Dr Nicola Hemmings
School of Biosciences
Senior Research Fellow
n.hemmings@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4828
+44 114 222 4828
Alfred Denny Building
Full contact details
Dr Nicola Hemmings
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
- Profile
-
- Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow, University of Sheffield (2018-present)
- Co-Director of the University of Sheffield Centre for Equity & Inclusion (2022-present)
- Programme Lead, MSc Science Communication, University of Sheffield (2017‒2018)
- Patrick & Irwin-Packington Research Fellow, University of Sheffield (2016)
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, Birkhead Lab, University of Sheffield (2011‒2016)
- University Teaching Associate, University of Sheffield (2010‒2011)
- PhD Behavioural Ecology, University of Sheffield (2007‒2010)
- MBiolSci Zoology, University of Sheffield (2003‒2007)
- Research interests
-
Nicola's research group studies how and why animals vary in their ability to reproduce, with particular focus on the causes of infertility and embryo death. They work in collaboration with a range of global conservation organisations to aid recovery efforts for threatened species.
- Publications
-
Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- Extraordinary sperm to egg ratios in seabirds. The Auk. View this article in WRRO
- Ecology and allometry predict the evolution of avian developmental durations. Nature Communications, 11. View this article in WRRO
- Unhatched eggs represent the invisible fraction in two wild bird populations. Biology Letters, 16(1). View this article in WRRO
- Sperm gatekeeping : 3D imaging reveals a constricted entrance to zebra finch sperm storage tubules. Biophysical Journal, 117(11), 2180-2187. View this article in WRRO
- Programmed DNA elimination of germline development genes in songbirds. Nature Communications, 10(1). View this article in WRRO
- A trade-off between thickness and length in the zebra finch sperm mid-piece. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1883), 20180865-20180865. View this article in WRRO
- Differential sperm storage by female zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1860). View this article in WRRO
- A sex-linked supergene controls sperm morphology and swimming speed in a songbird. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 1, 1168-1176. View this article in WRRO
- An unexpected twist: Sperm cells coil to the right in land snails and to the left in song birds. Contributions to Zoology, 86(4), 297-302. View this article in WRRO
- Sperm morphology, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration and swimming velocity: Unexpected relationships in a passerine bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283(1837). View this article in WRRO
- Intra-ejaculate sperm selection in female zebra finches.. Biol Lett, 12(6). View this article in WRRO
- Consistency of passerine embryo development and the use of embryonic staging in studies of hatching failure. Ibis, 158(1), 43-50.
- Polyspermy in birds: sperm numbers and embryo survival. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1818), 20151682-20151682. View this article in WRRO
- Long sperm fertilize more eggs in a bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1799). View this article in WRRO
- Timing associated with oviductal sperm storage and release after artificial insemination in domestic hens. Theriogenology, 83(7), 1174-1178.e1. View this article in WRRO
- Causes of hatching failure in endangered birds.. Biol Lett, 8(6), 964-967. View this article in WRRO
- Inbreeding causes early death in a passerine bird.. Nat Commun, 3, 863.
- Internal incubation and early hatching in brood parasitic birds.. Proc Biol Sci, 278(1708), 1019-1024.
- Unhatched eggs: methods for discriminating between infertility and early embryo mortality. IBIS, 150(3), 508-517.
- Parthenogenesis in a passerine bird, the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata. IBIS, 150(1), 197-199.
Preprints
All publications
Journal articles
- Understanding early reproductive failure in turtles and tortoises. Animal Conservation. View this article in WRRO
- The surprising complexity and diversity of sperm storage structures across Galliformes. Ecology and Evolution, 14(6).
- A sex-linked supergene with large effects on sperm traits has little impact on reproductive traits in female zebra finches.. Proc Biol Sci, 291(2019), 20232796.
- Early‐life telomere length predicts life‐history strategy and reproductive senescence in a threatened wild songbird. Molecular Ecology.
- Systematic review of avian hatching failure and implications for conservation. Biological Reviews.
- The Shapes of Birds’ Eggs: Evolutionary Constraints and Adaptations. The American Naturalist, 198(6), E215-E231.
- Low hatching success in the critically endangered kākāpō is driven by early embryo mortality not infertility. Animal Conservation.
- Correction to: A trade-off between thickness and length in the zebra finch sperm mid-piece. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 288(1958), 20211695-20211695.
- Physiological factors influencing female fertility in birds. Royal Society Open Science, 8(7), 202274-202274.
- Why do eggs fail? Causes of hatching failure in threatened populations and consequences for conservation. Animal Conservation.
