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Thread: DNA Tests

  1. #1

    DNA Tests

    Who here has tested their DNA? I am not considering it but reading the story below gave me a new perspective. I am curious what other people’s experience has been?

    A Woman Found Her Cord-Blood Donor from a DNA Test: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/...a-test/597928/
    Carolina delenda est

  2. #2
    Curious what this has to do with Duke Athletics?

    You may want to post in the off-topic board.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Richmond, VA

    Does this help make the connection?


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkD83 View Post
    Nailed it! (Unfortunately, have to spread the love before I can spork.)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    I was gifted a DNA test for Christmas last year, anonymously. Someone knew I was adopted and heard me talk about how it would be nice to know at least my genetic roots. (Had no interest in knowing of birth parents.)

    Through the test I found that I have a half brother, 20 years my senior. In fact, most of my "closest relatives" are in his age range. I've communicated with him. Unlike me, he didn't learn he was adopted until he was 21. (But, thankfully, at least he knew...I was worried when I reached out what his reaction may be.)
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greenville, SC
    I did a National Geographic Genographic 2 DNA test several years ago. That one tracks your ancestry from Africa around 70,000 years ago until fairly recent times. It gives best matches with various indigenous populations, but doesn’t attempt anything like recent family connections.

    Among other interesting things the Nat Geo test listed me as 2% Neanderthal and 1.7% Denisovan. Who knew that when someone in the past called me a Neanderthal they weren’t insulting me, they were describing me.

  7. #7
    I am also adopted and was curious about my genetic history. I didn't find any brothers or sisters but did find a first cousin. Definitely younger than me and taller than me, but they were able to confirm several things I suspected.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Outside Philly
    Quote Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred View Post
    I was gifted a DNA test for Christmas last year, anonymously. Someone knew I was adopted and heard me talk about how it would be nice to know at least my genetic roots. (Had no interest in knowing of birth parents.)

    Through the test I found that I have a half brother, 20 years my senior. In fact, most of my "closest relatives" are in his age range. I've communicated with him. Unlike me, he didn't learn he was adopted until he was 21. (But, thankfully, at least he knew...I was worried when I reached out what his reaction may be.)
    Quote Originally Posted by YmoBeThere View Post
    I am also adopted and was curious about my genetic history. I didn't find any brothers or sisters but did find a first cousin. Definitely younger than me and taller than me, but they were able to confirm several things I suspected.
    Thanks for sharing. I don't know if this is in the same ballpark (so if it isn't, please excuse me) but a close couple friend recently conceived via egg donor-ship. They've spoken to a counselor about how to talk to the child as s/he gets older about how things came to be. I'll say they're mildly anxious about these types of genetic tests though. The process and legal wall essentially granted them ownership of the donor's egg and there's supposed to be no ability to connect/meet with the donor. I tend to think their anxiety is a bit overblown but, well, I just don't know what the dynamics of a child of a donated egg reaching out to his/her genetic relatives would be (versus the experiences that you both had).

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    Thanks for sharing. I don't know if this is in the same ballpark (so if it isn't, please excuse me) but a close couple friend recently conceived via egg donor-ship. They've spoken to a counselor about how to talk to the child as s/he gets older about how things came to be. I'll say they're mildly anxious about these types of genetic tests though. The process and legal wall essentially granted them ownership of the donor's egg and there's supposed to be no ability to connect/meet with the donor. I tend to think their anxiety is a bit overblown but, well, I just don't know what the dynamics of a child of a donated egg reaching out to his/her genetic relatives would be (versus the experiences that you both had).
    Less interesting/thorny potentially than what is on the spectrum if I were to discuss my existence with my genetic father. He was likely a GI on a short-term stay in Hawaii. My mother was local to the islands. There are of course many happy scenarios from this situation. There are also less happy scenarios.

    My opinion, raise the child in the best environment they can provide with love and support. Arm the child with what they view as the important information at the appropriate time.* Anything after that is beyond their control. Let them know that their anxiety is likely caused by a desire to control the outcome. And that they can't. There is some truth to the old adage if you love something, set it free.

    Others will have their own thoughts and opinions on the matter. I've never had a strong desire to meet my genetic parents. My sister(also adopted) feels differently.

