Vet. Surgeon (Hannover, Germany), PhD, MRCVS
Monika graduated from Hannover, Germany, December 1989, and after 2 years in mixed practice in Herefordshire, UK, joined the research group of Professor Jim Roche at University College Dublin, where she pursued physiological studies into systemic and local regulators of ovarian antral follicle development in cattle, and the consequences of abnormal follicle function on the oocyte and fertility. Following completion of her PhD in 1996, and one year of postdoctoral studies developing further the bovine follicle model, Monika joined the teaching staff of the Glasgow University Veterinary School in September 1997.
She teaches veterinary physiology, reproductive physiology and anatomy, clinical reproduction, and veterinary clinical and professional skills (course leader for VPCS2, year 3 leader for the newly developed clinical phase). One part of Monika’s research addresses the subfertility syndrome in the modern high-yielding dairy cow by investigating 1) molecular markers of healthy antral follicle development identified using state-of the art transcriptomic techniques (such as SAGE and next generation sequencing together with Prof A Evans, Reproductive Biology Research Cluster, UCD, Ireland), 2) the interaction of genetics with nutrition in the pituitary control of postpartum lactation and ovulation (with Dr J Robinson, University of Glasgow, Mr L. Viora, SCPAHFS, and SRUC collaboration), 3) peripartal disease and metabolic status compromising subsequent ovarian function (with Dr P Hastie and Mr L. Viora, SCPAHFS), and 4) prevalence of SNPs in candidate genes regulating follicle function and metabolism in Bos Taurus and Bos Indicus.
Further research interests involve other large animal models, and in collaboration with Dr J Robinson who developed the prenatally androgenised Dorset ewe model, Monika’s studies address the question of how adult ovarian follicular function is abnormally programmed in utero through exposure to environmental chemicals, such as oestrogenic or androgenic compounds. A second project is on ovarian granulosa cell characteristics in the mare with an emphasis on granulosa cell tumours and carried out in collaboration with Dr T Parkin (School of Veterinary Medicine, UoG) to also determine the prevalence and risk factors of equine granulosa cell tumours based on sophisticated data mining approaches.
You can contact Monika by emailing Monika.MihmCarmichael@glasgow.ac.uk