Dr Taylor Pini
Lecturer in Veterinary Reproduction
School of Veterinary Science
Researcher biography
Dr Taylor Pini is a lecturer in veterinary reproduction within the School of Veterinary Science and leads the Molecular Animal Reproductive Biology Lab (MARBL). Taylor's research focuses on understanding fundamental reproductive biology across species, in order to improve the outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) like artificial insemination for livestock and wildlife. Some recent examples of her research work include:
- Exploring sperm formation and function in kangaroos
- How cooling and freezing sperm impacts cellular 'clean up' machinery
- Why frozen ram semen fails to get ewes pregnant
- How the cellular makeup of sperm differs across the kingdom of life
Taylor graduated with a Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience (Hons) and a PhD in reproductive biology from The University of Sydney. After her PhD, Taylor undertook postdocs at the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine (USA), and with the Gametic Epigenetics Consortium against Obesity (GECKO) at The University of Sydney, before beginning at UQ in 2021. Taylor has worked across many aspects of reproduction (from pregnancy detection to sperm freezing) in a range of species, including mice, humans, sheep, horses, koalas, kangaroos, parrots and echidnas.
Taylor is a co-host and producer of the science communication podcast Repro Radio.
Looking for a research project? Taylor is currently on parental leave, but will be taking on Summer and Winter Scholarship Students (undergraduate), Science Honours Students, Masters and PhD students in 2027.
Book Chapter
Pini, Taylor and de Graaf, Simon P. (2025). Seminal plasma proteomics using filter-aided sample preparation. Spermatology: methods and protocols. (pp. 637-645) edited by Manuel Álvarez-Rodríguez. New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4406-5_43
Journal Articles
Ngo, Emily, Hawke, Elyssa, Owada, Kei, Pini, Taylor, Soares Magalhães, Ricardo and Palmieri, Chiara (2025). Epidemiology of testicular tumour diagnoses in Australian dogs in primary care (1992–2022): A retrospective analysis of electronic patient records. Research in Veterinary Science, 197 105924, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.105924
Voss, Grace, Crouch, Mikayla, Zigo, Michal, Epple-Farmer, Jessica, Sutovsky, Peter and Pini, Taylor (2025). Cold shock, chilling and cryopreservation impact sperm proteasome function. Reproduction, 170 (5) e250008. doi: 10.1530/rep-25-0008
Rickard, Jessica P., Warr, Sophie, de Graaf, Simon P. and Pini, Taylor (2025). Ram sperm and seminal plasma alters immune transcriptome and cytokine secretion in ovine cervical explants ex vivo. Reproduction, 170 (5) e250240. doi: 10.1530/rep-25-0240
Campbell, Yolande, Johnston, Stephen D, Palmieri, Chiara and Pini, Taylor (2025). The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) Prostate: a proteomic perspective on gland segmentation. Biology of Reproduction ioaf209. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioaf209
Kunkel, Sarah, Johnston, Stephen D., Nouwens, Amanda and Pini, Taylor (2025). Dynamic sperm proteome remodelling during epididymal maturation in a marsupial, Macropus giganteus. Biology of Reproduction, 113 (3) ioaf160, 581-591. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioaf160
Seymour, Katherine Rose, Rickard, Jessica P., Pool, Kelsey R., Pini, Taylor and de Graaf, Simon P. (2025). Use of a sperm morphology assessment standardisation training tool improves the accuracy of novice sperm morphologists. Scientific Reports, 15 (1) 21963, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07515-3
Warr, Sophie, Pini, Taylor, de Graaf, Simon P. and Rickard, Jessica P. (2025). Seminal plasma protects frozen-thawed ram spermatozoa from neutrophil attack: a complement mediated dynamic. Reproduction, 170 (2) e240465. doi: 10.1530/rep-24-0465
Pini, Taylor, Nixon, Brett, Karr, Timothy L, Teperino, Raffaele, Sanz-Moreno, Adrián, da Silva-Buttkus, Patricia, Tüttelmann, Frank, Kliesch, Sabine, Gailus-Durner, Valérie, Fuchs, Helmut, Marschall, Susan, Hrabě de Angelis, Martin and Skerrett-Byrne, David A (2025). Towards a kingdom of reproductive life - the core sperm proteome. Reproduction, 169 (6) e250105. doi: 10.1530/rep-25-0105
