Dr Winship is an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow (2021-2023) in the Ovarian Biology Laboratory at Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute.

She obtained her PhD in 2016 at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research, focused on defining the role of cytokines in the female reproductive tract (PNAS 2015; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1515076112) and reproductive cancer.

Her current research examines the essential role of DNA repair capacity in regulating quality control of the female germline (Human Reproduction Update 2018; https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmy002). She recently revealed the first evidence for a key role of intrinsic DNA break repair in response to endogenous DNA damage (i.e. resulting from normal cellular processes) to safeguard primordial oocyte number, genetic integrity and reproductive capacity (Human Reproduction 2020; https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deaa128).

Additionally, she is establishing her own research niche, capitalising on her background in uterine and placental biology, as well as oncofertility. This research addresses a fundamental knowledge gap, largely ignored by the fertility preservation field – do cancer therapies damage the uterus? (Human Reproduction Update 2020; https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmz041, Human Reproduction Open 2020; https://doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hoaa045)

Her research is highly relevant to population health in Australia in context of fertility of female cancer survivors and maternal ageing.