Professor Nicky Hudson

Nicky Hudson is a medical sociologist with particular expertise in social and cultural significance of reproduction, infertility and assisted reproductive technologies. Her work also focuses on the sociology of chronic illness. Uniting these themes is an emphasis on intersectionalities and questions of individual-biomedicine-society relations. She has received funding for her work from the Economic and Social Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, Foundation for Sociology of Health and Illness and the National Institute for Health Research. Her research is characterised by a strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, social translation and impact.

She leads the Centre for Reproduction Research, an interdisciplinary centre of expertise dedicated to the production of scholarship on the social, cultural and political aspects of human reproduction based in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. The Centre has representation from sociology, psychology, anthropology, science and technology studies, nursing, midwifery, health policy and health sciences.

• Centre for Reproduction Research (Centre Director)

• Sociology of reproduction, especially infertility, assisted reproductive technologies, gamete donation and freezing, surrogacy and cross border reproduction
• Sociology of medicine
• Chronic illness
• Qualitative research methods

• Gender, health and healthcare
• Social Research Methods

Member. British Fertility Society, Law Policy and Ethics SIG (2021-)

• Member of British Sociological Association
• Convener of BSA East Midlands Medical Sociology Group
• Member Society for Social Studies of Science (2015 - 2016)
• Member ESHRE (2014-2015)
• Member of International Sociological Association (2010-2014)  

I supervise students on the following subjects:

• Reproduction
• Assisted Reproductive Technologies
• Medicine
• Chronic Illness

• Reproduction in the age of genomic medicine: the emergence, commercialisation and implications of preconception expanded carrier screening. Herbrand, Hudson (CI), Parry, Borry, Miedzybrodzka. ESRC £595,322.74. 01/02/23 – 31/01/26
• Direct to consumer genetic testing and donor conception: support and governance in emerging digital systems. ESRC £766, 670. Frith (PI), Hudson (CI), Fox, Nordqvist, McCallum, Kirkman-Brown. Feb 2021-Jan 2024
• Egg Donation in the UK, Belgium and Spain: an interdisciplinary study. Hudson (PI) with Culley, Herbrand, Pennings, Provoost, Pavone. ESRC. £494,350. April 2017-March 2021. Grant ref. ES/N010604/1.
• Digitizing Reproduction: new technologies, intersectionality and the politics of inclusion. Research Development Grant funded by the Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness. Mackkintosh, N. (PI), Hudson, N. (CI), Mcintosh, T. Sandall, J. and Verdezoto, N. £5952.38. April 2018 - June 2018.

• Understanding Klinefelters Syndrome: genetics, gender and reproduction. The Foundation For Sociology of Health and Illness. Hanna, E. (PI), Hudson, N. (CI), McEleny, K. Stevenson, E. Quinten, R. Wilkes, S. and Herbrand, C. £4,682.20. Jan 2018 - July 2018. 
• Increasing uptake of effective self-management education programmes for type 2 diabetes in multi-ethnic primary care settings.Programme Grants for Applied Research,NIHR. Davies, M (PI) et al, Hudson, N (CI). £2m. Nov 2015 - Oct 2020.
• A feasibility study to inform the development of a multicentre randomised controlled trial of an asthma-tailored pulmonary rehabilitation programme versus usual care for individuals with severe asthma. Research for Patient Benefit Programme, NIHR. Evans, R (PI). Eglinton, E. Singh, S. Bradding, P. Apps, L. Martin, N. Green, R. Hudson, N. (CI) Povrod, I. £340K. Nov 2013 - Oct 2017.

• Postponing childbirth, extending fertility: biotechnologies and the transformations of reproductive life. Hudson (PI), Culley, Herbrand, Daly, Buhler, Law, Baldwin. Wellcome Trust Small Grant. April 16-Sep 16. £4,990.00. Grant reference: 202118/Z/16/Z.
• Collaborative development of a multi-disciplinary research council funding application on the experience and ethics of egg donation.Sociology of Health and Illness Foundation Research Grant Development Award. (NH PI). £5178. Oct 2014-May 2015