Seymour, Katherine R., Rickard, Jessica P., Pool, Kelsey R., Pini, Taylor and de Graaf, Simon P. (2025). Development of a sperm morphology assessment standardization training tool. Biology Methods and Protocols, 10 (1) bpaf029, bpaf029. doi: 10.1093/biomethods/bpaf029
Crean, Angela J., Pulpitel, Tamara J., Pini, Taylor, Rickard, Jessica P., de Graaf, Simon P., Senior, Alistair M., Simpson, Stephen J. and Wali, Jibran A. (2024). Low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets reduce body weight and sperm count but increase sperm motility in mice. The Journal of Nutrition, 154 (1), 60-68. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.11.016
Crean, A. J., Afrin, S., Niranjan, H., Pulpitel, T. J., Ahmad, G., Senior, A. M., Freire, T., Mackay, F., Nobrega, M. A., Barrès, R., Simpson, S. J. and Pini, T. (2023). Male reproductive traits are differentially affected by dietary macronutrient balance but unrelated to adiposity. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 2566, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38314-x
Warr, Sophie, Pini, Taylor, de Graaf, Simon P. and Rickard, Jessica P. (2022). Molecular insights to the sperm-cervix interaction and the consequences for cryopreserved sperm. Biology of Reproduction, 108 (2), 183-196. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioac188
Liperis, George, Sharma, Kashish, Ammar, Omar Farhan, Fraire-Zamora, Juan J., da Silva, Sarah Martins, Thomson, Andrew, Pini, Taylor and Mincheva, Mina (2022). #ESHREjc report: are sperm selection techniques a panacea? Indications for the use of physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PICSI) in medically assisted reproduction. Human Reproduction, 37 (10), 2492-2496. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deac182
Dunleavy, Jessica E. M., Dinh, Doan Thao, Filby, Caitlin E., Green, Ella, Hofstee, Pierre, Pini, Taylor, Rivers, Nicola, Skerrett-Byrne, David A., Wijayarathna, Rukmali, Winstanley, Yasmyn E., Zhou, Wei and Richani, Dulama (2022). Reproductive biology research down under: highlights from the Australian and New Zealand Annual Meeting of the Society for Reproductive Biology, 2021. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 34 (13), 855-866. doi: 10.1071/rd22115
Pini, Taylor, Haywood, Mary, McCallie, Blair, Lane, Sydney L., Schoolcraft, William B. and Katz-Jaffe, Mandy (2021). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry reveals an active response to DNA damage in human spermatozoa. F&S Science, 2 (2), 153-163. doi: 10.1016/j.xfss.2021.03.001
Pini, Taylor, Raubenheimer, David, Simpson, Stephen J. and Crean, Angela J. (2021). Obesity and male reproduction; placing the Western diet in context. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12 622292. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.622292
Pool, K. R., Rickard, J. P., Pini, T. and de Graaf, S. P. (2020). Exogenous melatonin advances the ram breeding season and increases testicular function. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 9711. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66594-6
Pini, Taylor, Makloski, Rachel, Maruniak, Karen, Schoolcraft, William B. and Katz-Jaffe, Mandy G. (2020). Mitigating the effects of oxidative sperm DNA damage. Antioxidants, 9 (7) 589, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/antiox9070589
Leahy, Tamara, Rickard, Jessica P., Pini, Taylor, Gadella, Bart M. and de Graaf, Simon P. (2020). Quantitative proteomic analysis of seminal plasma, sperm membrane proteins, and seminal extracellular vesicles suggests vesicular mechanisms aid in the removal and addition of proteins to the ram sperm membrane. Proteomics, 20 (12) 1900289. doi: 10.1002/pmic.201900289
Pini, T., Parks, J., Russ, J., Dzieciatkowska, M., Hansen, K. C., Schoolcraft, W. B. and Katz-Jaffe, M. (2020). Obesity significantly alters the human sperm proteome, with potential implications for fertility. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 37 (4), 777-787. doi: 10.1007/s10815-020-01707-8
Pini, Taylor, Leahy, Tamara and de Graaf, Simon P. (2018). Sublethal sperm freezing damage: manifestations and solutions. Theriogenology, 118, 172-181. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.06.006
