Gamete Donor Selection Based on Genetic Calculations. U.S. Patent 8,543,339

Gamete donor selection includes receiving a specification including a phenotype of interest, receiving a genotype of a recipient and a plurality of genotypes of a respective plurality of donors, determining statistical information pertaining to the phenotype of interest based at least in part on different pairings of the genotype of the recipient and a genotype of a donor in the plurality of donors, and identifying a preferred donor among the plurality of donors, based at least in part on the statistical information determined

Web-Based, Participant-Driven Studies Yield Novel Genetic Associations for Common Traits

Despite the recent rapid growth in genome-wide data, much of human variation remains entirely unexplained. A significant challenge in the pursuit of the genetic basis for variation in common human traits is the efficient, coordinated collection of genotype and phenotype data. We have developed a novel research framework that facilitates the parallel study of a wide assortment of traits within a single cohort. The approach takes advantage of the interactivity of the Web both to gather data and to present genetic information to research participants, while taking care to correct for the population structure inherent to this study design. Here we report initial results from a participant-driven study of 22 traits. Replications of associations (in the genes OCA2, HERC2, SLC45A2, SLC24A4, IRF4, TYR, TYRP1, ASIP, and MC1R) for hair color, eye color, and freckling validate the Web-based, self-reporting paradigm. The identification of novel associations for hair morphology (rs17646946, near TCHH; rs7349332, near WNT10A; and rs1556547, near OFCC1), freckling (rs2153271, in BNC2), the ability to smell the methanethiol produced after eating asparagus (rs4481887, near OR2M7), and photic sneeze reflex (rs10427255, near ZEB2, and rs11856995, near NR2F2) illustrates the power of the approach

Green Fever EcoCycle and Sustainability in Action

Green fever is infecting Macquarie University as it champions an innovative, people-driven, campus-wide approach to sustainability that will inspire universities across the world. A coupled human-nature framework, The EcoCycle is introduced in this paper, which will assist Universities to develop and evaluate future programs for behavioural change. The EcoCycle framework is applied to evaluate one of the University's many sustainability activities, the Annual Department Sustainability Challenge. This program commenced in 2009 and operates at a minimal cost. In 2013, 37 Departments and 1,815 or (approx.) 81 % staff members voluntarily participated, competing for 'sustainability stars' awarded for their activities, including greening their offices. They received prizes, such as trees planted in critical koala habitat. The findings from this study demonstrate how the EcoCycle can be employed to understand and evaluate variables that drive or inhibit human actions towards a sustainable planet. Analyses of The Challenge highlight the importance of a whole-of-university approach that is peer and incentive driven and, most importantly, playful. Universities, as community leaders in research, technology and education are strategically placed to address global sustainability challenges. In the ominous context of the impacts of Global Climate Change, positive, constructive sustainability activities, such as the Department Sustainability Challenge provide an exemplar for University communities investing in a sustainable planet. This paper argues that potential program participants should be empowered to design their activities. This strategy ensures their engagement, emphasising that human-centric solutions are critical to addressing human-caused problems.16 page(s