Summary of the impact

Deficiencies in sperm motility, the ability of cells to migrate actively through the female reproductive tract, are implicated in around half of all cases of subfertility. The biochemical regulation of motility is a subject of considerable interest in clinical science due to its potential for improvements in diagnosis and treatment of subfertility, however the accompanying physical aspects of motility have hitherto received less attention. In 2005, mathematicians Dr David Smith and Prof. John Blake began working closely with Dr Jackson Kirkman-Brown, Science Lead for Birmingham Women's Fertility Centre, as core investigators in the Centre for Human Reproductive Science (ChRS), a clinical research and development network centred at Birmingham Women's Hospital (BWH). The resulting mathematical models of sperm motility have been impacting clinical science in three ways. (1) Changing the awareness of practising and trainee clinical scientists, both nationally and internationally. (2) Assisting the capture of infrastructure funding for translational research by opening new scientific avenues. (3) Increasing public awareness through outreach, TV and the press, in turn encouraging changes to lifestyle. (4) Commercial impact through the marketing of a novel image-splitting device developed as part of this programme.