    *I've known since about 9 that I was adopted. Given that I'm 9-10" taller than either of my parents; it would have been awkward if they hadn't told me until much later. I still poke fun at my Mom about the time that she told me to stay behind her, that the drivers/cars might not see me. Can't tell yet if she has gotten tired of the joke.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Maybe NSFW, and intended to be light hearted; a video of a popular song by Lizzo:

    https://youtu.be/P00HMxdsVZI

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Skinker-DeBaliviere, Saint Louis
    If you submit to one of these tests, these companies now have your genetic information and can sell it to insurance companies. It's a very very very bad idea to participate in it. What's worse, relatives can comprise you by taking the tests when you haven't. My father took them, my late mother didn't; well they've got me 50% whether I like it or not.

    My wife did it, so they've got our kid 50%. I will never, ever do it for that reason alone--to keep that number from rising.

    It was amazing to me that my father, who spent the entire internet era screeching about his internet privacy, willingly went onto the internet to pay someone from the internet to invade his medical privacy in this way.

    Of course, aging people sure do love genealogy. I guess that's the hook.

    A movie is not about what it's about; it's about how it's about it.
    ---Roger Ebert


    Some questions cannot be answered
    Who’s gonna bury who
    We need a love like Johnny, Johnny and June
    ---Over the Rhine

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    Thanks for sharing. I don't know if this is in the same ballpark (so if it isn't, please excuse me) but a close couple friend recently conceived via egg donor-ship. They've spoken to a counselor about how to talk to the child as s/he gets older about how things came to be. I'll say they're mildly anxious about these types of genetic tests though. The process and legal wall essentially granted them ownership of the donor's egg and there's supposed to be no ability to connect/meet with the donor. I tend to think their anxiety is a bit overblown but, well, I just don't know what the dynamics of a child of a donated egg reaching out to his/her genetic relatives would be (versus the experiences that you both had).
    The earlier they are honest with the kid about it, the better it will be. Nowadays, there is no way to hide the truth from someone if they choose to be tested.
    My parents told my sister and I as soon as we were able to comprehend...we've always known. Way back then, unless you went through the adoption agencies, there wasn't much of a way to learn who your real parents were, but neither of us have ever had any interest in knowing.
    I do like knowing more of my history, though, such as the fact that I can trace most of my roots to Great Britain. And it's been fun connecting with cousins. Half-bro was a total surprise, but thankfully that connection worked out well, too.
    Being that they went the egg-donor route, that child is quite likely to find half-siblings along the way, so they might as well educate him/her with that knowledge sooner than later.
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    I got tested about a year ago, principally just out of curiosity about the entire process - the technology, statistics, ethics, etc. My grandmother had gotten me interested in family history about forty years ago, so I had no expectation of learning anything significant about my family through the DNA tests. I had already traced everything pretty much beyond the limits of what you can do with DNA.

    It turned out to be a fascinating, educational and positive experience. In no particular order it has been kind of neat to:
    1) Stumble onto a connection with two 90+ year old women who have now enjoyed connecting and rehashing their childhood,
    2) Discovering a stray cousin in my family -- Had to think through lots of the ethics and privacy issues in dealing with this one, but it has turned out to bring new happiness to two families,
    3) Finding out why Brussel Sprouts made me gag as six year old, but I can eat them now, and
    4) Connecting with a roughly fifth cousin who lives in Germany where some of my ancestors came from.

    And I also got roped into a project that I'm currently involved in to try and sort out the very confused relationships among the family of one of my fourth great grandmothers. The whole point of dipping into the DNA testing was for curiosity and educational reasons, and this project has covered me up in opportunities to tackle this from lots of different directions.

    Basically it has been an entirely positive and interesting experience.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    There are a couple sites that you may find useful. I don't know which service you used, (I did 23andMe), but you can use the data on other sites. One is GedMatch. https://www.gedmatch.com
    Upload your DNA kit, and you will see how you are connected to other uploaders within 24-48 hours.
    Another site that is free to use is MyHeritage. www.myheritage.com
    MyHeritage does have features that require payment, but to upload and find family is free. It is through that site that I've found my "closest" family, including my half-brother.
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by throatybeard View Post
    If you submit to one of these tests, these companies now have your genetic information and can sell it to insurance companies. It's a very very very bad idea to participate in it. What's worse, relatives can comprise you by taking the tests when you haven't. My father took them, my late mother didn't; well they've got me 50% whether I like it or not.

