A tribute to Dr Marta Shahbazi (1985-2026)
The director and deputy director of PET pay tribute to Dr Marta Shahbazi – a prominent and inspiring figure in human embryo research, who was killed in last week's rail collision in Spain...
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Image by Matthew Daniels via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human (HeLa) cell in anaphase (the chromosomes are stained blue and the microtubules forming the spindle are stained green).
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Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts equipment used for embryo biopsy.
When our embryos were labelled 'abnormal', we lost the right to choose
Fertility physician, clinical geneticist, and bioethicist Dr Shizuko Takahashi questions why PGT-A is being used to limit – rather than inform – patient choices...
Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
To err is human: How human embryos rarely get it right
Dr Aleksandra Byrska explores why human embryos are prone to chromosomal errors and how these might affect IVF success...
PET Podcast: The Genetics of Infertility – Causes, Choices and Treatments
Bringing you PET events as a podcast. In the 54th episode of its podcast, PET explores the genetics and genomics of infertility, with Professor Willem Verpoest, Professor Stéphane Viville, Professor Joris Veltman and Professor Micheline Misrahi...
A quiet morning inside the black box: A chance at life
Katharina Stock, first prize winner in this year's Marcus Pembrey BioNews Writing Competition, explores how AI is being used to select embryos during IVF. Who – if anyone – is accountable for the resulting decision?...
Designing disappointment: The uneasy promise of PGT-P
Dr Kate Sheridan Clay, second prize winner in this year's Marcus Pembrey BioNews Writing Competition, explores how PGT-P promises parents greater control over their future children's health and traits. What happens when the embryo they choose fails to fulfil their expectations?...
Picking the 'best' embryo: Can we trust AI?
Guy Davies, third prize winner in this year's Marcus Pembrey BioNews Writing Competition, explores what happens when AI starts to define what makes an embryo the 'best'. What are the promises and limitations of this technology?...
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
Population studies are key to safe newborn genome screening
Newborn genome screening could transform the early detection of genetic conditions, but incomplete penetrance could lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Large-scale population studies are needed to understand the risks and help design effective screening programmes…
Image by Bill Sanderson via the Wellcome Collection, © Wellcome Trust Ltd 1990. Depicts Laocoön and his family (from Greek and Roman mythology) entwined in coils of DNA.
Embryo research and stem cells in France: What might change?
France will need to update its bioethics law by 2028. Adrien Bottacci explains what recent recommendations could mean for the 14-day limit on human embryo research, and for research involving stem-cell-based embryo models...
Obituary: Dr Roy Farquharson
Dr David Richmond pays tribute to Dr Roy Farquharson, a leading figure in reproductive medicine who helped advance care for women experiencing recurrent miscarriage and served as Chair of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology…