Dr Victoria Burchell is a Volunteer Writer at BioNews, having originally joined the publication under the auspices of its writing scheme. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Padua in Italy, where her research focuses on mitochondria in cell death mechanisms. She also works as a freelance scientific proofreader and editor. She obtained her PhD from University College London (UCL)'s Institute of Neurology, where her research focused on the pathogenic mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease. Previously she studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, and went on to work as a molecular biologist at Pfizer.
The combination of increased use of fertility treatments and rising maternal age has caused a doubling in the rate of twin births in developed countries over the last 40 years...
A genome-wide study of over 4000 people with Huntington's disease has identified the location several new gene variants that influence the onset of disease symptoms...
The ex-fiancé of SofÃa Vergara, star of TV show Modern Family, is suing her for custody of their frozen embryos...
A genetic variant may not only help some people live longer, but also changes the way their brain ages, a study suggests....
A drug can reverse the effects of two Parkinson's disease-causing mutations in fruit flies, a study reports...
The rise of the single mother may seem a rather modern phenomenon. But even before the first humans walked out of Africa 70,000 years ago, mothers have consistently outnumbered fathers, DNA analysis suggests...
Expectant mothers should be offered earlier screening for rare chromosomal conditions, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommends...
Genetic disorders are often so rare that patients never receive a genetic, or even a clinical, diagnosis. Now an everyday photo may be all that's needed, using a newly developed computer program to analyse facial structures...
Stress in early life can alter the production of small sections of the genetic material RNA in the sperm of mice, affecting behaviour not only in the mice themselves but also in their offspring, research suggests...
A test using a simple blood sample from the expectant mother should soon be the primary screening method for Down's syndrome, according to a report from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)...
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