Article published in The Voice January 2012

Medical and sociological researchers love twins – both identical and non-identical – because they help with understanding genetic and environmental factors in health, family functioning, attitudes to learning and so much more. Professor John Hopper explains the role of the ATR.

The Australian Twin Registry – which turned 30 years old in 2011 – is considered one of the ‘jewels in the crown’ of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) research funding. Since 1981, the ATR has achieved successive five-year grants from the NHMRC with increasing budgets. It is a vital national research-enabling resource, supporting key aspects of the national health, medical and broader scientific research effort.

Our Australian Twin Registry has grown to become the most active and largest voluntary twin registry in the world and an international leader in twin research. Today, one in six of Australia’s 400,000- strong twin population is an ATR member.

Recent article in the Herald Sun January 29 2012

TWINS Amanda and Sophie Fontaine are identical, right down to their penchant for clowning around.

The 13-year-old unicyclists yesterday warmed up their act in Blackburn's Drummond St -- which is home to four sets of twins -- in preparation for the 2012 Twins Plus Festival, to be held at Caulfield Racecourse on March 18.

The festival offers twins, triplets, quadruplets, and so on, the chance to celebrate their unique lives and take part in fun and games catered specifically to twins. Visit twinfestival.com.au for more.

Full article can be read HERE

Twins seem to be currently all the rage in the media.  Stories about Princess Mary’s gorgeous new twins and the cute antics of Angelina Jolie’s twins are regularly on the covers of celebrity magazines.

But twin fever is not confined to celebrity magazines.  It is also spreading to the playing fields.

Twins and their families are making a vital contribution to research which is setting new guidelines for children’s dental health. The study involves many twin pairs and their families who are members of the Australian Twin Registry.  A researcher with the University of Adelaide’s School of Dentistry, Michelle Bockmann explains why this research is important and the special role of twins in the study.

The unique contribution of twins to medical research around the world, and to treatment of complex diseases such as cancer and diabetes, is the focus of an international conference being held in Melbourne this coming Monday.