Victoria Cabrera-Sharp
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Post-doctoral research associate in molecular reproductive endocrinology with specialties in veterinary science.
Biography
My interest in Reproductive Endocrinology began whilst I was at the University of Essex, where I graduated with an Honours degree in Animal Science in 2003.
After a one year post working for the VLA in disease surveillance, I began my PhD studies at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London with Dr Rob Fowkes and Dr Tony Michael where I characterized the expression and hormonal regulation of the 11ßHSD enzymes in the male reproductive tract.
My first post-doc position was at Imperial College London with Professor Ilpo Huhtaniemi and involved elucidating the molecular mechanisms of sperm maturation in the epididymis. As a side project I also worked on hormonal induction of pituitary adenomas and therapies for ovarian granulosa cell tumours. I have recently just started my second post-doc position in the lab of Dr Mandi de Mestre at the Royal Veterinary College where I will be working on placental development.
After 4 years of service as Young Researcher Representative with the British Andrology Society I was elected on to the Society for Endocrinology Young Endocrinologists’ Steering Group two years ago and this year took up the position as Chair. I have been symposia co-chair and co-organiser of the Young Endocrinologist oral communication, career development sessions and social events for BES 2010, 2011 and 2012.
I have recently contributed to an open source endocrinology-based knowledge database, You and Your Hormones which was lauched in 2011 (http://www.yourhormones.info/).
Research
During my time at the Royal Veterinary College I will be conducting research into the following:
• Identification of trophoblast differentiation pathways regulated by Glial Cells Missing 1 using comparative studies of horse and human pregnancy (Wellcome Trust funded project)
• The role of TGFβ signalling in the regulation of in vivo and in vitro differentiation of placental chorionic gonadotrophin (CG)-secreting trophoblast.
Selected Publications
1) Rahman NA, Bennink HJ, Chrusciel M, Sharp V, Zimmerman Y, Dina R, Li X, Ellonen A, Rivero-Müller A, Dilworth S, Ghaem-Maghami S, Vainio O, Huhtaniemi I. (2011) “A novel treatment strategy for ovarian granulosa cell tumors based on immunization against zona pellucida protein (ZP3)” FASEB J. 2011 Oct 5. [Epub ahead of print].
2) Krutskikh A, De Gendt K, Sharp V, Verhoeven G, Poutanen M, Huhtaniemi I. (2011) “Targeted inactivation of the androgen receptor gene in murine proximal epididymis causes epithelial hypotrophy and obstructive azoospermia” Endocrinology, 152(2):689-96.
3) Ahtiainen P, Sharp V, Rulli S, Rivero-Muller A, Mamaeva V, Röyttä M, Huhtaniemi I (2010) ”Enhanced LH action in transgenic female mice expressing hCGβ subunit induces pituitary prolactinomas: the role of high progesterone levels” Endocrine Related Cancer, 17 (3) 611-21.
4) Sharp V, Thurston LM, Fowkes RC & Michael AE (2009) “Expression and activities of 11βHSD enzymes in the testes and reproductive tracts of sexually immature male pigs” Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 115 98-106.
5) Sharp, V., Thurston, L. M., Fowkes, R. C. and Michael, A. E. (2007) “11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) enzymes in the testis and male reproductive tract of the boar (Sus scrofa domestica) indicate local roles for glucocorticoids in male reproductive physiology” Reproduction, 134 473-482.