Premature birth risk appears to be genetic, say researchers after finding early births tend to run in families. Women born prematurely or who have brothers or sisters who were born too early are 50-60% more likely to have a premature baby themselves, they say. The University of Aberdeen...

Smokers who find it hard to cut down or quit may be able to blame their genes, new research suggests. Scientists identified three genetic mutations that increase the number of cigarettes people smoke a day. And several genes appear to dictate how likely you are to take up smoking and how...

Stammering has long been recognised to run in families, but scientists now say they have identified three genes which may cause the problem in some people. They believe that mutations which have already been tied to metabolic disorders may also affect the way in which parts of the brain...

Gene variants that might show how fast people’s bodies are actually ageing have been pinpointed by scientists. Researchers from the University of Leicester and Kings College London say the finding could help spot people at higher risk of age-related illnesses. People carrying the...