Professor Chris O’Neill is a physiologist by training. He received his PhD from the University of Newcastle (NSW). After undertaking brief post-doctoral training posts in the School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney and the Institute of Zoology, London, he took on the direction of the Human Reproduction Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney. There, he pioneered many of the current techniques in assisted reproductive technologies and developed one of the world’s leading treatment centres for infertility. He was until recently the Professor for Reproductive and Developmental Medicine at the University of Sydney, and Head of the Centre for Regenerative and Developmental Medicine within the Kolling Institute for Medical Research. He is now Professor of Epigenetics within the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney, and is a member of the Charles Perkins Centre.  

His current research focusses on the impacts that the intrauterine environment experienced by the embryo and foetus have on an individual’s whole-of-life health trajectory. In particular, he studies how these events change the pattern of expression of genes that influence the predisposition of individuals to developing chronic diseases, including respiratory, cardiac, and metabolic diseases. 

Chris has held generous continuous competitive research funding throughout his career, and has a record of extensive collaboration with industry, philanthropic and advocacy groups. He has held many consultative and advisory posts with government agencies and industry and is a Fellow of the Society for Reproductive Biology. He is most proud of the many postgraduate students and trainees that have passed through his lab who now make important contributions to Australian society.