A new interdisciplinary research centre at the University will focus on both the science and the societal aspects of reproduction.
The new Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Reproduction (CISoR), which was launched on 1 November, will include Kent researchers working in the fields of biosciences, anthropology, law, history, psychology and social policy. It will be led by Darren Griffin, Professor of Genetics at the University’s School of Biosciences.
It is expected CISoR will concentrate on three main research areas: assisting human reproduction, including news techniques for IVF, genetics and imaging and the legal framework surrounding assisted reproduction; the barriers to human reproduction, including environmental pollutants affecting pregnancy; non-human reproduction, including biological mechanisms and control of reproductive processes and animal IVF as a means of improving food production and conservation.
Another major aim of the new Centre, which has Professor Sally Sheldon, of the University’s School of Law as its Deputy Director, will be to promote public engagement and debate in the issues surrounding reproduction.