April 20, 2012
We at 23andMe have a special place in our hearts for today, National DNA Day. There are many ways to celebrate this special science holiday, ranging from making DNA-themed bracelets to constructing helical origami, but we think one of the best ways is to learn something new about DNA and, in the [...]
April 12, 2012
The term “sarcoma” encompasses over a hundred forms of rare cancers, and the cause behind many of these forms is unknown. Ewing sarcoma, however, is one sarcoma for which the biology is relatively well understood. This form is caused by a gene fusion -- a DNA rearrangement resulting in two genes being [...]
March 23, 2012
March 23rd is National Puppy Day! How did the Shar-Pei get his wrinkly skin? The question sounds like the beginning of one of Kipling’s “Just So” stories, but this and other questions were the subject of a recent genetics study. What gives some breeds their Lilliputian legs and others their lengthy [...]
March 14, 2012
Ewing sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer, is diagnosed in only about 250 children and teenagers in the United States each year. The vast majority of Ewing sarcomas are caused by a specific rearrangement of the DNA within bone cells – the EWSR1 gene on chromosome 22 becomes fused to the FLI1 gene on [...]
February 24, 2012
The realization of a long-awaited hope arrived this past month for many families in the form of a new treatment for cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common recessively inherited diseases, affecting about 30,000 people in the United States. There are at least 500 mutations in a gene [...]
February 9, 2012
Your doctor, undoubtedly, knows quite a lot. She went through four grueling years of medical school, passed a rigorous set of board exams, and completed at least one intensive residency in her speciality. What may surprise you, however, is that she may not know very much about pharmacogenetics, the [...]
February 6, 2012
Many couples who would like to start a family have difficulty doing so. This disappointing and frustrating situation is more common than many people realize, affecting approximately one couple out of six worldwide. Given that female infertility issues receive so much attention, it may surprise some to learn [...]
January 30, 2012
In December a new study created quite a stir in the already-volatile clopidogrel research community. Clopidogrel (trade names Plavix®) is a commonly prescribed anti-clotting drug. It is inactive in the body until a protein encoded by the gene CYP2C19 converts the drug to its active form. Some people are able [...]
December 1, 2011
My parents aren’t world-class athletes, but in the summer of 2009 they both competed in the Senior Olympics. They were representing their home state of Wyoming, where people — much less senior athletes — are few and far between. It was at the Senior Olympics that my parents first encountered 23andMe. [...]
November 18, 2011
From your toenails to your hair follicles, every cell in your body contains genetic information. Furthermore, each cell (except sperm and egg cells) contains the same genetic information as every other cell in your body. This all-cells-are-created-equal premise, however, is an oversimplification of reality. [...]
