Laureate Professor Aitken’s research career began with a PhD in reproductive biology from the University of Cambridge under the supervision of RV Short. Following post-doctoral positions at the Institute of Animal Genetics, University of Edinburgh and the University of Bordeaux, he joined the World Health Organization in Geneva, where he managed two WHO task forces within the Human Reproduction Unit. In1977, he was appointed to the Medical Research Council’s Reproductive Biology Unit, University of Edinburgh, to establish a research group in gamete biology with clinical outreach into male infertility. In 1998 he moved to the University of Newcastle, NSW, as Chair of Biological Sciences and subsequently, Director of an ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology & Development and Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Medicine. He is currently Distinguished Emeritus Laureate Professor of Biological Sciences.