Personal Genomics

DNA, fruit flies and the quest to treat cancer with precision medicine
"Cancer therapy is becoming customized to each patient." ...

Northern Quebec’s Inuit communities appear to be ‘genetically distinct’ from all other populations in the world
Researchers have found that Inuit from northern Quebec are genetically distinct from any present-day population in the world, and say ...

Podcast: Should you get your entire genome sequenced? The pros and cons of diving into your DNA
Given how little we know about how variations in the genome affect health and disease, is direct-to-consumer whole genome sequencing ...

Precision medicine dampened by lack of diversity in gene research pool
[Anthropologist and bioethicist Sandra Soo-Jin Lee] recently wrote about ethics in personalized medicine research for Science magazine, and we spoke ...

‘Why did I get cancer?’ We can do more to alleviate ‘angst, guilt’ accompanying a diagnosis
More time spent explaining the biology of cancer to patients can help alleviate angst and guilt. ...

Knowledge without context: Why consumer genetic tests can spark needless fears, behavioral changes
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests are growing in popularity. They can tell us a lot about our personal building blocks. But there ...

Inaccuracies in consumer genetic tests for BRCA mutations prompt call for crackdown from UK doctors
Senior doctors have called for a crackdown on consumer genetic tests, following an influx of patients who have been wrongly ...

Anorexia linked to metabolism in DNA study, opening new treatment avenues
The way we treat anorexia may be changing, thanks to a new study linking the illness to metabolism. The study, ...

Can DNA-based dating apps help you find a love connection? Don’t count on it, scientists say
With the direct-to-consumer genetic testing market booming, more and more companies are looking to capitalize on the promise of DNA-based ...

What happens when DNA tests show that white nationalists aren’t as ‘pure’ as they thought?
On the hate site Stormfront, one of the largest online discussion forums dedicated to “white pride,” sharing DNA results with ...

Where is China’s third CRISPR baby and what does it mean for the genetics revolution?
Last November, Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui shocked the world by announcing that the word’s first gene edited human babies, two ...

Whole-genome sequencing now costs less than a smart phone. But how much do people want to know about their disease risks?
Veritas Genetics is making a big bet that people want to know what’s in their genome. The Boston-based company, which ...

Predicting IQ potential of human embryos may be possible with machine learning, genetic data
[T]he diseases that are most likely to shadow the average person’s life — cancer, heart disease, diabetes — are polygenic, ...

How a combination of rare mutations created devastating heart problems for this family
Heritable diseases — say Huntington’s, sickle cell anemia, or cystic fibrosis — are typically thought of as the result of ...

Why we aren’t ready for routine genetic sequencing of newborns: It can ‘raise unsettling questions’
Scientists have found that, so far, a complete genetic readout would be a poor substitute for the traditional blood test ...

Consumer genetic tests promise rich rewards, but can yield ‘awkward surprises’
DNA testing is all about unlocking secrets. But sometimes surrendering your saliva may also mean surrendering a bit of privacy ...

Pot smokers with this genetic variant could face addiction risks similar to those who smoke cigarettes
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, for those of us who can remember them, marijuana was widely regarded as not ...

Should we have laws to protect our genetic privacy? DNA testing companies don’t think so
How much genetic privacy is a consumer entitled to? Congress is now pondering federal privacy rules that probably will address ...

IVF raises breast and ovarian cancer risks for women over 40 as much as 65%? That’s what headlines scream, but here’s how statistics lie and scare people
Statistics related to medical risks and care often unnecessarily frighten people, and lousy journalism doesn't help ...

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing: Breakthrough tool diagnoses mystery diseases
Decoding all the DNA in a patient’s biological sample can reveal whether an infectious microbe is causing the disease ...

Why do some elite athletes die during intense exercise? The answer may be in their genes.
Biological anthropologists and other researchers investigate why there is a diversity of symptoms and outcomes in people with sickle cell ...

Not a morning person? Maybe it’s because of your genes
I'm not a morning person because I'm lazy, but because it's coded into my genes. I've learned this thanks to ...

Pharmacogenetics and depression: Genetic screening could eliminate trial-and-error approach to medications
Antidepressants may soon be added to the growing list of medications genetically matched to patients most likely to respond — ...

How consumer genetic testing is ending paternal secrecy—for better or worse
When Nara Milanich wrote Paternity: The Elusive Quest for the Father—a history of the scientific, legal, and social conceptions of ...

Genetic solutions depends largely on data from people of European descent. Do we need to address that research imbalance?
To boost the participation of marginalized communities in genetic studies, doctors must first win back their trust ...

DNA testing companies launch privacy ‘coalition’ to protect consumer data
Genetic testing companies are forming a new coalition on best practices for handling DNA information and to promote the industry ...

Can you become addicted to pot? This gene increases your risk.
Danish researchers have for the first time identified a gene that increases the risk for cannabis use disorder. About 10 ...

Scammers set sights on booming genetic testing market
The cost of genetic testing for disease assessment can be as high as $10,000. With that kind of money in ...