Dr Wilhelmina Huston
Queensland University of Technology
Infectious Diseases
Dr Huston’s research is focussed on understanding how Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection, causes infertility in women. Currently, women have to undergo invasive and painful procedures to diagnose that chlamydial damage to their reproductive system is the cause of their infertility. Dr Huston has recently developed a simple blood test to diagnose women who have chlamydial infertility. This test can be used to fast track women to fertility treatment procedures such as IVF and reduce the need for the painful and invasive diagnostic procedures. Understanding more about the disease may help us in the future development of treatments specific to women at risk of infertility.
Wilhelmina has given a presentation in a Queensland University of Technology run community forum on infectious diseases and fertility, attended by approximately 60 members of the public including high school teachers, parents and clinicians. She has also developed and presented a Primary and Middle School Teacher Professional Development Program to teachers in Gladstone and Rockhampton titled ‘It’s a Micro World After All’. As well as community engagement activities she frequently presents in Sexual Health and Hospital Clinical Research meetings to update on key advances within the Chlamydia research field.