Science Speakeasy: Fitting into our Genes

Alistair is a lecturer in Geospatial Engineering at Newcastle University, using mapping data and computer models to explore sustainable and resilience cities. He’s particularly interested in the way that land-use and transport planning can be used to adapt our urban areas to climate change. He loves chairing the Science Speakeasy events because he gets to have fascinating discussions with knowledgeable people about subjects he knows nothing about! Alistair’s twitter.

Nina is the director of the Donor Conception Network, a support organisation for people considering donor conception and parents who have donor conceived children. The charity was founded 30 years ago and Nina has been leading the team for the last 8 years. She has a deep understanding of the particular issues affecting families created through donor conception and regularly speaks and writes on the subject. The charity also publishes a range of books for both parents and children. It is a resource for academics and policy-makers, as well as a much-needed voice for donor conception families more widely.

Hayley is both a donor conceived adult and a Mum to six year old twins with her wife thanks to sperm donation. Hayley found out in her 30’s that she was donor conceived, and in 2019 was able to locate her parent’s (previously) anonymous sperm donor and several of her half siblings thanks to commercial DNA testing.​

Once a family secret, Hayley has now made the decision to speak publicly about her story, and has become more involved in educational and advocacy work around the subject of donor conception. Specifically, in January 2023 Hayley became the LGBTQ+ Director at Paths to Parenthub, an online support platform for parents via donor conception, and more recently launched her own website All Things Donor Conception. Both of these roles see Hayley supporting parents, donors and donor conceived adults on a daily basis.

Dr Meenakshi Choudhary is a leading Clinician in Reproductive Medicine at the internationally renowned Newcastle Fertility Centre (operating at Life) and clinical lead for the Newcastle Fertility Centre’s egg donor program.

She is passionate about empowering women who volunteer to be donors and give a ‘gift of life’ to several women who suffer from infertility or deadly inheritable diseases. She believes in a ‘donor-centric’ approach keeping the best interests of the donors at heart without compromising the chance of a baby for the women needing these eggs.

Gillian has worked at the internationally renowned Newcastle Fertility Centre since 1997 (before it moved to Life). Prior to that, she was a midwife at Newcastle Hospital.

In 2004, Gillian took over as coordinator for patients having sperm donation treatment. This role involves managing the waiting list for sperm donors as well as changes in legislation (including the change of anonymity law in 2005).

Now a Fertility Nurse Specialist, Gillian offers patient care in all aspects of fertility treatment, whilst continuing to lead the sperm donor treatment pathway.