Robinson Research Institute

11/06/2026

We have opened registrations of interest for 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 - our flagship program for South Australian students in Years 10–12 who are keen to explore the world of health and medical research, with a focus on reproductive, maternal, and children’s health.

Two exciting opportunities are on offer: the 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 and the 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

New this year: Thanks to the 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, equitable access to the work experience program for one regional student is supported, covering travel and accommodation costs of up to $3,500 to participate.

Participants will tour labs, meet researchers, work on real-world health challenges, and discover the many pathways available in science, health and medicine.

If you have a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, student or family friend with a passion for STEMM, we'd love to hear from them.

📢 Registrations of interest are now open - make sure the young people in your life know about this opportunity! ☝️

🔗 Learn more and register: https://adelaide.edu.au/study/how-to-apply/entry-pathways/future-in-focus/

04/06/2026

The FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) Fertility Passport is a new tool developed for patients and healthcare providers supporting patients on their fertility journey.

Developed by the FIGO Committee on Reproductive Medicine, Endocrinology and Infertility, chaired by RRI research leader Professor Louise Hull, the resource is designed to address a gap in fertility care where patients often repeat costly investigations and face treatment delays when moving between clinics or healthcare systems.

For patients, the passport provides a clear, portable record, reducing emotional and financial strain. For providers, it speeds up diagnosis, improves communication, supports evidence-based decisions and reduces duplication of work, helping to move more smoothly through the fertility pathway.

For more information on the development of the FIGO Fertility Passport 👉 https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ijgo.70498

20/05/2026

Our team from Imagendo are working towards a bold goal – reducing the time it takes to diagnose endometriosis from currently over six years to under 1 year!

Read more 👉 https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/partner-content/artificial-intelligence-set-to-slash-endometriosis-diagnosis-from-six-years-to-months/news-story/edfbb60f86101e58db7d7c7a86996ead?amp=

As a public health researcher and Research Co-Lead of Chronic Reproductive Diseases at the Robinson Research Institute, Associate Professor Avery has built a career around tackling chronic reproductive conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic o***y syndrome (PCOS).

15/05/2026

A name change over a decade in the making - intending to improve diagnosis, reduce stigma, and encourage broader recognition of the condition beyond fertility concerns.

The previous name created confusion because many people with the condition do not actually have ovarian cysts. Instead, the syndrome is increasingly understood as a whole-body disorder involving complex hormonal and metabolic dysfunction.

RRI researchers have been integral leaders in faciliting this change, and in broadening our understanding of the condition. More about this in our article 👉 link in comments.

14/05/2026

For details on what this week's federal budget announcement means for funding of health and medical research, the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) have shared their analysis 👇

The following is a summary of the main announcements in the 2026-27 Federal Budget relating to the medical research sector. View AAMRI’s Media Release – https://aamri.org.au/news-events/media-releases/government-takes-step-forward-on-mrff-funding/ If there is a specific item that has not been co...

09/05/2026

This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the mothers, carers, aspiring mothers, and all those whose love, strength, guidance, and resilience shape generations. 💐

At the Robinson Research Institute, Mother’s Day is also a reminder of why we do what we do. For every family navigating infertility, pregnancy complications, premature birth, genetic disease, miscarriage, or maternal illness - research carries hope.

Behind every discovery is the possibility of more healthy pregnancies, safer births, better treatments, and brighter futures for children and families.

To the mothers in our community - thank you for the care you give, the resilience you show, and the futures you help create every day.💜

06/05/2026

“20 rounds of IVF, five egg collections, seven transfers, four miscarriages, one ectopic pregnancy… a house deposit” - Erin Holland, spoke about her long and gruelling fertility journey on the Something To Talk About podcast.

While every fertility journey is unique, the path Erin describes is shared by far too many. Stories like Erin’s are 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘺.

Our researchers are working to change what that journey looks like, including 👇

💡Developing non-invasive, light-based imaging techniques to assess developmental potential of early embryos, helping embryologists make more informed decisions when transferring an embryo

🧫 Selecting the healthiest s***m with the highest potential

👶🏼Looking at environmental factors that influence early embryo development and long-term health

🦠 Uncovering the role of the vaginal microbiome in pregnancy success, miscarriages or pre-term birth

📷Speeding up non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis – a chronic reproductive health condition impacting fertility

All this (and more!) is pursuing one goal: helping more people to parenthood with lowered mental and financial burden.

You can be part of this work – a donation (big or small!), participation in a study, helping to raise awareness – just drop us a message if you would like to be involved.

For the past five years, model and TV presenter Erin Holland has been trying to fall pregnant with her husband, cricketer Ben Cutting.

29/04/2026

Could s***m find their way to the female egg in space?

Dr Nicole McPherson explains the findings about how a lack of gravity might impact fertilisation and early embryo development, and why those findings have 'gravity' beyond expanding our kowledge about human reprduction in space. 👇

13/04/2026

What does “safe” drinking water mean for reproductive health?

New research suggests that PFAS levels currently considered safe under Australian guidelines still affect fertility, egg and embryo health - with effects observed across generations. More 👇

Researchers at the Robinson Research Institute (RRI), Adelaide University, have found that exposure to even very low levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water can disrupt egg and embryo health, with effects that may persist across generations. The study, published in Env

07/04/2026

📚 A new study involving RRI researchers has revealed a link between exposure to extreme temperatures in pregnancy and low birth weight of babies.

The study looked at health data of more than 85,000 mothers and babies in Pakistan and found that exposure to extreme heat during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of babies being born with low birth weight - in some regions by up to 70%.

Low birth weight is linked to serious long-term health challenges, and with rising temperatures, this risk is projected to grow in the coming decades. These insights are highly relevant for other countries facing rising temperatures, including Australia, and highlight the need for public health preparedness and climate-adapted maternal care strategies.

🔗Read more https://adelaide.edu.au/about/news/2026/extreme-heat-from-climate-change-linked-to-smaller-babies/