Defining the role of the immune response in pregnancy success
The Reproductive Immunology research group at the Robinson Research Institute, led by Professor Sarah Robertson AO, explores how the female immune system shapes fertility, conception, early development and pregnancy.
Our work focuses on the critical early stages of life - from conception through to pregnancy - and how the body’s immune response supports or sometimes prevents a healthy pregnancy. The immune system plays a central role in enabling the uterus to recognise and accept an embryo, ensuring the healthiest embryos survive, while protecting both mother and baby from infection.
We investigate why this process does not always work as expected, leading to challenges such as unexplained infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy disorders, and preterm birth. By understanding the biological signals involved, including factors contributed by both parents, our research aims to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of establishing pregnancy and to identify new ways to improve pregnancy outcomes.
Working across laboratory research, clinical studies and industry partnerships, we translate scientific discovery into real-world solutions. This includes developing new treatments and approaches to support people trying to conceive and to improve the health of infants from the earliest stages of life.
