June 8, 2016

latest research on the safety and efficacy of mitochondrial donation therapy

A team from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Donation presented results from their research into the safety of efficacy of the IVF-based technique known as mitochondrial donation.

Mitochondrial donation involves transplanting the nuclear DNA of a recently formed embryo into an embryo which contains the mitochondrial DNA of a donor woman. The technique was designed to reduce the risk of mothers passing on mitochondrial disease, which is devastating and often life-limiting, to their children. A vote in the House of Commons in February 2015 made the technique legal in the UK but the first license has not yet been issued to a clinic.

Journalists came to the SMC to hear about:

• New safety and efficacy data
• The latest science behind the ‘pronuclear transfer’ technique, pioneered at Newcastle
• How this research fits into the UK’s regulatory process
• What this means for patients hoping to use the technique to have healthy children

Roundup comments accompanied this briefing.

Speakers:

Professor Mary Herbert, Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research and Newcastle Fertility Centre, Newcastle University

Professor Doug Turnbull, Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Newcastle University