Genealogical and genetic ancestors aren’t the same thing. A DNA match − or a lack of one − may not tell you what you imagine it does about your family tree.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on 23andMe
Displaying 1 - 20 of 22 articles
Our online data is inevitably intertwined with the data of others. Current protections are ill-equipped to address this reality and manage the far-ranging impacts of data breaches.
Biobanks collect and store large amounts of data that researchers use to conduct a wide range of studies. Making sure participants understand what they’re getting into can help build trust in science.
New genetic studies claim to be able to foretell our intelligence or predisposition to certain diseases. But two scientists beg to disagree, reminding us that not everything is written in our DNA.
The South African Khoe-San communities are no strangers to exploitative research. One research team is trying to provide genetic ancestry results to community members. But they still face many challenges.
Many people are filing lawsuits after discovering that sperm banks failed to verify information from donors about their medical and personal backgrounds.
Privacy concerns that emerged since law enforcement started mining the databases have put such a serious dent in the business that both Ancestry.com and 23andMe have reduced employees significantly.
When DNA databases and behavioural genetics combine, your family’s genes could play a role in criminal sentencing
DNA testing kits will be a popular gift this holiday season. Before mailing off your saliva, it’s important to understand what these kits can and cannot tell us.
A US judge has allowed police access to the major DNA database without users’ consent (including Australian users). It’s a timely reminder that we urgently need genetic privacy legislation.
Scientists explain why commercial gene testing should be used with caution.
Genetic testing companies are offering tests that analyze the ends of your chromosomes – telomeres – to gauge your health and your real age. But is there scientific evidence to support such tests?
New research investigated who uses the wide array of tools available to people who’ve received their own raw genetic data and want to maximize what they learn from it.
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing company 23andMe is now offering a new ‘polygenic risk score’ that reveals your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Does it work? Are our family physicians ready?
When you share your genetic data – even with the NHS – you don’t know where it will end up, or how it will be used.
Researchers find 351 genetic variants associated with a person’s chronotype. Before this study, we knew of only 24.
Alzheimer’s is not only the third leading cause of death in the U.S. but also the most dreaded diagnosis. Genetic testing can help determine susceptibility, but knowing whether to test isn’t easy.
Data and privacy issues are tangled up in the DNA reports consumers get from big genetic testing companies – and the third-party sites they turn to in order to glean more from their raw DNA.
More people are sending off saliva samples to find out about their genetic roots. But the raw DNA results go way beyond genealogical data – and could deliver unintended consequences.
A genetics testing company recently won approval from the FDA to market a test that can identify a breast cancer gene mutation. But what are women supposed to do with that information? There’s risk involved.
Top contributors
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Research Scientist in Biostatistics, University of Washington
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Research Professor of Epidemiology, Emory University
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Academic Fellow, University of Sydney Law School, University of Sydney
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Research fellow, Western Sydney University
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Professor of Biology, Boise State University
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Junior Fellow, MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance; Medical Student, Dalhousie University
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Lecturer in Psychology and Human Neuroscience, Royal Holloway University of London
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Ethical, Legal & Social Adviser - Public Health Genomics, Monash University
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Professor of English, York University, Canada
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Associate Professor of Population and Statistical Genetics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Group Leader, Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
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PhD Candidate, School of Law, Trinity College Dublin
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Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences, Boston University
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Professor of Health Law, Public Health Law and Medical Ethics, University of South Florida
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Research Fellow, University of Exeter
