Event Review: Nature, Nurture or Neither? The View from the Genes

Overweight families have overweight cats, Detroit has a higher murder rate than the UK and a flock of goldfinches is called a charm. All these effects are evidently mainly environmental. They're caused by overfeeding, more gangs and guns, and the standard and focus of education, respectively. But Steve Jones, professor of genetics at University College London, UK, argued last week these factors are often overlooked because of our obsession with genetics... [Read More]

Book Review: Contested Categories - Life Sciences in Society

Our knowledge of biology has enabled us to move away from understanding to manipulating and influencing. As the authors of 'Contested Categories' write, we could be on the cusp of 'a bio-age, a posthuman future or an era of genetic programming'. But how does life science research translate into society? This is broadly the book's focus... [Read More]

Moving pinboard boosts IVF success

Scientists have increased the quality of embryos developed for IVF - by culturing them on a bed of pins. Currently, embryos are fertilised in a dish, and left there to culture for a few days before being implanted. However, Professor Gary Smith, a researcher on the project, says this doesn't mimic how embryos naturally gestate... [Read More]

No ethical barriers to pre-pregnancy DNA tests, say government advisors

The UK Government's advisory body on genetics has said there are no legal, social or ethical barriers to pre-pregnancy genetic screening, and that this could be offered routinely on the NHS. In a report out last week, the Human Genetics Commission (HGC) said testing should be 'equally available to all those who may benefit from it'.... [Read More]

Unravelling the genetic ancestry of the Scots

Research conducted at the University of Edinburgh means Scots can find out more about their ancestry through a DNA test. Dr Jim Wilson, a research fellow at Edinburgh, gathered and studied genetic samples from across Scotland... [Read More]

UK's first surrogacy advice centre opened

The UK's first centre to advise same-sex couples wanting to have children will open later this month. Tony and Barrie Drewitt-Barlow will run the British Surrogacy Centre in Essex to guide couples through the surrogacy process... [Read More]

NHS Surrey to stop providing IVF

NHS Surrey is the latest Primary Care Trust to stop providing IVF for new patients. Facing a £125 million budget deficit this year, the trust has decided to suspend all new courses of the treatment, although women nearing 40 will be considered and ongoing treatments will be continued. Previously it funded up to two full cycles of IVF per couple, if the woman was aged between 23 and 39... [Read More]

Don't tell Nick Clegg, but researchers find 'gene for liberalism'

US researchers have claimed that having a particular gene variant and a sociable time in your teens may mean you are more likely to be politically liberal.... [Read More]

Sperm and egg donors should be paid more, experts claim

Two experts have indicated their support for paying sperm and egg donors more money... [Read More]

Melatonin could improve women's IVF success

Women with poor egg (or oocyte) quality could double their chance of becoming pregnant through IVF if given melatonin, researchers have found. The work was presented at the World Congress of Fertility and Sterility in Munich last week... [Read More]

Scientists at NPL develop new technique for detecting disease biomarkers

Tests to diagnose Alzheimer's disease and cancer at the molecular level are being developed by scientists at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in London... [Read More]

Involuntary childlessness has a significant impact, study shows

Involuntary childlessness may have a bigger negative impact on peoples' lives than previously thought. A researcher studying couples who unsuccessfully underwent IVF treatment say these people had a lower quality of life than couples with children... [Read More]