• A feasibility study to inform the design of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate an interactive internet (web) based pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Research for Patient Benefit Programme, NIHR. PB-PG-0711-25127. Williams, J. (PI), Singh, S. Pulikottil-Jacob, R. Hudson, N. (qualitative consultant). £158K. Jan 2013-Jan 2015.
• Endometriosis: Improving the Well-being of Couples. ESRC. ES/J003662/1. Culley (PI), Denny, Hudson (CI), Mitchell, Raine-Fenning. £89,228. 2011-13.
• Increasing Physical Activity in Chronic Kidney Disease: The Patient Perspective. British Renal Society. Dr Alice Smith, Dr James Burton (PI), Dr Jo Byrne, Prof. Nigel Brunskill, Mrs Hannah Young. Dr Nicky Hudson (CI). £45K. Sept 2012-Aug 2013. 
• Structured Education in Diabetes. NIHR Programme Development Grant. Prof Melanie Davies (PI), Prof. Kamlesh Khunti, Dr Marian Carey, Prof. L Culley, Prof M Johnson. Dr Nicky Hudson team member and PI for DMU work package. £100K. May 2012-April 2013.
• Management and Interventions for Asthma. HSR programme, NIHR. Prof. M Lakhanpaul (PI), Prof. L Culley, Prof. M Johnson, Dr. D Bird, Prof. Jonathon Grigg, Mrs Narynder Johal, Dr Noelle Robertson, Mrs Melanie McFeeters. Dr Nicky Hudson team member and PI for DMU work package. £334K. Sept 2010- Feb 13. 
• Barriers and Motivators to Implementation of an Intradialytic Exercise Programme. British Renal Society. Dr Alice Smith (PI), Dr James Burton, Dr Jo Byrne, Dr Noelle Robertson, Dr Nicky Hudson (CI) and Prof John Feehally. £18,775. Sept 2011-Aug 2012.
• A Systematic Review of the Literature on Asthma and South Asians. Asthma UK. Dr Monica Lakhanpaul (PI), Dr Deborah Bird, Prof Lorraine Culley, Prof Mark Johnson. Project advisor. £27K. Oct 2010-April 2011. 
• The Educational Experiences of Muslim Students on Pre-Registration Nursing and Midwifery Programmes East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery, Dr Sue Dyson (PI), Prof. Lorraine Culley, Dr Nicky Hudson. June 2010-July 2011.
• Transnational Reproduction. An Exploratory Study of UK Residents who Travel Abroad for Fertility Treatment (TRANSREP)ESRC, RES 000-22-3390. Culley (PI), Hudson, Blyth, Pacey, Rapport, Norton. £99,844. 1 March 2009 – 30 Nov 2010.
• Regional Evaluation of the Pacesetters Programme (PACEVAL) Leicester City Primary Care Trust. Prof. Mark Johnson (PI), Prof Lorraine Culley, Ms Jennie Fleming, Dr Nicky Hudson, Dr Fenglin Guo. £78,946.81. May 2008 – October 2009.
• Palliative Care for Children and Young People in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland: An Evaluation of Parents/Carers’ and Young People’s Perspectives of Service Provision. (PALLCARE) Leicester City West Primary Care Trust, L. Culley & N Hudson. £15K. February – September 2006.
• Evaluation of Patient Information resources on Osteomalacia in Asian Languages (ARCOST) Arthritis Research Campaign, Prof. Mark Johnson (PI), Prof. Lorraine Culley, Dr. Ash Samanta, Dr Fenglin Guo, Dr Nicky Hudson. 2005-2006. 
• Public Perceptions of Gamete Donation in British South Asian Communities (GAMDON)ESRC, RES-160-25-0044. Prof. Lorraine Culley (PI), Prof. Mark Johnson, Prof. Frances Rapport, Dr Adi Bharadwaj. Dr Nicky Hudson, project researcher. £46, 577. April 05 – March 06. 
• Ethnicity Infertility and Reproductive Technologies. International Symposium funded by ESRC, Science and Society Programme. Co-convenor with Prof. Lorraine Culley & Dr. Floor van Rooij. £7K. Nottingham, September 2006.
• Improving the Access of Ethnic Minority Visually Impaired People to Appropriate Services: Building a Supported Community Referral System (OV2) Thomas Pocklington Trust, Prof. Mark Johnson (PI) et al. Nicky Hudson, team member. 2003-2004.
• Europe's Migrants and Human Tissue Donation - ESF Exploratory Workshop (EUMIDON) European Science Foundation. Prof Mark Johnson (PI), Prof. Lorraine Culley, Dr Nicky Hudson. September 2004.
• A Study of the Provision of Infertility Services to South Asian Communities (ASFERT) NHS Trent Region, Prof. Lorraine Culley (PI), Prof. Mark Johnson, Prof. Frances Rapport, Dr Savita Katbamna. Dr Nicky Hudson, project researcher. £100K. January 2002 – March 2004.

• Visualising Reproduction in Medical, Social and Historical Contexts: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry. De Montfort University's Revolving Investment Fund. Pichel, B (PI) and Hudson, N (CI). £2,410. Nov 2017 - July 2018. 

• ENDOPART 2: developing a knowledge exchange partnership and improving support in endometriosis. De Montfort University's Higher Education Innovation Fund. Hudson, N (PI). Oct 2015 - July 2016.

• Egg Donation in Europe: an international workshop. De Montfort University's Revolving Investment Fund. Hudson, N (PI). Oct 2014 - July 2015.

• European network for research on men, in/fertilities and assisted conception. De Montfort University's Revolving Investment Fund. Culley, L (PI), Hudson, N (CI), Norton, W (CI). Oct 2011 - July 2012.