NEXT GENERATION CONDOM CONTRACEPTION TO TACKLE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES & UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES
RESEARCHER PROFILE (Filmed October 2023)
Dr David J. Shepherd,
Lead Production Engineer and Materials Specialist
Eudaemon Technologies
Sydney, Australia
Dr David Shepherd is a Lead Production Engineer and Materials Specialist at Eudaemon Technologies. His journey began at the University of Wollongong, where he pursued advanced studies and eventually obtained a PhD under the guidance of a distinguished professor. His research initially focused on actuating materials and artificial muscles, particularly centred around hydrogel materials. These early explorations have seamlessly evolved into his current focus on utilising hydrogels in the realm of sexual reproductive health, with a specific emphasis on developing innovative hydrogel condoms.
Dr Shepherd’s work revolves around the development of devices and materials for sexual and reproductive health, with a particular focus on next-generation condom technology. He specialises in material fabrication and is dedicated to exploring the integration of ideas from various scientific and engineering disciplines to advance the field.
Beyond his professional pursuits, David finds joy in playing rugby union and delving into historical studies, alongside indulging in a passion for reading and travel.
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Precision and personalised nutrition
Laureate Professor Clare Collins is helping people access effective medical nutrition therapies that significantly reduce their risk of chronic disease. She and her team are developing innovative technologies, including apps and online programmes.
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Metabolic phenotyping, lipidomics & bioinformatics in dementia
Dr Luke Whiley is a dementia researcher whose work focuses on understanding how the body’s metabolism, particularly the biology of fats known as lipids, influences our health throughout ageing.
His research explores how the body responds to illness, lifestyle, and environmental stress at a chemical level, and how these responses shape longterm disease risk. Using advanced blood-based measurement technologies, Dr Whiley studies thousands of small molecules at once to build a snapshot of a person’s metabolic health. By combining these measurements with data science approaches, his work identifies biological pathways that become disrupted in disease, providing insight into why some people are more vulnerable to conditions such as dementia.
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Iodine in pregnancy on baby brain and nervous system development
Dr Karen Best is Senior Research Fellow in the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Women and Kids Theme. She is a Registered Midwife with a unique breadth of experience in clinical project management, academic skills and knowledge translation and is committed to better understanding the essential role that modifiable exposures in pregnancy play in setting the foundations for a healthy start to life.
