The New Horizons in IVF Engagement project centres around the creation of a glass art exhibition which aims to help fertility patients, and wider audiences, better understand and visualise the complicated IVF process and the research which impacts it. 

The stunning artworks are the result of collaboration between IVF patients, researchers from the McAinsh (University of Warwick) and Marston (University of Edinburgh) labs and a professional glass artist. 

The central artwork “The Inner Forest” was crafted by professional artist David Mola after a long development period informed by discussions with the researchers and patients undergoing fertility treatment. Researchers from both labs then joined David in his ‘Glass lab’ to design and make their own glass tile, based on a specific element of their research. The beautiful photographs of the central artwork are by Seb K Akehurst of Jolly Bearded Promotions.

The resulting exhibition has toured across the UK, acting as a focal point for engagement sessions, providing an ice breaker to generate rich dialogue, and serving as a tool with which researchers can explain complex elements of their work. The exhibition and its engagement aim to empower patients to ask questions about the causes of infertility and to better voice their opinions. The resulting discussion aids researchers to understand the challenges for IVF patients and how their scientific work and engagement conversations can together improve the patient experience.