Twins Research Australia

20/05/2026

Are you a twin or part of a twin family? 👯

Join Twins Research Australia and be part of a community of over 75,000 twins and families helping improve health for all.

Be invited to take part in research that interests you—from online surveys 📝 to optional health assessments 🩺—and receive updates on study findings. You’ll also get access to evidence-based resources 📚 and discounted genetic (zygosity) testing 🧬

Twins are uniquely valuable to research, helping scientists understand how genetics and environment influence health, leading to better prevention and treatment for conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

✔️Participation is always your choice, your information is kept confidential, and all research meets strict ethical standards.

👉 Sign up today: https://twins.org.au/twins-and-families/join-us/
✨ Together, twins can help unlock discoveries that benefit everyone.

Become a member It doesn’t matter how old you are, or if you are identical or fraternal, same-s*x or opposite s*x twins (or a Higher Order Multiple), well or with an existing medical condition – all are welcome to join us. Twins and HOMs can be registered as soon as they are born. Those under 18...

05/05/2026

Thank you to the over 3,500 TRA members participating in this important study that is investigating why some women's digital mammograms reveal a higher risk of breast cancer than others, and how genetic and lifestyle factors might be driving that risk. Find more about the progress of the study at

Analysing digital mammograms to better understand breast cancer risk April 8, 2026April 29, 2026 An ongoing study led by Twins Research Australia at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health is investigating why some women’s digital mammograms reveal a higher risk of breast cancer than ...

19/03/2026

Thank you to our amazing members who participated in this research. The TWIN-10 longitudinal study, now in its 12th year, is uncovering many important findings aimed at improving everyone's mental health.

Childhood trauma does not inevitably lead to poor outcomes in adulthood, new research from UNSW Sydney has found – and many people who experience adversity still thrive for decades afterwards.

18/03/2026

Thanks to the Australian Multiple Birth Association for featuring our Deputy Director, Professor Jeff Craig, and his latest research as part of Multiple Birth Awareness Week 2026 🤩👏

17/03/2026

It is Multiple Birth Awareness Week 2026! This year's theme is: Connected. Supported. Stronger. The Australian Multiple Birth Association is sharing many great resources, stories, facts and figures as part of the week. TRA congratulates them on these initatives👏

10/03/2026

Over the last 25 years, researchers have been tracking the number of moles on almost 4,000 young Australian twins & observed a nearly 50% drop in that period. While that's good news, they explain why the work doesn’t stop there.

The new study shows the number of moles on almost 4,000 children dropped by 47% between 1992 and 2016. But here’s what parents still need to watch for.

06/03/2026

Igbo-Ora, a town in southwestern Nigeria, is widely known for its unusually high number of twins and other multiple births. In this community, where Yoruba culture shapes daily life, twins are seen as a blessing and are closely tied to local traditions. Multiple births are common enough that they have become part of how families describe the place and their shared identity within it.

The article looks at the ongoing question of why Igbo-Ora has so many twins. Local residents point to food and diet, including a local soup made with okra leaves, while researchers have explored possible links involving locally grown yams. The town also holds a twins festival, where twins, triplets, and quadruplets gather in matching outfits for photos and celebration, showing how multiple births are recognised not only medically, but socially and culturally too.

Link to article: https://sbee.link/rxwnd8gabj

26/02/2026

Could the experiences of twins help explain why we don't trust politicians?

After a certain point, our trust is fairly stable, so there could be a link between our formative experiences and our feelings about politics.

23/02/2026

Twins are helping us to understand the degree to which genes contribute to our longevity. New research shows about 50%, or around double what prior research concluded.

New research estimates genetic heritability of lifespan at 50% – double previous estimates.

13/02/2026

Recent research has shown that affectionate mothering in childhood may have a lasting impact on important personality traits, potentially influencing life outcomes such as educational achievement, economic success, and health and wellbeing. Researchers examined data from 2,232 British identical twins (51.1% female) who were followed from birth through to age 18 as part of the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twins Study. The study findings suggest that positive maternal parenting could foster important traits such as openness, conscientiousness and agreeableness.

However, it can be especially challenging for mothers of multiples to dedicate the time, especially when they grapple with so many other challenges and extra support is needed. As one of the researchers involved states more generally: "There are many proven ways to support parents, such as policies that improve a family's financial situation; access to treatment for parents who struggle with mental health problems such as depression; and parenting programs that help parents build stronger relationships with their children". This would be especially needed for parents of multiples. The research sheds light on the possibility of developing parental training models to address inequalities in personality development. "By targeting parenting practices that promote positive traits in childhood, it may be possible to reduce disparities in life outcomes associated with socioeconomic background, family dynamics and other environmental factors".

Link to article: https://sbee.link/by76uqr3v4