Dr Mark Fenwick

BSc (Hons), PhD, PGCertHE, SFHEA

Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health

Senior Lecturer in Reproductive and Developmental Medicine

Mark Fenwick
Mark Fenwick
Profile picture of Mark Fenwick
m.a.fenwick@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 9664

Full contact details

Dr Mark Fenwick
Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health
Level 4, JW4 57
Jessop Wing
Tree Root Walk
Sheffield
S10 2SF
Profile

For enquiries, please contact – ClinMed-Operational@sheffield.ac.uk

I obtained my BSc (Hons) and PhD (2004) from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Shortly after I undertook two Postdoctoral positions in London - firstly at the Royal Veterinary College looking at the effect of negative energy balance on reproduction in dairy cows (2005-2007), and then Imperial College London working on projects relating to early follicle development in the ovary (2007-2012). I joined the University of Sheffield in December 2012 as a Lecturer in Reproductive and Developmental Medicine and then Senior Lecturer in Jan 2020.

Research interests

The ovary is an incredibly dynamic organ that is constantly producing and responding to internal molecular ‘cues’. Both environmental and genetic factors can exert influences on these internal signals, leading to dysregulation or failure of oocytes to develop. We are interested in understanding how these cues (i) coordinate the development of oocytes for ovulation and (ii) produce steroid hormones for other reproductive processes. For this, we use molecular tools and microscopic imaging to investigate these details in ovarian cells and tissue cultures. Our research is motivated by its translational potential within the clinical context of infertility and disorders that affect follicle development such as endometriosis, premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Current projects:

  • Molecular mechanisms regulating TGFβ signalling during early follicle development.
  • Mechanisms of primordial follicle maintenance and activation.
  • Effect of endometriosis on ovarian function and fertility.
  • Effects of nicotine and derivatives from e-cigarettes on the ovarian reserve.
Publications

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All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

  • Syeed R, Waite S & Fenwick M (2021) Is early follicle development a model of epithelial-mesenchymal transition?. BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Vol. 128 (pp 237-237) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Idrees S & Fenwick M (2020) Examining the effect of nicotine on a mouse model of the ovarian reserve. HUMAN REPRODUCTION, Vol. 35 (pp 1437-1438) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Idrees S, Fenwick M & Pacey A (2019) Examining the effect of nicotine on a mouse model of the ovarian reserve. HUMAN REPRODUCTION, Vol. 34 (pp 457-457) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Skodras AN, Giannarou S, Fenwick M, Franks S, Stark J & Hardy K (2009) Object recognition in the ovary: Quantification of oocytes from microscopic images.. DPS (pp 1-6) RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

I have supervised >30 postgraduate (MSc and PhD) students.

Current PhD students:

  • Amelia Parkin-Green - Molecular mechanisms governing maintenance of the ovarian reserve.
  • Aida Luna Perez - Understanding breast tissue structure to tackle cancer.
Teaching interests

I have been the Course Director for the MSc in Reproductive and Developmental Medicine since its inception in 2013. Within this course I lead and provide teaching on the Gonads to Gametes: Fundamentals of Reproduction module (MED6111). I also co-lead the Research project module on this course (MED6116/MED6117) and provide ongoing training to BSc, MBChB (SSC), MSc and PhD research students. 

I am also the Departmental Director of Recruitment and work collaboratively to support the portfolio of postgraduate programmes in the department.

Professional activities and memberships
  • Section Editor (Experimental Reproductive Biology) for the journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online (2020 - present), Editorial Board Member for Scientific Reports (2018-2019).
  • Member of Council Society for Reproduction and Fertility (SRF) and Programmes Committee member (2019-2023).
  • External reviewer for a number of international journals in reproductive biology.
  • External reviewer for funding bodies (e.g. BBSRC, MRC etc).
  • External examiner for several reproductive science programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level over the past 10 years (currently University of Leeds, MSc Clinical Embryology & ART - 2023-2026).