A preliminary study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, suggests that environmental pollutants including industrial chemicals and pesticides may be impairing human fertility, despite being banned more than thirty years ago....
Genetic sequencing has been used to track and halt an outbreak of MRSA at an NHS hospital in Cambridge....
Genetic mutations in thousands of genes that govern our intelligence are contributing to a 'dumbing down' of humanity, as claimed in a controversial new theory...
A single genetic mutation increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by threefold, say scientists from two independent research groups...
Small breaks in the DNA of a man's sperm may contribute to reduced pregnancy rates following IVF, according to research at Queen's University, Belfast....
A Romanian woman has argued, unsuccessfully, that a decision to relocate her stored embryos to another clinic, denying her a choice of a doctor, amounted to a breach of her private and family life with regard to her ability to have a child through IVF using those embryos...
Children's IQ can be affected by moderate drinking during pregnancy, but only for women and children with certain gene variants....
Infants conceived by IVF are at significantly greater risk of birth defects compared to naturally conceived babies, announced scientists at a conference last month...
Have you ever wondered how to extract your own DNA? Or if there's a scientific theory behind what makes the most attractive partner? If so then Dara O'Briain's Science Club is the (only?) programme for you....
At the beginning of this year, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority was asked to consult the public on proposed new techniques to avoid the transmission of mitochondrial disease. The resulting public consultation is being conducted in several different ways including two public events, the first of which I attended...
Stay up-to-date on all the latest developments in the fields of human fertility and genomics. And be the first to hear about upcoming events and other announcements.
Comment
Preventing transmission of mitochondrial DNA disease: new developments
by Professor Mary Herbert
The energy required for our cells to function properly is mainly produced by mitochondria. Mitochondria are tiny structures within our cells, which contain their own DNA. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes a small number of the many proteins required to produce energy efficiently. Mutations in mtDNA cause a broad spectrum of diseases and degenerative disorders, which can be fatal....