    My wife did it, so they've got our kid 50%. I will never, ever do it for that reason alone--to keep that number from rising.

    It was amazing to me that my father, who spent the entire internet era screeching about his internet privacy, willingly went onto the internet to pay someone from the internet to invade his medical privacy in this way.

    Of course, aging people sure do love genealogy. I guess that's the hook.
    I’ll see if I can find the reference- while I agree with your perspective, it’s too late. The article I am referring to suggests enough people have already contributed via DNA testing that on the order of 90% of Americans can be linked to crimes committed even if they have not done DNA tests themselves.

    If we got both data privacy and security correct, this information could be a major benefit for personalized medicine and longevity.

    Sadly the potential for abuse/misuse is high.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Not the article I referenced, still searching:

    https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/16/5-bi...companies.html

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/s...ogy-study.html

    Relevant quote:

    Already, 60 percent of Americans of Northern European descent — the primary group using these sites — can be identified through such databases whether or not they’ve joined one themselves, according to a study published today in the journal Science.

    Within two or three years, 90 percent of Americans of European descent will be identifiable from their DNA, researchers found. The science-fiction future, in which everyone is known whether or not they want to be, is nigh.


    My mistake. Not 90% of all Americans. The headline states most white Americans.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by fuse View Post
    Maybe NSFW, and intended to be light hearted; a video of a popular song by Lizzo:

    https://youtu.be/P00HMxdsVZI
    What a coincidence!

    I just got a DNA test and it turns out
    I’m a hundred percent less talented than Lizzo.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Ggallagher View Post
    I got tested about a year ago, principally just out of curiosity about the entire process - the technology, statistics, ethics, etc. My grandmother had gotten me interested in family history about forty years ago, so I had no expectation of learning anything significant about my family through the DNA tests. I had already traced everything pretty much beyond the limits of what you can do with DNA.

    It turned out to be a fascinating, educational and positive experience. In no particular order it has been kind of neat to:
    1) Stumble onto a connection with two 90+ year old women who have now enjoyed connecting and rehashing their childhood,
    2) Discovering a stray cousin in my family -- Had to think through lots of the ethics and privacy issues in dealing with this one, but it has turned out to bring new happiness to two families,
    3) Finding out why Brussel Sprouts made me gag as six year old, but I can eat them now, and
    4) Connecting with a roughly fifth cousin who lives in Germany where some of my ancestors came from.

    And I also got roped into a project that I'm currently involved in to try and sort out the very confused relationships among the family of one of my fourth great grandmothers. The whole point of dipping into the DNA testing was for curiosity and educational reasons, and this project has covered me up in opportunities to tackle this from lots of different directions.

    Basically it has been an entirely positive and interesting experience.
    #3 has me curious - can you share more info on this?

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by throatybeard View Post
    If you submit to one of these tests, these companies now have your genetic information and can sell it to insurance companies. It's a very very very bad idea to participate in it. What's worse, relatives can comprise you by taking the tests when you haven't. My father took them, my late mother didn't; well they've got me 50% whether I like it or not.

    My wife did it, so they've got our kid 50%. I will never, ever do it for that reason alone--to keep that number from rising.

    I just read a very interesting book by Duke professor Misha Angrist called Here is a Human Being. Prof. Angrist was the fourth person in the world to have his entire genome sequenced through the Personal Genome Project at Harvard (started by Duke graduate George Church). The idea of the PGP is to compile a database of the entire genomes of thousands of people and hopefully extract meaningful data from very minute differences that we each have in our DNA. They are hoping to find the genetic basis for physical traits and medical conditions that haven't yet been found.

    All of that sounds promising, and I am by no means a geneticist, but I am skeptical. The reason I would never submit my DNA is the issue of privacy. I had the opportunity to talk to Prof. Angrist about why he participated in the PGP, and he cited altruist motives that I confess I do not share. I am also skeptical of the promise of "the gene" for obesity, depression, and many other conditions the PGP is hoping to find. We are more than the sum of our genes. So far, the promise of personalized medicine has not materialized on a large scale, either.

    Unfortunately, both of my parents have given their DNA to one of the genealogy companies. I tried, unsuccessfully, to talk them out of it.

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