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An Israeli woman appears to have been given the wrong donor sperm at a fertility clinic already known for a previous IVF mix-up. The single woman has two sons, both conceived using donor sperm at the Assuta Clinic in Tel Aviv, Israel. When the second child was born, the boys did not resemble one another, and a DNA test revealed they do not share the same biological father.

The ovaries have long been seen as a passive repositories for eggs. A study examining how the 3D structure of these reproductive organs change with age in mice is now challenging these assumptions, according to an article published in Nature. A team of researchers led by scientists at the Center for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, Spain, has methodically mapped out 85,000 egg cells in over 100 intact mouse ovaries across the animals' reproductive lifespan.

Gene therapy designed to deliver a healthy copy of the ALPK3 gene can restore heart function, raising the possibility of a future treatment for some forms of inherited cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases that impair the heart's ability to pump blood, increasing the risk of heart failure. Although cardiomyopathy affects around 30 million people worldwide, treatment options remain limited.

From my experience writing for BioNews, reviewing TV and film about fertility, IVF and surrogacy has become increasingly difficult. Broadly, I would argue that this is a good thing: many previous attempts have felt like public service broadcasts which, while important to discuss, meant the review's unique angle was simply that it was all 'important to discuss'.

Human brain organoids have been kept in culture for more than five years, extending the period over which these models of human brain development have previously been maintained. Human cerebral organoids, grown in a dish, allow researchers to study the development and maturation of cells of the cerebral cortex, which is difficult to study in vivo.

The stem cell charity Anthony Nolan has launched a campaign to mark 30 years of research at its research institute, which was established in 1996 to investigate why some bone marrow and stem cell transplants fail despite apparently well-matched donors and patients. The Anthony Nolan Research Institute has since conducted research into donor matching, transplant complications and patient outcomes.

A baby with a severe heart defect has been born in Texas, at the centre of a custody battle and wider discussion around surrogacy. McKenna West from Alaska was acting as a surrogate for a California-based couple, Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar. At the 20-week scan, the fetus was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare condition which is not survivable without a series of major open-heart surgeries.

A baby taking part in the Generation Study has been identified as carrying a mutation linked to the rare condition adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), prompting his older sibling to also be tested. Baby Revan's mother had agreed to participate in the Generation Study, an initiative launched in 2024 as a partnership between Genomics England and NHS England, during her pregnancy (see BioNews 1261).

More UK families have reported that the wrong donor sperm or eggs were used in fertility treatment at clinics in Northern Cyprus. Following a BBC investigation earlier this year (see BioNews 1334 and 1342), more parents have come forward. At least 30 children are now believed to have been conceived using the wrong donor gametes, with these suspicions confirmed for 11 of them using commercial DNA tests.

Families affected by mitochondrial disease today still face uncertainty, limited treatment options and the lack of a cure for the condition. By establishing the UK Mitochondrial Disease Research Institute, The Lily Foundation hopes to improve how rare mitochondrial diseases are understood and treated. The Institute will create a nationally coordinated, patient-driven ecosystem, bringing together people, data and infrastructure to accelerate research.