Sociogenomics – when nature meets nurture

Sociogenome is comprehensive study of the role of genes and gene-environment (GxE) interaction on reproductive behaviour. Until now, social science research has focussed on socio-environmental explanations, largely neglecting the role of genes. Drawing from recent unprecedented advances in molecular genetics in this talk Professor Melinda Mills, principal investigator of the Sociogenome project examines whether there is a genetic component to reproductive outcomes, including age at first birth, number of children and infertility and their interaction with the social environment.

Melinda Mills (PhD Demography) is the Nuffield Professor of Sociology. Her main research areas are currently in the area of sociogenomics (combing a social science and molecular genetic approach to the study of behavioural outcomes), with a focus on life course, fertility, partnerships and assortative mating. She joined the University of Oxford in 2014 and was previously at the University of Groningen and Free University Amsterdam, The Netherlands and the University of Bielefeld, Germany. She is currently the Head of the Department of Sociology, Editor-in-Chief of the European Sociological Review, Fellow of the European Academy of Sociology, and an ESRC Executive Council Member.