Governance
2023-2024 Annual Report
DOHaD Society Constitution
Policies
Our CIO (Registration Number 1190519) is governed by a group of Trustees, and managed by a Society Executive and Council. The Council includes a number of specific Subcommittees that oversee all aspects of the Society’s affairs and activities.
Trustees
The DOHaD Society Trustees have overall control of the CIO to ensure we meet our objectives. The Trustees are responsible for leading the CIO and retain overall governance of the Society.
Executive
The Executive team manages the activities of the Society and is made up of the Society President, Treasurer, Secretary, Past President, Current Congress Chair, Scientific Program Chair and the CIO’s Trustees. The Executive members actively and continuously engage in all aspects of the Society including finances, membership, newsletters, website upkeep, and policy organization. Executive members also promote the Society to external international bodies (including the WHO, PMNCH, and other NGOs). The Executive team meets virtually every three months. Members are elected from Council, and positions are held for four years. Society Members that have sat on Council can be nominated for a position on Executive.
Trustees
The Trustees of the International DOHaD Society are at the heart of our global mission to advance research, education, and advocacy in the developmental origins of health and disease. As stewards of the Society’s vision, Trustees provide strategic leadership, uphold the highest standards of governance, and foster a vibrant, inclusive academic community.
Available Leadership Roles
Our Trustees include the President (Chair of Trustees) and Secretary, each bringing international expertise and a deep commitment to shaping healthier futures. The President acts as an ambassador for DOHaD, guiding the Society’s strategic direction and representing our values worldwide. The Secretary ensures robust governance, operational continuity, and supports the Society’s diverse membership.
Why Become a Trustee?
- Drive Global Change: Influence the future of health across generations.
- Lead with Impact: Shape policy, research, and education at the highest level.
- Join a Community: Collaborate with leading academics, clinicians, and advocates.
- Champion Inclusivity: Help build a Society where every voice matters.
We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds who share our passion for advancing DOHaD science and improving health outcomes worldwide. Trusteeship is more than a leadership role, it’s an opportunity to make a lasting difference.
Ready to lead? Find out more about our current opportunities and how to apply.
Current Trustees
- Caroline Fall, University of Southampton, United Kingdom
- Mark Hanson, University of Southampton, United Kingdom
- Shane Norris, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
- Lucilla Poston, Kings College London, United Kingdom
- Torsten Plösch, University of Groningen, Netherlands
Executive
The Executive team manages the activities of the Society and is made up of the Society President, Treasurer, Secretary, Past President, Outgoing and Current Congress Chairs, Scientific Programme Chair and the CIO’s Trustees. The Executive members actively and continuously engage in all aspects of the Society including finances, membership, newsletters, website upkeep, and policy organisation. Executive members also promote the Society to external international bodies (including the WHO, PMNCH, and other NGOs). The Executive team meets virtually every three months. Members are elected from Council, and positions are held for four years. Society Members that have sat on Council can be nominated for a position on Executive. In addition to the individuals listed above, members of the Executive include:
- Hiroaki Itoh, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan
- Antonio Marcus de Andrade Paes, University of Maranhão, Brazil
- Rebecca Reynolds, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- Michael Ross, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
Council
The DOHaD Society Council is composed of individuals elected from and by the Members of the CIO. Council positions are determined by the Secretariat (President, Treasurer, Secretary) in accordance with the changing requirements of the CIO. Positions represent the CIO Subcommittees, editor of JDOHaD, geographical regions of the world, and different broad scientific disciplines: basic sciences, clinical sciences, epidemiology, public health, policy and economics.
Regional representatives include:
- Asia
- Low-and Middle-Income Countries
- Europe
- North America
- Latin America
- Pacific Rim
Specialty representatives include:
- Basic sciences
- Clinical sciences
- Public Health & Policy
The Council also includes co-opted, temporary, and non-elected members, including:
- The previous, current and forthcoming chair(s) of the DOHaD World Congress
- The presidents of our Regional Societies
A list of the current Council members may be found in our latest Annual Report.
Most positions are up for re-election. To apply or nominate a member, please click here
Elected members serve on Council for four years, with each term beginning and closing with the Society’s Annual General Meeting. Elections are held bi-annually, and Society Members can be nominated for a position on Council depending on their membership type. More detailed information about the Council composition and election protocols may be found in our Society’s Constitution.
Subcommittees
In addition to Regional and Specialty Representation, Council members serve on one of seven subcommittees: Advocacy, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), Professional Development, Scientific Programme Support, Sponsorship and Fundraising, Trainee/ECR Association, and Workshop Committees. Subcommittee Chairs are granted a seat on the DOHaD Council.
This is Election season, and most of our Subcommittees have vacancies. To apply or nominate a member, please click here
Please see below for more information about our Subcommittees.
The role of the Advocacy Subcommittee is to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of DOHaD to healthcare professionals, policy makers, educators and the general public. This group engages with a range of stakeholders globally, to collaboratively address different calls to action based on DOHaD principles, in terms of both policies and function.
Chair: Mark Hanson, PhD, University of Southampton, United Kingdom
The role of this subcommittee is to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our Society, as well as create a welcoming and inclusive environment that values and respects the perspectives, experiences and contributions of all members. This Subcommittee additionally has a special focus on inequities and inequalities in the DOHaD context, especially amongst those of Indigenous backgrounds.
Chair: Vacant
The role of the Education Subcommittee is to support and develop education and training opportunities on behalf of the Society. This includes organizing and managing two types of educational grants, the Brain Mobility Awards and DOHaD Travel Grants, to sponsor lab visits, longer term exchange fellowships, and to foster links between institutions conducting DOHaD research.
Chair: Izzuddin Aris, PhD, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute & Harvard Medical School, United States
The Scientific Programme Support Subcommittee provides oversight of programs for the scientific meetings of the Society, including the World Congress, to ensure continuity and consistency across meeting the needs of the Society and its Membership. This includes providing input and feedback on major meeting themes, speaker selection strategies and oral/poster presentation allocations, adjudication of abstracts and Travel Awards, as well as establishing processes for Congress evaluation.
Chair: Rebecca Reynolds, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
The role of the Sponsorship and Fundraising Subcommittee is to raise funds to facilitate activities of the Society. Funds raised are used to sponsor activities such as travel grants to attend the World Congress, small research grants for Trainee/ECR members for the generation of pilot data, and travel scholarships for Trainee/ECR research fellowships at laboratories of other DOHaD Society Members.
Chair: Susan Ozanne, PhD, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
The Trainee/Early Career Researcher (ECR) Association works to facilitate communication and collaboration among Society Trainees/ECRs, to disseminate information regarding job, scholarship and award opportunities, to organize Trainee/ECR-related events at Society meetings and symposia, and to advocate for Trainee/ECR interests within the DOHaD Council. The Association additionally maintains an online Facebook group to encourage Trainee/ECR interaction within the Society.
Co-Chairs: Kate Kennedy, PhD, McMaster University, Canada and Rozina Nuruddin, PhD, Aga Khan University, Pakistan
The role of the Workshop Subcommittee is to evaluate and review applications submitted by Society Members for financial support of workshops, meetings and conferences across the world that promote DOHaD research.
Chair: Rebecca Reynolds, PhD, The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Administration
The Society is managed by a dedicated team of staff based around the world. To learn more about getting in touch with our Membership, Financial, Administrative or Communications teams, please visit the Contact page.