David Sharkey is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute and School of Biomedicine. An emerging leader in clinical reproductive immunology, his research focuses on the immunological dialogue between sperm, seminal fluid, and the female reproductive tract. David was recently awarded an NHMRC Ideas Grant to explore sperm’s role in reproduction beyond fertilisation. Over the past two decades, his work has led to key discoveries, including the finding that seminal fluid triggers an immune response in the cervical tissues of women following intercourse. His current research investigates how semen-derived signals shape maternal immune tolerance, aiming to advance understanding of the immunological mechanisms that constrain human fertility and pregnancy success.