Our research is trying to find out how the body makes sure that parents pass the right number of chromosomes on to their children. Mistakes in this process are very common in humans and cause miscarriage, infertility, and Down's Syndrome.

The process of passing the right number of chromosomes from parents to their children is regulated by a complex system of checks and balances within the body. This process is known as meiosis.

1. Meiosis begins in the parent's reproductive cells, where the DNA is duplicated. This results in cells with double the normal number of chromosomes (46 x 2 = 92 in humans).

2. These cells then undergo two rounds of cell division, meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, the cell divides its duplicated chromosomes into two cells. Each of these cells has 46 chromosomes, the same number as a normal body cell, but each chromosome is still duplicated.

3. In meiosis II, these cells divide again, this time separating the duplicated chromosomes. This results in four cells, each with 23 single chromosomes.

4. These cells mature into sperm or eggs, which contain the right number of chromosomes to pass on to the next generation.

Mistakes in this process can lead to cells with the wrong number of chromosomes, a condition known as aneuploidy. This can cause a variety of health problems, including miscarriage, infertility, and Down's Syndrome. Research into how these mistakes occur and how they can be prevented is a major focus of genetic and reproductive biology.