Conference Organizers

Chi Eziefula is an Associate Professor in Global Health and Infection at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, a Consultant in Infectious Diseases at University Hospitals Sussex, a Fellow of the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme and Advisor to the Centre for Cultures of Reproduction, Technologies and Health (CORTH) at the University of Sussex, UK. Her work in Menstrual Health explores the intersection of menstrual health, human rights and environmental sustainability. She supports conversation and learning on the topic of menstrual health across Schools at the University of Sussex and publicly; giving talks and holding workshops. Her current work explores how to represent young menstruators’ needs through citizen science. She is part of the Period Dignity Project at Sussex, supporting access to menstrual products and developing the approach to menstrual health policy.

Gemma Sharp is a Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Exeter where she runs a research programme around women’s reproductive and mental health. She has a background in reproductive biology and much of her previous research focuses on epigenetics as a mediator of the social and environmental influences on health. Gemma is founder and director of the Menarche Menstruation Menopause and Mental Health (4M) Consortium, a global network of over 500 academic and non-academic members working at the intersection of menstrual and mental health. She is leading the MenstruLife project, which explores the prevalence of heavy and painful menstrual periods across the life course and their relationship with depressive symptoms. She is also leading the Cycletrack project, which is a groundbreaking new study to develop world-leading data resource for menstrual health research. Gemma lives in Cornwall and spends her spare time exploring the south west coast path.

Sampurna Kundu is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Epidemiology at the University of Exeter, working on the MenstruLife project with Prof Gemma Sharp. Trained in biostatistics, epidemiology, and demography, her research focuses on menstrual and mental health across the life course using large population cohort data. Her doctoral research examined premature menopause and women’s midlife health, with a particular focus on health inequalities and women’s lived experiences. Her broader research interests include menstrual health, menopause, reproductive ageing, and their intersections with mental health and social determinants of health. She co-edited the Springer SDG volume Paradigm Shifts in Population and Health in India: A Multidimensional Approach to SDGs. Sampurna is also a member of the Menarche, Menstruation, Menopause and Mental Health (4M) Consortium and contributes to coordinating consortium activities. Originally from India, where she completed her education, she later moved to Exeter for postdoctoral research and enjoys travelling and exploring new places.

Dr Deepthi Lavu is an academic general practitioner based in Devon and is currently undertaking her doctoral fellowship at the University of Exeter. She previously trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and actively collaborates in Women’s health research. She is a part of the Women’s Health Research Group at the University of Exeter in addition to being a member of the Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx). She is the co-inventor of the smartphone app PreMentricS which was developed as a clinician’s aid to diagnose premenstrual disorders. Deepthi is a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Women’s health special interest groups where she contributes to raising awareness on various topics. Deepthi lives in Devon and spends her time ferrying her children to various activities around the South West.