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Tinker Tots: a citizen science project exploring ethical dilemmas in embryo selection


When choosing an embryo for implantation during in vitro fertilisation (IVF), would you consider its chances of developing a health condition? What about traits like creativity, intelligence, or physical fitness?

Tinker Tots is an interactive research project designed to explore how different genetic possibilities influence decision-making.

Understanding Decision-Making in Embryo Selection

Advances in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) now allow parents undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to receive information about an embryo’s likelihood of developing certain traits and medical conditions. This technology raises important questions: How do people interpret and use this information? What traits or risks do they prioritise? How do ethical, social, and personal factors shape these choices?

This is a study about what people think is good in life and what they value in their children. It will inform medical research, the regulation of reproduction and the choices people have when deciding to bring a child into the world.
Professor Julian Savulescu, a Principal Investigator of the project

To answer these questions, researchers from the University of Oxford, University of Exeter, and the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine have developed Tinker Tots.

In this online study, participants are presented with hypothetical embryo selection scenarios. Each embryo has a unique genetic profile, with different chances of developing certain conditions (e.g., heart disease, schizophrenia) or traits (e.g., high IQ, musical talent).

Participants must decide which embryo they would choose to implant, helping researchers uncover underlying patterns in human values and decision-making.

 

How It Works

  • Make choices – Users navigate rounds of embryo selection dilemmas, choosing between embryos with different predicted attributes.
  • Compare probabilities – Each round presents hypothetical genetic probabilities, prompting users to weigh and prioritise traits and conditions.
  • Reflect on values – At the end of each session, users receive a summary of their choices and what other people have chosen, offering insights into their preferences and decision-making patterns.
  • Explore further – Users can play multiple sessions to see how their choices evolve when faced with new attributes.
  • Contribute to research – Every decision made helps researchers better understand how people interpret genetic information and make ethical trade-offs.

Join the Study

Tinker Tots is part of the ANTITHESES Discovery Research Platform for Transformative Inclusivity in Ethics and Humanities Research funded by the Wellcome Trust [226801]. It is open to all participants willing to explore how we weigh probabilities, risks, and values when shaping future generations.

Tinker Tots logo