Rate My Professor Joanna Gullam

Dr Joanna (Jo) Gullam, MBChB, DFFP, MRCOG, MD (University of Warwick), FRANZCOG, is the Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago, Christchurch campus. Originally trained in the United Kingdom, she obtained her undergraduate medical degree and completed postgraduate specialist training there, including earning her Doctor of Medicine (MD) in myometrial physiology with a particular emphasis on preterm birth mechanisms. She relocated to New Zealand in 2011, assuming the role of Head of Department in 2016. In her clinical practice at Te Whatu Ora | Health NZ: Waitaha, she functions as a Specialist Obstetrician and Clinical Lead for the Birth Suite, possessing advanced certifications in maternal medicine, high-risk obstetrics, and labour ward leadership. Dr Gullam plays a pivotal role in clinical governance and the development of guidelines. She also serves as the convener for the fifth-year medical student programme at Otago Christchurch and supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate research students.

Dr Gullam's research specializations include maternal medicine and perinatal health, high-risk obstetrics, myometrial physiology and preterm birth, fetal growth restriction alongside placental function, the application of angiogenic biomarkers such as sFlt-1/PlGF in pregnancy complications, maternal immunisation strategies, neuroprotection, and participation in multicentre clinical trials focused on maternal-fetal health outcomes. As leader of the obstetric and perinatal research team, her work significantly influences evidence-based practices in perinatal care throughout Australasia. Key publications feature: Hughes, R.C.E. et al. (2025), 'In Suspected Fetal Growth Restriction, sFlt-1/PlGF and PlGF May Have Value in Risk Stratification' in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Simões, E.A.F. et al. (2025), reporting on the efficacy of the MATISSE maternal RSV prefusion F vaccine in Obstetrics & Gynecology; Crowther, C.A. et al. (2023), the MAGENTA trial on prenatal magnesium sulphate in JAMA; and Tarnow-Mordi, W.O. et al. (2023) on perinatal trials in Seminars in Perinatology. She contributes to prominent trials including the Australian Placental Transfusion Study (APTS), Magnesium Sulphate at 30-34 weeks (MAGENTA), Sildenafil Therapy in Dismal Prognosis Early-Onset Intrauterine Growth Restriction (STRIDER NZAus), My Baby's Movements (MBM), Pre-diabetes Interventions and Nutrition Optimised Treatment (PINTO), MATISSE, C*STEROID, and PRECEDE. Furthermore, since 2020, she has been the RANZCOG Director of Fellowship Examinations and represents Aotearoa New Zealand on the International Saving Lives through Safer Birth steering committee.