductive pharmacology. She completed her Doctor of Philosophy in 2025 with a thesis titled "Functional and metabolic changes to male reproductive cells after exposure to common herbal medicines." This work focused on the pharmacology and toxicology of popular herbal fertility supplements, investigating their metabolic and functional effects on sperm using a sheep model to assess impacts on male reproductive physiology.
In 2023, Kent joined Murdoch University as a full-time academic while finalizing her PhD, now coordinating units such as BRD202 Biomedical Research Techniques and BMS317 Human Pharmacology. Her research specialization lies in reproductive pharmacology and toxicology, examining how herbal products and dietary phytoestrogens affect spermatogenesis, seminal plasma proteome, and sperm fertilizing capacity. Key publications include "Oestrogenic metabolite equol negatively impacts the fertilising capacity of cryopreserved ram spermatozoa" (2021, co-authored with K.R. Pool et al., Reproduction, Fertility and Development), "Low-moderate dietary phytoestrogens transiently disrupt spermatogenesis and the seminal plasma proteome in the ram" (2023), and a contribution to "Prevalence and associated plasmid resistant genome of ESBL-producing E. coli in dairy cattle in Western Australia" (2025). In 2024, she received two grants from the School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences to fund post-PhD projects: expanding flow cytometric methods for sperm function and optimizing oocyte maturation for in vitro embryo development. Kent has chaired sessions at conferences including APSA-ASCEPT and featured in university publications, enhancing education on herbal medicine safety and pharmacology.
