Varsha Traynor is a Volunteer Writer at BioNews, having originally joined under the auspices of its writing scheme. She is a PhD student at University College London (UCL) in the Biological Physics department, working on theoretical modelling in active matter systems. Prior to her PhD, she completed a Master's in Physics at UCL and a Bachelor's in Physics and Philosophy at the University of Bristol. Alongside her current research, she is particularly interested in the relationship between science, ethics and politics, and how this informs the direction and responsibilities of research.
An at-home DNA test reveals an astonishing truth: twins Michelle and Lavinia have different biological fathers. Varsha Traynor reviews BBC Radio 4's The Gift – Twins, a moving exploration of family, identity and genetic testing…
A lab-grown oesophagus has been successfully transplanted into pigs for the first time, restoring normal swallowing in the animals...
An IVF mix-up resulted in a woman giving birth to twins not genetically related to her – a mistake only discovered 30 years later...
In this two-part conversation, Dr Philip Ball and Dr Naomi Moris explore the intersection of philosophy and developmental biology, discussing stem-cell-based embryo models and ethical questions raised by emerging research...
More than 13,000 genetic variants that alter gene activity and may contribute to complex diseases have been identified...
The severity of psoriasis can be linked to genes, new research using machine learning suggests, supporting the possibility of more tailored treatments...
A man from the Netherlands has been convicted of fraud after misleading parents into paying him to store their children's biological material, despite lacking legal authorisation...
A new centralised database of genes linked to inherited cancer risk is in development, NHS England announces...
Using women's natural ovulation cycles for IVF frozen embryo transfers is as effective as a hormonally medicated cycle, and may reduce pregnancy complications, research suggests...
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