{"id":1427,"date":"2021-10-08T17:49:53","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T16:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/connecte-d-n-a\/?page_id=1427"},"modified":"2024-01-17T10:46:28","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T10:46:28","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/connecte-d-n-a\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″ global_module=”322″ _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu global_parent=”322″ _builder_version=”3.0.106″ menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” custom_css_main_element=”padding-top:0px” module_class=”header-image-section” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” make_equal=”off” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|” module_class=”header-image” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Hero banner image” src=”https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/connecte-d-n-a\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/337\/2023\/07\/4.png” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” force_fullwidth=”off” custom_margin=”0px|||” animation_direction=”left” show_bottom_space=”off” border_color_all=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” custom_padding=”||0px|” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” make_equal=”off” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|” module_class=”breadcrumbs-row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Breadcrumbs (do not remove)” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_class=”breadcrumbs” custom_css_main_element=”border-bottom: 1px solid #ececed;” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\nConnecteDNA<\/a><\/span><\/span>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”Left Nav Sidebar” area=”et_pb_widget_area_1″ orientation=”left” remove_border=”on” background_layout=”light” module_id=”left-nav-menu” show_border=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

About the research project<\/h1>\n

The ConnecteDNA project is a collaboration between researchers at The University of Manchester, the University of Liverpool, De Montfort University, the University of Warwick and the University of Birmingham. Until October 2021, the lead institution was the University of Liverpool but the research is now being led by The University of Manchester.<\/p>\n

The project was awarded funding by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in order to explore how people involved in donor conception both use and are impacted by the rise in online DNA testing (sometimes called direct-to-consumer genetic testing or DTCGT for short).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What is direct-to-consumer genetic testing?<\/h2>\n

A growing number of companies now offer genetic testing directly to consumers via websites. The tests usually cost between \u00a350 and \u00a3100 and are often marketed as gifts for friends or family who might want to find out more about their family history or ethnicity, or sometimes as a health-management tool. Most also offer a linking service which enables people to identify and contact other users who share genetic ancestry.<\/p>\n

Some of the most popular websites in the UK include 23andme, Ancestry, myheritageDNA and findmypast but there are many more. The numbers of people who have used DTCGT has increased exponentially in recent years. It is predicted that the total number of people across the world who have taken these genetic tests will exceed 100 million in 2021<\/a>. (Regaldo 2019).<\/p>\n

How is this connected to donor conception?<\/h2>\n

Online DNA testing creates new ways in which information about genetic connections can be stored and shared. We are interested in finding out how people involved in donor conception both use and are impacted by this rapidly growing technology. \u2018Donor conception\u2019 refers to situations in which sperm, egg or embryos from someone other than an intended co-parent are used by another person(s) with the aim of conceiving a child. Specifically, we will investigate how egg, sperm and embryo donors, parents through donor conception and donor-conceived people experience online DNA testing. The growing availability of this technology enables people to search for (or sometimes unintentionally discover) people linked through donor conception outside of, or in conjunction with, \u2018official\u2019 channels (in the UK, this would be the Donor Conceived Registry, managed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority). However, we know very little about people\u2019s experiences of such discoveries or searches. Our research will address this gap in knowledge.<\/p>\n

The rise of online DNA testing also raises questions about the laws and regulations which govern how people access information about genetic relatives. In many countries, donor-conceived people are able to access information about their donor or other \u2018donor relatives\u2019 through \u2018official\u2019 channels and organisations and there are rules and procedures regarding when and how this is done. Our research will investigate the laws and information management systems in four jurisdictions (UK; The Netherlands; Victoria, Australia; and Sweden) and examine how these \u2018official\u2019 systems sit alongside or interact with the use of DTCGT to access information about donor conception.<\/p>\n

What will the research involve?<\/h2>\n

The project began in March 2021 and will run until February 2024.<\/p>\n

There are four stages to the project:<\/p>\n