Twins COVID-19 research coming soon

Look out in the media over coming days for an announcement on our new online study seeking twins to help track how COVID-19 has impacted them and their families. Or join our Facebook page to hear the news as soon as it becomes available. If you’d like to join the study, please keep an eye on your inbox next week as we’ll be sending further details to all of our members. Together we can bring the power of twin research to help in the fight against COVID-19. 

If you know of other twins who may not be TRA members, please encourage them to join us here. Or if you or your twin need to update your details (importantly your email address), you can do this here. Note: check in with your twin to see if they received this email – if not they may need to update their email address with us. With your help, we hope to increase the number of twins registered throughout Australia who can participate in this ground-breaking research. 

Resilience study follows up twins a decade on

The researchers and twins involved in this project may be ten years older but are excited to be joining forces again for the second phase of the landmark study to better understand factors in resilience. Researcher Justine Gatt (pictured) explains her findings so far, why she is inviting nearly 1600 twins from her first study in 2009 to return in 2020, and what she hopes to discover in the next phase. Learn more 

Please note: the phase two study is only open to twins who previously participated in the phase one 2009 study called The Emotional Wellbeing Project. Eligible twins have been emailed a study invite. Please contact us if you need this resent. Further details here

Are you or your twin affected by a neurodevelopment disorder?

Did you know that between 5-9% of children in developed countries are affected by neurodevelopment disorders such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders? A new study is seeking to predict babies at risk of developing NDDs, which would then enable earlier monitoring, treatment and better outcomes. Researchers are seeking identical twins aged under 25 to join the study where one or both twins are living with an NDD. Meet the researchers, learn more about the importance of the study, and how to join in. View video

Triplets help find clues into causes of Alzheimer’s

In the first study published about Alzheimer’s disease among identical triplets, researchers found that despite sharing the same DNA, two of the triplets developed the disease while one did not. “These findings show that your genetic code doesn’t dictate whether you are guaranteed to develop Alzheimer’s,” say the researchers. Other lifestyle or environmental factors provide “hope for people who have a strong family history” of all types of dementia – including Alzheimer’s – because these could act to “protect against or accelerate” disease development. Learn more

Australia’s oldest living triplets turn 90

Three sisters, believed to be Australia’s oldest living triplets, celebrated their 90th birthdays recently. The triplets explain the secret to long life, their journey together since 1929, and their special connection. Read more

And a little light relief...

Caught on video, these toddler twins explain what being in quarantine means to them. View here