What is genomic prediction and can embryos really be ‘screened for IQ’?

A startup in the US, Heliospect, appears to be preparing to launch a service to enable parents to select desirable' traits

• US startup charging couples to screen embryos for IQ'

There is broad scientific consensus that intelligence is partly inherited and that genes play a significant role. But pinning this incredibly complex trait down to precise contributions from specific genes is a far more thorny scientific challenge - and claims of being able to produce meaningful IQ gains" in the context of embryo screening are widely viewed as contentious.

Despite the science being unsettled, it has emerged that at least one company, the US startup Heliospect, appears to be preparing to publicly launch a service that allows parents who have conceived several embryos through IVF to select those most likely to have desirable" traits, such as height and IQ.