- Extraordinary sperm to egg ratios in seabirds. The Auk. View this article in WRRO
- Ecology and allometry predict the evolution of avian developmental durations. Nature Communications, 11. View this article in WRRO
- Evaluating the reliability of non-specialist observers in the behavioural assessment of semi-captive Asian elephant welfare. Animals, 10(1). View this article in WRRO
- Unhatched eggs represent the invisible fraction in two wild bird populations. Biology Letters, 16(1). View this article in WRRO
- Sperm gatekeeping : 3D imaging reveals a constricted entrance to zebra finch sperm storage tubules. Biophysical Journal, 117(11), 2180-2187. View this article in WRRO
- Programmed DNA elimination of germline development genes in songbirds. Nature Communications, 10(1). View this article in WRRO
- Common guillemot (Uria aalge) eggs are not self-cleaning. Journal of Experimental Biology. View this article in WRRO
- A trade-off between thickness and length in the zebra finch sperm mid-piece. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1883), 20180865-20180865. View this article in WRRO
- Correction to ‘Intra-ejaculate sperm selection in female zebra finches’. Biology Letters, 14(2), 20180004-20180004.
- Differential sperm storage by female zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1860). View this article in WRRO
- A sex-linked supergene controls sperm morphology and swimming speed in a songbird. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 1, 1168-1176. View this article in WRRO
- An unexpected twist: Sperm cells coil to the right in land snails and to the left in song birds. Contributions to Zoology, 86(4), 297-302. View this article in WRRO
- Sperm morphology, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration and swimming velocity: Unexpected relationships in a passerine bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283(1837). View this article in WRRO
- Intra-ejaculate sperm selection in female zebra finches.. Biol Lett, 12(6). View this article in WRRO
- Consistency of passerine embryo development and the use of embryonic staging in studies of hatching failure. Ibis, 158(1), 43-50.
- Polyspermy in birds: sperm numbers and embryo survival. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1818), 20151682-20151682. View this article in WRRO
- The sperms marathon route to conception. Biologist, 62(4), 18-21.
- Long sperm fertilize more eggs in a bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1799). View this article in WRRO
- Timing associated with oviductal sperm storage and release after artificial insemination in domestic hens. Theriogenology, 83(7), 1174-1178.e1. View this article in WRRO
- Causes of hatching failure in endangered birds.. Biol Lett, 8(6), 964-967. View this article in WRRO
- Inbreeding causes early death in a passerine bird.. Nat Commun, 3, 863.
- Internal incubation and early hatching in brood parasitic birds.. Proc Biol Sci, 278(1708), 1019-1024.
- Unhatched eggs: methods for discriminating between infertility and early embryo mortality. IBIS, 150(3), 508-517.
- Parthenogenesis in a passerine bird, the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata. IBIS, 150(1), 197-199.
- Effects of Female-Specific Selection for Reproductive Investment on Male Fertility Traits. Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
- Demographic Drivers of Reproductive Failure in a Threatened Bird: Insights from a Decade of Data. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
- Including the invisible fraction in whole population studies: A guide to the genetic sampling of unhatched bird eggs. Methods in Ecology and Evolution.
Preprints
- Including the Invisible Fraction in Whole Population Studies: a Guide to the Genetic Sampling of Unhatched Bird Eggs, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Understanding early reproductive failure in turtles and tortoises, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Low hatching success in the critically endangered kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) is driven by early embryo mortality not infertility, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Ecology, phylogeny, and the evolution of developmental duration in birds, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Sperm gatekeeping: 3D imaging reveals a constricted entrance to zebra finch sperm storage tubules.
- Programmed DNA elimination of germline development genes in songbirds, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Extraordinary sperm to egg ratios in seabirds. The Auk. View this article in WRRO
- Research group
-
PhD students
- Fay Morland (2018-2022) - Royal Society-funded PhD: Factors affecting female reproductive success in wild hihi
- Kat Assersohn (2019-2022) - NERC ACCE DTP: Female fertility in birds
- Ashleigh Marshall (2018-2021; co-supervisor, based at ZSL with Dr Patricia Brekke) - NERC London DTP: Why do eggs fail?
- Teaching activities
-
- BIS231 Talking the Talk: Getting Science on Film (module coordinator and lead instructor)
- BIS415/426 Level 4 Project and Literature Review Supervisor
- BIS422 Topical Science (module coordinator and lead instructor)
- Professional activities and memberships
-
- Consulting Editor, Animal Behaviour (2024–present)
- Communications Editor, Evolution Letters (2016-2022)
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (awarded 2016)
- Student Voice Academic Awards Best Educational Event (for the University of Sheffield Schools’ Christmas Lecture 'Animal Academy') (2015)
- Society of Biology UK Science Communicator of the Year (2014)
- SET for Britain Awards, Houses of Parliament – Bronze Award (2013)
- Animal and Plant Sciences Teacher of the Year, University of Sheffield (2011)