Profile

Contact Details

Phone: +64 3 479 7161
Email: karen.reader@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position: Senior Lecturer
Department: Department of Pathology (Dunedin)
Qualifications: PhD
Research summary: Ovarian cancer

Research

Karen is a reproductive biologist with broad interests in the areas of assisted reproductive technologies in humans and livestock, and ovarian and prostate cancer. Her research aims to identify factors important for oocyte quality that can be manipulated to improve oocyte in vitro maturation and embryo quality.

Karen also investigates the role of members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFB) family of proteins in reproductive biology. Her cancer research is focused on the role of activins in ovarian and prostate cancer development. The aim is to identify biomarkers that can predict disease outcome and inform treatment decisions, as well as discovering novel therapeutic targets.

Karen’s laboratory works with human tissue, human cancer cell lines and sheep ovarian cells, and utilises techniques such as cell culture, in vitro embryo production, electron and confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry and molecular biology.

Publications

Reader, K. L., & Juengel, J. L. (2025). Insights into improving embryo survival in sheep. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 92, 106938. doi: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2025.106938 Journal - Research Other

Reader, K. L., Pratt, I. G., Lawson, G. L., & Woolley, R. J. (2025). Identifying the composition of large vesicles in the cytoplasm of oocytes. Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 37, RD24131. doi: 10.1071/RD24131 Journal - Research Article

Juengel, J. L., Reader, K. L., Maclean, P. H., Quirke, L. D., Zellhuber-McMillan, Z., Haack, N., & Heiser, A. (2024). The role of the oviduct environment in embryo survival. Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 36, RD23171. doi: 10.1071/rd23171 Journal - Research Article

Reader, K. L., John-McHaffie, S., Zellhuber-McMillan, S., Jowett, T., Mottershead, D. G., Cunliffe, H. E., & Gold, E. J. (2023). Activin B and activin C have opposing effects on prostate cancer progression and cell growth. Cancers, 15, 147. doi: 10.3390/cancers15010147 Journal - Research Article

Reader, K. L., Pilbrow, B. G., Zellhuber-McMillan, S., Mitchell, A. J., Juengel, J. L., & Morbeck, D. (2022). High pressure frozen oocytes have improved ultrastructure but reduced cleavage rates compared to conventionally fixed or vitrified oocytes. Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 34(18), 1135-1144. doi: 10.1071/rd22118 Journal - Research Article

2025

Journal - Research Article

Journal - Research Other

Reader, K. L., & Juengel, J. L. (2025). Insights into improving embryo survival in sheep. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 92, 106938. doi: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2025.106938

2024

Journal - Research Article

2023

Journal - Research Article

2022

Journal - Research Article

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Kelty, A. M., & Reader, K. L. (2022, August). Ultrastructure, function and relationships of Oocyte mitochondria. Verbal presentation at the Advances in Microscopy Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2021

Journal - Research Article

Seo, S., Sizemore, R. J., Reader, K. L., Smither, R. A., Wicky, H. E., Hughes, S. M., Bilkey, D. K., Parr-Brownlie, L. C., & Oorschot, D. E. (2021). A schizophrenia risk factor induces marked anatomical deficits at GABAergic-dopaminergic synapses in the rat ventral tegmental area: Essential evidence for new targeted therapies. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 529, 3946-3973. doi: 10.1002/cne.25225

2020

Journal - Research Article

Eiholzer, R. A., Mehta, S., Kazantseva, M., Drummond, C. J., McKinney, C., Young, K., … Fleming, N., Morrin, H. R., Reader, K., Royds, J. A., Landmann, M., Petrich, S., … Taha, A., Hung, N. A., Slatter, T. L., & Braithwaite, A. W. (2020). Intronic TP53 polymorphisms are associated with increased Δ133TP53 transcript, immune infiltration and cancer risk. Cancers, 12(9), 2472. doi: 10.3390/cancers12092472

2019

Journal - Research Article

Kazantseva, M., Mehta, S., Eiholzer, R. A., Gimenez, G., Bowie, S., Campbell, H., Reily-Bell, A. L., … Ray, S., Drummond, C. J., Reid, G., … Wiles, A., Morrin, H. R., Reader, K. L., Hung, N. A., Baird, M. A., Slatter, T. L., & Braithwaite, A. W. (2019). The Δ133p53β isoform promotes an immunosuppressive environment leading to aggressive prostate cancer. Cell Death & Disease, 10, 631. doi: 10.1038/s41419-019-1861-1

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

John-McHaffie, S. A., Reader, K. L., & Nicholson, H. D. (2019, September). Activin C in prostate cancer: A potential treatment? Poster session presented at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

2018

Journal - Research Article

Reader, K. L., Marino, F. E., Nicholson, H. D., Risbridger, G. P., & Gold, E. J. (2018). Role of activin C in normal ovaries and granulosa cell tumours of mice and humans. Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 30(7), 958-968. doi: 10.1071/RD17250

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Reader, K. L., Mottershead, D. G., & Nicholson, H. D. (2018). Activin A and activin C have opposing effects on pathways involved in cancer progression in Ovcar3 cells. Clinical Cancer Research, 24(15, Suppl.), B73. doi: 10.1158/1557-3265.OVCA17-B73