Pini, T., Rickard, J. P., Leahy, T., Crossett, B., Druart, X. and de Graaf, S. P. (2018). Cryopreservation and egg yolk medium alter the proteome of ram spermatozoa. Journal of Proteomics, 181, 73-82. doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2018.04.001
Pini, Taylor, De Graaf, Simon P., Druart, Xavier, Tsikis, Guillaume, Labas, Valerie, Teixeira-Gomes, Ana Paula, Gadella, Barend M. and Leahy, Tamara (2018). Binder of Sperm Proteins 1 and 5 have contrasting effects on the capacitation of ram spermatozoa. Biology of Reproduction, 98 (6), 765-775. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioy032
Pini, Taylor, Farmer, Kiri, Druart, Xavier, Teixeira-Gomes, Ana Paula, Tsikis, Guillaume, Labas, Valerie, Leahy, Tamara and de Graaf, Simon P. (2018). Binder of Sperm Proteins protect ram spermatozoa from freeze-thaw damage. Cryobiology, 82, 78-87. doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2018.04.005
Pini, Taylor, Leahy, Tamara and Paul De Graaf, Simon (2018). Seminal plasma and cryopreservation alter ram sperm surface carbohydrates and interactions with neutrophils. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 30 (5), 689-702. doi: 10.1071/RD17251
Pini, Taylor, Leahy, Tamara, Soleilhavoup, Clement, Tsikis, Guillaume, Labas, Valerie, Combes-Soia, Lucie, Harichaux, Gregoire, Rickard, Jessica P., Druart, Xavier and De Graaf, Simon P. (2016). Proteomic investigation of ram spermatozoa and the proteins conferred by seminal plasma. Journal of Proteome Research, 15 (10), 3700-3711. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00530
Rickard, J. P., Pini, T., Soleilhavoup, C., Cognie, J., Bathgate, R., Lynch, G. W., Evans, G., Maxwell, W. M.C., Druart, X. and De Graaf, S. P. (2014). Erratum: Seminal plasma aids the survival and cervical transit of epididymal ram spermatozoa (Reproduction (2014) 148 (X1)). Reproduction, 148 (6), 469-478. doi: 10.1530/REP-14-0285e
Rickard, J. P., Pini, T., Soleilhavoup, C., Cognie, J., Bathgate, R., Lynch, G. W., Evans, G., Maxwell, W. M. C., Druart, X. and de Graaf, S. P. (2014). Seminal plasma aids the survival and cervical transit of epididymal ram spermatozoa. Reproduction, 148 (5), 469-478. doi: 10.1530/rep-14-0285
Conference Papers
Palmieri, C., Ngo, E., Hawke, E., Pini, T., Owada, K. and Soares-Magalhaes, R. (2025). A retrospective analysis of 351 testicular tumour diagnoses in Australian pet dogs (1992–2022). Annual congress of the European Society of Veterinary Pathology and the European College of Veterinary Pathologists, Madrid, Spain, 28 - 31 August 2024. London, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2025.03.083
Palacios, P. D., Gurkin, R. J., Campbell, Y., Zhao, J., Pini, T., Johnston, S. and Gambini, A. (2024). 28 Successful production of kangaroo ICSI embryos. Annual Conference of the International Embryo Technology Society, Fort Worth, TX United States, 18–22 January 2025. Clayton, VIC Australia: CSIRO Publishing. doi: 10.1071/rdv37n1ab28
PINI, Taylor, AHMAD, Gulfam, BARRES, Romain, SIMPSON, Stephen and CREAN, Angela (2022). Nutritional Geometry of Male Fertility: Moving Beyond The ‘High-Fat’ Diet. Fertility Society Of Australia And New Zealand Annual Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 30 July–2 August 2022. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing. doi: 10.1142/s2661318222740905
Pini, Taylor, Parks, Jason C., Dzieciatkowska, Monika, Hansen, Kirk C., Schoolcraft, William B. and Katz-Jaffe, Mandy G. (2019). Obesity causes significant changes to the human sperm proteome. 75th Scientific Congress of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Philadelphia, PA United States, 12-16 October 2019. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.07.666
Parks, Jason C., McCallie, Blair R., Haywood, Mary E., Pini, Taylor, Schoolcraft, William B. and Katz-Jaffe, Mandy G. (2019). Minimally invasive uterine aspiration 24 hours ahead of embryo transfer characterizes the compromised RIF uterine microenvironment and is predictive of reproductive outcome. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.07.309
Pini, Taylor, Leahy, Tamara and de Graaf, Simon P. (2016). Changes to sperm surface carbohydrates following exposure to seminal plasma and freezing. 10th Biennial Conference of the Association for Applied Animal Andrology, Tours, France, 24 June 2016. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2016.03.021