This page is being updated with news about our research as new information becomes available. There are many researchers and students working on the information and samples you have all so generously provided.
Over the past three years, we have been collecting information about you all as the twins turned six years of age. We completed data collection at the end of 2016 and are currently consolidating this. We have already found some very interesting information about our families from the questionnaires, study visits and samples. Our laboratory staff and students are working on projects related to subjects such as dental health and development, obesity, blood pressure and gut bugs (see below). Two good articles about bacteria and our health that you might like to read can be found through the following links:
- Essays on health: microbes aren’t the enemy, they’re a big part of who we are
- Fat or thin: can the bacteria in our gut affect our eating habits and weight?
Newsletters
Visiting academics
Dr Heide Temples from the US has returned to spend two months with our team. She analysed some of the samples and information collected when your twins were 18 months old. Heide was interested to discover more about the relationship between breastfeeding and the growth of your children. She found that breastfeeding for four to six months appeared to protect against the risk of obesity. The body mass index (BMI) and the size of infants’ bellies and arms were in a healthier range when the infants were breastfed longer (four to six months) http://bit.ly/2hW7oyN. Heide’s interest has continued and she is now looking at the measures that were collected as the twins turned six, to see if breastfeeding has a lasting effect on body weight. This research is valuable, because we already know that breastfeeding can be hard (especially when there are two babies to feed) and we hope that these findings will lead to better ways to support for mothers who would like to breastfeed.
The Australian Twins Registry is now Twins Research Australia
The Australian Twins Registry is now ‘Twins Research Australia’ (TRA) and has an amazing new webpage with information about twins and for twins and their families (https://www.twins.org.au/). TRA has the largest volunteer twin research registers in the world and has contributed to new insights, prevention and treatment for some of the most challenging health problems such as breast cancer and epilepsy. A wide range of research and news articles related to twins can be found here: https://www.twins.org.au/research/tools-and-resources/125-conversation-i...
If you would like to be a part of TRA, please follow this link: https://www.twins.org.au/twins-and-families/why-join-us/153-how-to-join-...
PETS in the media
2019
2018
- Herald Sun coverage of our current brain development study in twins
2017
Recently we were visited by the ABC Catalyst film crew who were making a documentary about twins. Three of our families took part in the filming and the crew were very interested in learning more about them and also about twins generally from A/Prof Jeff Craig, who together with Prof Richard Saffery has lead this study from its conception all those years ago. We expect the documentary to be aired in November 2017. From time to time we receive requests from the media to take part in documentaries or provide information about twins. If there are any families who might be interested in taking part in these events, please let us know. jane.loke@mcri.edu.au or jeff.craig@mcri.edu.au
International media hits:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/26/well/family/cavities-blame-nurture-not-nature.html#commentsContainer
- https://bitemagazine.com.au/genes-not-blame-toothaches/
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-cavities-genetics/you-cant-blame-a-toothache-on-bad-genes-idUSKCN1BQ2V1
- http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-09/14/c_136607563.htm
- https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-09-dont-blame-genes-toothache-twin.html
- http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2017-09/14/content_31981498.htm
- http://www.iran-daily.com/News/200734.html
- http://www.sciencenewsline.com/news/2017091318100015.html
- http://www.worldnews.easybranches.com/regions/asia/you-can-t-blame-a-toothache-on-bad-genes-300624
- http://elisabethroypoint.bravesites.com/entries/general/You-Cannot-Blame-A-Toothache-On-Bad-Genes
2016
- The Peri/Post-Natal Epigenetic Twins Study: interview with Jeff Craig on the Epigenomics journal website
- ABC Radio National: Truth about twins: Do they feel each other's pain, have ESP or share the same DNA?
2015
- Double Trouble as Twins Plus Festival hits Melbourne
- Parents of twin children at higher mental health risk than parents of newborns- Nine News
2014
- Healthier Kids: Insights from twin research- The Age
- Estranged twins reunited 27 years later unlock secrets to health- Seven News
2012