Dr Emma Hilton

Dr Emma Hilton is a developmental biologist at the University of Manchester, studying aspects of human genetic disease. For her PhD from the University of Warwick she researched early events in the embryogenesis of vertebrate embryos, and she has extensive research experience in the field of developmental genetics. Her career has focused on the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning inherited genetic disorders in humans, including those that differently affect males and females, and that affect nerve or muscle development during embryogenesis. She has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications in clinical genetics and development journals, received over 1,100 citations and contributed to key medical textbooks.

She has a special interest in fairness in female sports and has written and presented on the evidence in relation to trans-identifying male athletes and the rules on women’s sports; she gave input to World Rugby’s review of the evidence. She has written an op ed in the Wall Street Journal on sex denialism, and developed Project Nettie, a declaration on the basic science of sex by scientists.