Reader, K., Juengel, J., & Morbeck, D. (2018). High pressure freezing: A potential method for improving oocyte cryopreservation. Human Reproduction, 33(Suppl. 1), (pp. i217-i218). doi: 10.1093/humrep/33.Supplement_1.1

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Reader, K. L. (2018, November). Activin C: A novel therapeutic for ovarian cancer? Verbal presentation at the Women’s Wellbeing Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2017

Journal - Research Article

Croxford, K. P., Reader, K. L., & Nicholson, H. D. (2017). The potential role of transforming growth factor beta family ligand interactions in prostate cancer. AIMS Molecular Science, 4(1), 41-61. doi: 10.3934/molsci.2017.1.41

Ottley, E. C., Reader, K. L., Lee, K., Marino, F. E., Nicholson, H. D., Risbridger, G. P., & Gold, E. (2017). Over-expression of activin-β_C is associated with murine and human prostate disease. Hormones & Cancer, 8(2), 100-107. doi: 10.1007/s12672-017-0283-8

McNatty, K. P., Heath, D. A., Clark, Z., Reader, K., Juengel, J. L., & Pitman, J. L. (2017). Ovarian characteristics in sheep with multiple fecundity genes. Reproduction, 153, 233-240. doi: 10.1530/rep-16-0587

Journal - Research Other

Reader, K. L., Stanton, J.-A. L., & Juengel, J. L. (2017). The role of oocyte organelles in determining developmental competence. Biology, 6(3), 35. doi: 10.3390/biology6030035

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Reader, K. L., Mottershead, D. G., & Nicholson, H. D. (2017, October). Activin A and activin C have opposing effects on pathways involved in cancer progression in Ovcar3 cells. Poster session presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference: Addressing Critical Questions in Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment, Pittsburgh, USA.

Reader, K. L., Marino, F. E., Nicholson, H. D., Risbridger, G. P., & Gold, E. J. (2017, September). The role of activin C in follicular development. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Reader, K., Lequeux, S., & Bostina, M. (2017, January-February). Electron tomography of oocyte mitochondria. Verbal presentation at the 28th New Zealand Conference on Microscopy, Auckland, New Zealand.

2016

Journal - Research Article

O'Connell, A. R., Demmers, K. J., Smaill, B., Reader, K. L., & Juengel, J. L. (2016). Early embryo loss, morphology, and effect of previous immunization against adrostenedione in the ewe. Theriogenology, 86(5), 1285-1293. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.069

O'Connell, A. R., McNatty, K. P., Hurst, P. R., Spencer, T. E., Bazer, F. W., Reader, K. L., … Juengel, J. L. (2016). Activin A and follistatin during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy in ewes. Journal of Endocrinology, 228(3), 193-203. doi: 10.1530/joe-15-0367

Reader, K. L., Mottershead, D. G., Martin, G. A., Gilchrist, R. B., Heath, D. A., McNatty, K. P., & Juengel, J. L. (2016). Signalling pathways involved in the synergistic effects of human growth differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15. Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 28, 491-498. doi: 10.1071/RD14099

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Reader, K. (2016, October). Activin C modulates growth of human ovarian cancer cell lines. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Society for Oncology Conference, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

2015

Journal - Research Article

Reader, K. L., & Gold, E. (2015). Activins and activin antagonists in the human ovary and ovarian cancer. Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, 415, 126-132. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2015.08.011

Reader, K. L., Cox, N. R., Stanton, J.-A. L., & Juengel, J. L. (2015). Effects of acetyl-L-carnitine on lamb oocyte blastocyst rate, ultrastructure, and mitochondrial DNA copy number. Theriogenology, 83, 1484-1492. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.01.028

Reader, K. L., Cox, N. R., Stanton, J.-A. L., & Juengel, J. L. (2015). Mitochondria and vesicles differ between adult and prepubertal sheep oocytes during IVM. Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 27(3), 513-522. doi: 10.1071/RD13359

2014

Awarded Doctoral Degree

Reader, K. L. (2014). Quantitative ultrastructural differences in the cytoplasm of prepubertal lamb and adult ewe oocytes (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2013

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Reader, K., Stanton, J.-A., & Juengel, J. (2013, February). SEM imaging and stereology of oocyte organelles in semi-thin sections. Verbal presentation at the 26th New Zealand Conference on Microscopy, Christchurch, New Zealand.

2012

Journal - Research Article

Reader, K. L., Haydon, L. J., Littlejohn, R. P., Juengel, J. L., & McNatty, K. P. (2012). Booroola BMPR1B mutation alters early follicular development and oocyte ultrastructure in sheep. Reproduction, Fertility & Development, 24(2), 353-361. doi: 10.1071/RD11095

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Reader, K., Stanton, J.-A., & Juengel, J. (2012). Mitochondria differ between adult and prepubertal sheep oocytes during in vitro maturation. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 47(Suppl. s4), (pp. 529). doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02119.x

1996

Journal - Research Article

Cree, A. M., Guillette, Jr, L. J., & Reader, K. (1996). Eggshell formation during prolonged gravidity of the Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). Journal of Morphology, 230(2), 129-144.