Tim Spector is a Consultant Rheumatologist at St Thomas' Hospital, London and also Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College, London. He also runs the UK's largest Twin Research Unit which he started in 1993. The St Thomas' UK twin Registry (TwinsUK) is the largest of its kind in the world and has detailed information on around 10,000 twins from around the UK. His interest in twins and initially the common diseases arthritis and osteoporosis - led him to explore the genetic basis of a wide range of common diseases and traits many of which were previously thought to be mainly due to ageing and environment. He also runs trials into novel treatments for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. His work has been highly publicised through the media with an average of three or four major press releases a year on major papers. His extensive research on genetics inspired him to write a popular book ' Your Genes Unzipped '.

For further information on the Twin Research Unit projects, publications, and information on how all twins can volunteer to participate in our studies as well as the TwinsUK biobank project, please visit www.twinsUK.ac.uk